WinXP Pro - Lost Data, Two .SYS Files

You mention it is the desktop files that are missing. It appears your OS has reset to default due to mutliple reboots and partial loading. I would not be concerned with PAGEFILE etc at this point.

The following hints assume your default install is at C:\

Simply try opening any folder, create one if you have to and open it up. Then click on the TOOLS tab located in the top menu bar of that opened folder. A folder Options window will pop up and now you click on the VIEW tab. Scroll down on the "advanced options" window and place a tick or check the "show hidden files and folders". Uncheck "hide protected operating system files"...should be empty/have no tick for this one. Click yes when annoying prompt comes up. Click OK and close all open windows.

Next step is to open the "My Computer" to the base level where you see all your hard drives and CD drives etc..type or copy/paste this in the address bar and press ENTER key on keyboard...

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Desktop

If files "lost" in your previous custom desktop are not there, try also...

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

...and unlikely, but try also...

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop

Thanks Ozzy, unfortunately I did manage to find existing desktop files and folders but not the lost ones. Settings for folders was already set as per your instructions.

Any other tricks that I can use?

Not much help from me, other than what I have given related to you by my experience. Sounds like you need to take out your hard drive that has the lost stuff on it and place it in another computer with a working OS (I would recommend a Linux OS) and see if you can retrieve the files that way. I am of the uninformed opinion that the address Windows uses to locate your (currently lost) files has been misplaced. Perhaps using another OS or a data retrieval utility (Hard Drive utility from the manufacturer of your hard drive) may work?

My biased view of the Page File is that it does nothing but keep an encrypted record of everything done on your computer. Nothing useful can be taken from it unless you are a law enforcement agency.

You might try looking into some System folders, in particular the Temporary ones. Other than that, someone else may have better option?

Thanks for help anyway. My understanding is that every time Windows wakes up from hibernation it reloads copy of pagefile/hiberfil.sys where last known state is recorded, if it cannot reload that particular file, then, I assume it loads default WinXp desktop. I assume, again, that old/corrupted pagefile/hiberfil.sys is recorded somewhere and needs to be rebuilt/debugged/ before it can be reloaded as WInXp desktop. However now we have two versions of Desktop to load, how can we combine them/which one to load?

Mike,

Before you make things difficult go to control panel / Themes and with the scroll down menu select the former theme, this should bring it all back. Once a theme is saved it can be hidden then restored

windows programs can assist a recovery of the missing files.

bwire, thanks but... no themes are installed in my WinXp, I do change desktop in "Display" part of control panel.

Windows installs with a few default themes it is these you may recall sometimes all will return with them, if so then save that theme.

Checkout this free data recovery software

Can you use 'Restore' to go back to when everything was OK?

If the "Restore" as suggested by someone else does not work, I have had very good luck recovering "lost" data from a Windows formated drive by installing Linux in a dual boot configuration. You can then recover critical files from that drive.

You may also be able to recover if you have the original Windows CD- when you boot from that, you should be able to choose between "Install" or "Repair".

Once you get the system back to where you want it, it is a very good idea to store your data on a separate partition on the hard drive. That way, when Windows gets corrupted (NOTE: WHEN, not IF), you can reformat and reload Windows without losing your data...

Guys,

following recovery of your data you will be safer if you keep a copy of all of your data on an external hard drive.

This can be done over night and copied on and copied off thus creating a backup that will always be up to date back to the night before.

External hard drives are now very inexpensive. I have two one running my main data and the other keeps email backups (.pst files)and laptop backups. I think that one is around 1TB and the other is 600GB.

You always need more than you think that you need.

Good Luck

Sleepy

If all of the afore mention suggestions do not work, you can contact "Seagate recovery services" for help or send the hard drive to them.

They may be expensive.

http://www.actionfront.com/

I had the same problem about 4 days ago & it really irritated me. It occurred after Billy Gates performed another automatic update the night before as I shut down my machine. THe next morning my machine booted up as if Windows XP had just been installed for the 1'st time - Billy's desktop, all my icons gone, the system finding new hardware, ....etc.

So I got the help files & looked up how to do a "system restore". Turns out Billy performs periodic system checkpoints & I was able to restore my system back like it was the previous day - before Billy's updates. And it's been fine since. Hope it stays this way after Billy's next batch of updates - who knows?? - time will tell. Hope this helps. Dave

Looks like you did a Restore to earlier date. Pagefile and Hibanittion file are overwrite everytime you start Windows. So it won't have what you want.

One rule of thumb MS don't tell everyone: NEVER STORE FILES IN DESKTOP!!!!!

Its the easiest way to lost everything. Everything in the Desktop should be shortcut, ONLY.

This way you'll lost the shortcut and not the actual file.

The reason is Windows will overwrite everything in Desktop without asking.

Another rule of thumb: if you can't afford to lose it, back it up.

Pineapple, I fully agree with you, now I NOW WHAT you are talking about, unfortunately little bit to late.