try restoring your system to an earlier point, possibly before you entered the info you stated... sort of doubt this will help though. but its worth a try. ..
there is software that will recover your info if you truly want it back
Before you do that, go into the user accounts and see if you've simply set up a second user - if you have, your files will be there, under the first user's account.
Well, I don't have a second user because this is a brand new laptop and the only user that existed before I created one was called "Administrator." I did try to do system restore but that did not work because there were no restore points created. I also know that system restore only restores system files, not files that are saved in My Documents, Music, and Pictures.
This is really aggravating because I simply made the mistake of tranferring my files so soon. If I actually set up my computer before transferring files, then this would not have happened. However, my program files did not get deleted.
Right. So that's why I'm trying to recover as many files as I can before reformatting the hard drive. Reformatting it will 100% completely delete all of my past files, documents, music, right? There will be no more hope of recovering those files?
ronss - Well, I didn't delete the files. When I set up my username and stuff, the computer automatically deleted the files.
Well System Restore only restores configuration files, not files that are in your My Documents, Music, and Pictures. And also, there are no restore points created.
Delete the user account? Can I? It's the Administrator account that I'm deleting since it is the only account on the computer. Before I didn't actually have a username it was just "Administrator." Now it is "[Name] (Administrator)" Can I delete it? And if I delete it, will it go back to the old account...?
ronss
2 Intern
•
2.1K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 09:00
ronss
2 Intern
•
2.1K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 09:00
try restoring your system to an earlier point, possibly before you entered the info you stated... sort of doubt this will help though. but its worth a try. ..
there is software that will recover your info if you truly want it back
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 09:00
Before you do that, go into the user accounts and see if you've simply set up a second user - if you have, your files will be there, under the first user's account.
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 17:00
Log in with the administrator account. Your files will be there, unless you have removed that user.
ejn63
9 Legend
•
87.5K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 17:00
It will, but will wipe everything that wasn't on the system when you opened the box it came in.
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 17:00
Well, I don't have a second user because this is a brand new laptop and the only user that existed before I created one was called "Administrator." I did try to do system restore but that did not work because there were no restore points created. I also know that system restore only restores system files, not files that are saved in My Documents, Music, and Pictures.
This is really aggravating because I simply made the mistake of tranferring my files so soon. If I actually set up my computer before transferring files, then this would not have happened. However, my program files did not get deleted.
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 17:00
When I called Dell they suggested that I format my drive and start all over.
They said, when I reboot press F8, repair my computer, and choose dell factory image restore. Will this really make my computer brand new?
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 17:00
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 18:00
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 18:00
And is reformatting your hard drive bad in any way? This computer is brand new, so would reformatting it do any harm?
DeathRider
549 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 19:00
No physical harm. Just will wipe all data...
ronss
2 Intern
•
2.1K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 19:00
that is the last thing you want to do is reformat your drive, it will as suggested remove your files.....
http://www.maximumpcguides.com/logon-windows-vista-as-administrator/
unless you deleted the files, they should be there somewhere.
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 19:00
Right. So that's why I'm trying to recover as many files as I can before reformatting the hard drive. Reformatting it will 100% completely delete all of my past files, documents, music, right? There will be no more hope of recovering those files?
ronss - Well, I didn't delete the files. When I set up my username and stuff, the computer automatically deleted the files.
ronss
2 Intern
•
2.1K Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 20:00
did you try the system restore, to an earlier date?
try to delete the user account and see what happens-
http://windows.about.com/od/useraccounts/ss/deleteuser.htm
producing a user account should not delete files...but the new user will probably not have access to them.
Mr XPS 1530
29 Posts
0
June 15th, 2008 20:00
Well System Restore only restores configuration files, not files that are in your My Documents, Music, and Pictures. And also, there are no restore points created.
Delete the user account? Can I? It's the Administrator account that I'm deleting since it is the only account on the computer. Before I didn't actually have a username it was just "Administrator." Now it is "[Name] (Administrator)" Can I delete it? And if I delete it, will it go back to the old account...?