<<sad>>how can i retreive precious photo's from my computer after we've had to restore the whole thing??<<sad>>

[MissInvisible]

must have been a virus today, one minute fine, trned off, switched back on later, nothing..tried all day, nothing, dp did system restore tonight and obviously everything has gone..is there ANY way i can get back my photo's??

We had a really bad virus a while ago - ended up unable even to switch it on

We took it to the local software shop, they were able to copy everything off the hard disc and save what we needed - then they cleared the whole thing out (including the sodding virsues) and reloaded our files.

It's not a DIY job I don't think - there seem to be local software/hardware experts in most places, you must have one! (It cost about £50 I think)

Good luck

thats the prob, weve already done a system restore, dont knwo if the files are even still in here anywere?, last time something simialr happend they were stored in hp pavillion, but not this time

Don't give up hope! A system restore is only a restore back to the last know safe setting. Do you mean a factory restore, where it is back to when it was brand new? Even so, take it to a local computer shop. You will be amazed what they can get off of a HD.

sorry, yeah i must mean factory restore as its all old fashioned and blue!, so i should maybe ring some computer shops tomorrow then?, they may be able to do it??

oh and thankyou both for replying

I would have thought so, most definitely. You did not format the hard drive, you just restored it to factory settings. It is definitely worth taking in to a computer shop.

There are data recovery experts in most places now- I bet they'll be able to get them back for you. Don't despair!

thanks everyone, like i sadi i thought[hoped] i could go into apvillion like alst time..but no..wil ring round in morning..youve all perked me up now.Ta

It does sound like an expert would be able to retrieve your photos. Good luck.

An expert (PC World are not experts ) can get almost anything back. I once changed file system from NTFS to FAT32 and formatted whole hd and still got everything back! This is why they tell you to physically destroy hard drives on old PCS before you chuck them out - because identity fraudsters can find almost any deleted files. Look for a company that specializes in data recovery - if they tell you they can't restore anything and then offer to sell you a new pc try somewhere else

Did you check about your hard drive with anyone else though, MBS? I would get a second opinion meself (assuming you still have the PC?)

I'm very cautious (some might say over cautious lol, but then I do seem unusually unlucky in hardware failures) and back up vital folders to another PC regularly across our home network. If you don't have another pc to back up to, then you should burn precious pics and docs occasionally to a DVD or CD, or even save them to a flash drive (can get a 4 gig one for under £20 now)

Do hope you get your pics back. I'm reasonably sure they will still be on the HD: this would be true unless you had formatted it which doesn't sound to be the case, so I'm sure it will be OK.

Oenophile, you've reminded me that when this happened to us I promised myself I would save all our pics to an external photo site - needless to say I haven't

hi everyone, rang p.c world, didnt even get through to a 'person', just told to ring a premium rate number!..pah, will try indipendant one thats been recomended....