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Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:59 am
by Fozzer
I had a major disaster yesterday involving my lovely FS 2004 which, over the years, I have been daily adding improvements to, to get it to absolute perfection for me...

I un-installed the game; "Dune" (Add/remove Programs) to make more space on my Hard Drive, and in the process I noticed that the un-installation process was taking ages/too long to complete, with the Hard Drive light constantly flickering....Warning Sign... :o...!

When it had completed, I found that all my FS 2004 Folders were still in place, but every single one was EMPTY of its contents!... :o... :o...!

FS 2004 was no longer playable, and requires a complete re-installation, with  the loss of ALL my zillions of add-ons!... :'(...!

Figure that one out!.... :'(...!

I feel so depressed, as you know you can never recall where you got all your lovely add-ons from, in the first place... :'(...!

Hagar's advice of a "lie down in a darkened room" seems applicable, at the mo'... :'(...!

Buggar... >:(...!

F....I feel Soo-iss-idle.... :(....(almost!).... ;D...!

...Note; the usual CD ROM is never of large enough capacity to take the whole contents of the Flight Sim, as a secure "Back-up"....(It would require a R/W DVD to do the job!).

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:05 am
by Groundbound1
I HATE to hear things like this Paul. I'm really sorry, I know what this feels like.

Short of paying for file recovery software, I'm not sure there's anything you can do. (Sue the makers of Dune for pain and suffering maybe? :-/)

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:08 am
by Brett_Henderson
I won't pretend to know what caused

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:18 am
by ShaneG_old
Sorry to hear of your loss, been there myself. :(  I don't know if this program would apply here or not but look for one called "free undelete" It has saved me several times after I have accidentally emptied my recycle bin. Also, another tip that I use is, if you have the extra space for it, to keep all the zip files in a storage folder. I've got a folder on my slave drive that mirrors the simv download site, And after I get quite a few, I zip them all into nice little storage packs to save more space. I used to keep them on RW/CD, but a few had been corrupted and now I just keep them on the drive with CD backups just in case of a massive failure. I know the feeling of having to track down all those addons and it stinks! :(  

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:32 am
by Fozzer
Thank-you, Chums, for all the Flowers, Chocolates, and messages of sympathy... :-*...!

I feel so much better now, as I slowly trawl the Internet for all my FS 2004 replacement "Goodies", all over again... ::)...!

It's going to take forever!... :'(...!

F.... ;D.... ;D.... ;D....!

..time to fork-out for a pack of Blank DVD re-writeables.... ;)...!
(I've got a CD Burner fitted, but I don't think that will do the job...prob need a DVD Burner?

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:13 am
by Brett_Henderson
I've got a CD Burner fitted, but I don't think that will do the job...prob need a DVD Burner ?


Yeah... and they can be had for about $25US

But for the cost of that burner.. and a bunch of DVDs, you could get another HDD and use it JUST for backup. Burned DVDs corrupt too, and are not much more reliable that a HDD for long-term storage(especially if the ONLY use for that HDD is storage)..

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:31 am
by Fozzer
I've got a CD Burner fitted, but I don't think that will do the job...prob need a DVD Burner ?


Yeah... and they can be had for about $25US

But for the cost of that burner.. and a bunch of DVDs, you could get another HDD and use it JUST for backup. Burned DVDs corrupt too, and are not much more reliable that a HDD for long-term storage(especially if the ONLY use for that HDD is storage)..  

But again.. a DVD burner is pretty much a 'must have' these days..


Good tips, Brett...;)...!

Silly me...I've already got a spare 20 GB HDD installed in my Computer which I could have used....always too late!... :'(...!

..lessons to be learned?.. ::).... ;).... ;D....!

F... ;D...!

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:59 am
by ozzy72
Paul why didn't you do a roll back? That should sort things....

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:28 am
by Fozzer
Paul why didn't you do a roll back? That should sort things....


Hello Mark...

I've always assumed that "Roll Back" only cured faults within the MS Operating System rather than actual serious faults within the various installed Programs?... ::)...!

I've never performed a "Roll Back" before.. :-[....and I'm not even sure how it is performed... ::)..!

Windows XP Pro.

F.... :-/...!

P.S Found the command: Start > Programs > Accessories >  System Tools > System Restore... ;)...!

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:10 am
by Sean_TK
Sorry to hear about your program issues, Paul. Computers can do some weird stuff sometimes.

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:50 am
by FSFLYER2
So sorry to read of this sad tale. A month ago or a little more I had a WORM do just that. I had some luck being able to switch off my two USB drives I use for FS.

Sometime back, I downloaded a wee prog to restore deleted files. Only problem you had to guess at the first letter of the file? I think it came from PC World UK.
File is >Restoration v2.5.14 (2002) author Brian Kato em was or is

bkato@fli.freeserve.ne.jp
good luck

Pete

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:36 am
by Fozzer
Never mind Chums...

I'm slowly getting "things" back together again, including reinstalling my very special, Payware, Scenery design programs, LAGO FSE, and E-Z Scenery.
Fortunately I still had all the Scenery Files I designed, so I popped them back in place again...!

FS Global is back.

FS Navigator is re-installed...working...thank goodness...I couldn't manage without it!!

All the zillions of add-on aircraft I lost really doesn't matter very much, as when I spend my time in on-line Multiplayer, I only use default aircraft anyway...for obvious reasons!..;)...!

All I need now is my Trusty Cessna 150 (C150V2) back again, and I will be a Happy Bunny again... [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]...!

Step 2....when it's all back in place and working, I must save it all on my spare Hard Drive... :)...!

Things are looking up again... ;D...!

F....Time for a cup pf tea and a cream bun... ;)...!

P.S. FS FLYER...Pete...another old "Freeserve" enthusiast... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]...!

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:00 pm
by Zaphod
Blimey Fozz. I think you've done really well to get so much back since this morning.
Hope it all works out ok.

Best wishes.
Zaphod

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:16 pm
by homebrewer
I know the pain. I lost a 320Gb HD in July of 2006. I worked most everything back and now I have my really prized stuff (my aircraft, gauges, effects, add-in scenery, sound files, .cfg folders) in a back-up folder on the primary drive and a second set of folders on the secondary (Storage) drive. When I make any changes (add stuff) I copy and paste the adds to every location where I have these precious files and folders.

Paul, when you get your machine back, may I suggest www.carbonite.com for a whole-system, off-site back-up? You can store unlimited stuff for $50 a year. You crash again, you get everything back with just a few clicks...

Re: Does it only happen to me?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:21 pm
by Fozzer
Blimey Fozz. I think you've done really well to get so much back since this morning.
Hope it all works out ok.

Best wishes.
Zaphod


Zaph...;)...

If I had permanently lost all my own designed (LAGO/EZ Scenery) zillions of California Scenery Files....

...I would have abandoned the Flight Sim altogether, and taken up Fly-Fishing instead... ::)...!

...the same goes for any loss of my Trusty FS Navigator... :(...!

There are some things I cannot do without, (excluding Sex)... ;)...!

F.... ;)... ;)... ;)... ;D...!