Desperately want to save my files!

cezza100

Hi All,

I hope someone will be able to give me some advice about recovering my documents from my PC. I am unable to get my desktop loaded correctly and the computer freezes whenever I try to click on the icons. I can't get to my photos and docs to back them up to a flash drive and am really worried I will lose them.

When I try to turn the comp on, it either comes up as a blank destop, or the icons come up but the task bar doesn't seem to load and I can't click on anything. Occassionally it works but I get an error window saying there is a problem with C:\Windows\masctasy.dll

I am pretty sure there is a virus but can't run any scans to identify it! Also it won't let me start in safe mode, the advanced options won't come up no matter how many times I press F8 when it starts up.

SOrry for the long winded email but I really don't want to lose my documents, please can someone advise me??


Thanks

CoolHotCold

What make and model?

gonzo127

do you have access to another computer?

if so download either puppy linux or ubuntu,
burn this of onto CD (instructions on the relivant sites)
change computer bios to boot to cd/dvd drive
pop in disk and then pick the 'try' option

this will run an entire operating system from the CD and your systems ram without making any changes to your hard drive and should then allow you to access your hard drive to back up your files onto the USB stick.

once done you can start looking into fixing windows on your system

cezza100

THanks I will give this a go and keep you posted!!

googler

If you have access to another computer;

Remove the drive from the current one.
Depending on whether the current drive is IDE/SATA type, and depending on what type is used in the other computer, either;

Install the drive as a secondary drive in the other computer OR

Buy a USB caddy matching the type of drive and connect this to a USB port on the other computer.

Then Copy/Paste files from the current drive to the other PC, and make a secondary backup to another drive ASAP.


OR


Buy a new HDD of the same type as the current one. Remove the drive which is currently the primary drive. Install the new drive in its place as the primary drive in the current PC, install an OS onto it, and once this is working, install the current drive as a secondary, and Copy/Paste from Secondary to Primary


OR


The 'Linux on a CD' solution above - however, I've downloaded one of these portable Linux OSs before, and it failed to run at all, and I gave up on it.

xxdeebeexx

I had a ver similar problem on my computer and with the help of the fantastic people on here was able to recover all my data on the hard drive and reinstall windows.

Link to thread

link to puppy Linux
link to ISO burner

I had use of a friends laptop.
I downloaded puppy Linux
I downloaded the ISO burner and made a copy of puppy linux on cd.
I changed the BIOS on my computer so that the cd drive would boot first.
Put the Puppy cd in the cd drive and loaded puppy Linux. DO NOT INSTALL.(Puppy uses the RAM to run from and not the HD.)
The hard drives can be seen on the bottom left of the computer screen and can be accessed by single clicks.
You will need something to save the data on.
I went out and bought an external hard drive and saved the lot!

My advice is to take your time! It took me 10 days to rescue my data as I lacked the courage and knowledge to go any quicker. I have since rescued a friends data in 45mins!

Good luck

Dx

Link to another thread

Hammyman

cezza100 wrote: »

I can't get to my photos and docs to back them up to a flash drive and am really worried I will lose them.

So worried that you couldn't be bothered to back them up...

Hopefully this fright will shock you into implementing a backup solution.