This is topic omg lost all my files...HELP in forum Letterhead/Pinstriper Talk at The Letterville BullBoard.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.letterville.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/49178.html

---

Posted by Kymi Hum (Member # 2140) on :
 
I can't believe I did this... was having some printing problems with FLEXI 7.6v2 so I went to a Flexi help site which explained how to reset flex to the factory defaults, which I did. As it was loading the defaults I noticed the delete scroll bar thing come up and thought...God, I hope its not deleting all my sign jobs. My "sign jobs folder" was in the freakin flexi folder... and now they are all GONE. No where did it say if your jobs are saved in flexi they will be obliterated. I haven't done a back up since October. I tried to do a "restore to later date"...yesterday... and it restored all the folders so I was ecstatic, but when I tried to open a job I found they were all empty except for the first couple of folders, of which included my huge clipart folder, which I didn't need since I have the discs for. What's a printing problem when you don't have any files to print. I'm just sick and scared. Sign software, I'm good at (ha! apparently not) but I don't know that much about the internal workings of computers. Any help would be greatly appreciated. All snickering accepted if you can save my.....a..files
Thanks in advance.
Kymi
 

---

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
 
do not do anything to your machine.. do not copy a file don't even use it for anything..
Go find an undelete program.. Find one that will run without installing it to the hard drive.

Make yoru cd and go for it.. You can get back just about every thing.

OR you can call me and make an arrangement to let me get your files back.

616 773 9362
 

---

Posted by Kymi Hum (Member # 2140) on :
 
when you say "go find" do you mean look on the internet or get in my car and go to Office Max?
Do you have any recommendations? If there is something on the internet do i download it to my desktop and run it or run it with out saving it?And what day and time would be convenient for me to call you eastern time lol, can you tell I'm a little panicky? Did I mention I don't know my ass from a tall snowbank when it comes to puters?
 

---

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
 
there are dozens of un delete softwares on the internet.
Get data back.
GetData Recover
final recover.. undeleter..some are free. some are pay. its up to you

as far as calling,, you can cal just about any time
 

---

Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
 
Kymi,

I think the first thing I'd do is contact Flexi tech support. I suspect they've had more than one call on this and may have an easy solution to the problem. Besides fixing the problem, this may clue them in on the need for making changes in the software so problems like this can be avoided in the future.

Now, if you are the adventurous type, you can google "undelete software". You'll find lots of programs that are either free or have a modest fee.

And once you have the files restored - BACKUP! BACKUP!! BACKUP!!!

I copy all of my art files onto a portable hard-drive at the end of every week. I keep the portable hard-drive at home when its not in use.

.
 

---

Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
 
After you get your files back, perhaps you'll save them on a different drive than where your programs are. I've used a program called GetDataBack with occasional success.
 

---

Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
 
I wouldn't mess around. Bring your harddrive and key to your favorite tech. (You DO have one, right??) Pay him an hour of his experienced time and have him set you up with a good backup system to boot!

edited to add:

Or just have him/her come to your office with everything in tact and plugged in so you can test the works. That's generally my first option although it costs abit more.

[ March 01, 2008, 03:35 PM: Message edited by: Donna in BC ]
 

---

Posted by Tony Lucero (Member # 1470) on :
 
Please take Donna's advice. Dont try to do too much on your own. I had a similar occurrance...ran into a site that said to STOP get away from the computer and call a Tech. Best thing I did...he was able to Undelete and find recover about 90% of my files. The other 10% was the cost I had to pay for not STOPPING soon enough. Good Luck...I know how you feel. Dont panic.
 

---

Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
 
I just went through a situation where a computer tech accidentally erased my RAID drives. They were able to recover the entire lot of files. It would have cost around $300 for the retrieval.

In the future, set up a directory separate from the program for art files. That is what I do.
 

---

Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
 
Call Curtis. Let him do it from his computer.
 

---

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
 
ya, what laura said..

But I guess many do not believe I can do that..
 

---

Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
 
Kymi you can invite Curtis to access your computer and he can then fix it. Don't mess around trying to hack thru it.
 

---

Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :
 
Am I going to have to start reminding everyone that "Today is Backup Day"? Ask me how I got to this point!! I have no idea how much money I lost because I wasn't backing up often enough and we're not talking about sign files, 95% of which I'll never use again; we're talking POS files!! I bought a portable hard drive that I plug into a USB port, back my data up every week, and back my Signlab files up every week or so (they are on another computer system).
 

---

Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
 
Ricky, do you mean that backing up every February 29th isn't enough?
 

---

Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :
 
I was thinking just Feb 31st on leap years David I just had a guy place an order after I posted this. He sells software and removes virus/spyware and does data retrieval. When you're faced with a possible $5,000 for the guys in the white coats and dust-free room to get your precious data back, you'll see the beauty of backing up regularly.
 

---

Posted by goddinfla (Member # 1502) on :
 
Ricky has to back up if he gets anywhere near the Canadian border.
 

---

Posted by Kymi Hum (Member # 2140) on :
 
Well I downloaded the undelete software, found my files most of them I think, and undeleted them, but when I tried to open them in Flexi it said it was not a flexi file. I tried opening, importing, changing the file extension to eps, my real eps files wont import, the tiffs say they are not tiffs, I spent hours and hours retriving files that wont open. When it dleleted the files it changed all the folder names and and mixed up all the customers into different areas, so I had to open ea individual folder to see if jobs were hidden. Had a customer come by today and the file I did for him 3 months ago opened fine the 3 jobs I did layouts for last week would not open and they all had been undeleted. The one I didn't need was the only one I could get open. Just about ready to go back to the brush, except all my paint is probably as hard as a rock.
Can anyone think of something I might be missing in getting the files to open? They have maintained their size, one of the ones I tried to open today said it was 21 megs, but flex wouldn't recognize it.
 

---

Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
 
I wouldn't recommend unsupervised undeleting for some who professes to know very little about computers. Why didn't you call Curtis?
 

---

Posted by Kymi Hum (Member # 2140) on :
 
Well, I thought about calling Curtis, but I figured He is at work during normal hours, and probably doesn't want to be bugged after hours,I stayed at it until 4a.m. on friday til I was brain dead, also I was trying to be a big girl (got that handled)and fix it myself. I follwed Curtis' directions, saved the undelete program to my flash drive, the software scanned the c drive, allowed me to choose my flash drive to save to, found my files and had a button to hit to undelete. Seemed easy enough...I know, I know, I still managed to muck it up somehow. But 1 out of the 4 I tried, did open and they were all handled in the excact same way. That's what doesn't make sense to me.
 

---

Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
 
I agree with Russ..3 or 4 days later and several posts later..why not give Curtis a try?? (after mellowing out in retirement and after meeting you in person Curtis..yer a good guy)

Or another pro? Whoever that might be.

I still like my 3 computer setup...all files are on all 3. If one computer goes down there are 2 others that have the files.

I used to design on one computer and save, then save on the backup computer, then transfer and cut from the laptop. 3 copies of everything.

All that said..I have no past files available here in Mexico since someone needed my laptop more than me...

BUT all my files are available back in Canada when we return.

Someone might need em!! LOL

As others have said..design in the program and save to a seperate folder.
 

---

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
 

quote:

---

Well, I thought about calling Curtis, but I figured He is at work during normal hours,

---

UBB.classic™ 6.7.2