help needed.....(Please!!!!)

[Olli]

Part of the issue may be that your recovered files aren't recovered completely. I use to use Norton Disk Doctor for this type of work. Currently it's called Symantec’s Norton SystemWorks™ 2005 Premier. The other alternative to to contact a data recovery specialist in your area, though that can get expensive.

[Al_Nowak]

Don't think I misread anything but I really didn't want to just flat out say you're screwed...

While it may be possible to patch the individual files back together, it ain't likely to be easy...

And just because the whiz kids in Redmond recovered some bits and pieces doesn't mean that other software might not do a better job, but that's just my opinion.

I'll go away now and never darken your door again.

[Andy_Pearlman]

I'm sorry I can't help with your recovery problem, and I hope I never have to learn, but I will come to your defense on the issue of people not reading the posts. I've had that happen many times, maybe its the nature of the beast. It usually happens with tech questions, and I've had the experience of giving a narrative of what I've done so far, only to have people reply by telling me to do what I just told them I did. It is frustrating, especially when you never do get the answer you need, but people are trying and somehow it just seems to go right past them. All you can do is laugh and keep trying.

Regards,
Andy Pearlman
Andy Pearlman Studio

[JonScott]

Andrew, my thoughts (and let me be clear, this is not an overt Windows slam).

It sounds to me (as others have said) that the recovery wasn't completed. The DLL directory probably got mashed when the files were recovered, one of the side effects of the paranoid architecture of the Windows OS.

The first thing that I would do is check the file associations and permissions for each file...See if anything was stripped or mashed within those data strings within the files themselves. I think it's right-click and show properties or something like that in Windows.

If that doesn't turn anything up for you, I'd recommend that you burn your files to a cd and take them to a buddy that has a Mac running Graphic Converter (not Photoshop) and see what happens - that app can do amazing things with image files at the data string level.

If THAT works, then your buddy will burn you a new cd of the repaired files that you'll be able to use.

Good luck...And keep us posted.

[AGellert]

[ QUOTE ]

Don't think I misread anything but I really didn't want to just flat out say you're screwed...

While it may be possible to patch the individual files back together, it ain't likely to be easy...

And just because the whiz kids in Redmond recovered some bits and pieces doesn't mean that other software might not do a better job, but that's just my opinion.

I'll go away now and never darken your door again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Al, you haven't darkened any doorways that I know about.. and actually it wasnt your reply that I was refering to.

I have sent the CF cards to Ralph, and should hear something from him today I guess.

Thanks for your info on PC inspector. I might use it for something else I am dealing with on another computer.

[PhotoDave]

Andrew,

Not to add insult to injury, but in the future (soon) you should by a good tape drive or external hard drive and a decent backup program.

Everybody thinks back-ups are not needed. Of course, when disaster strikes, that small investment is what would have saved their backside.

If you need advise or recommendations, describe your disk set-up and OS. I'd be happy to post some low cost solutions.

Anyway, hope the image recovery goes well.

[AGellert]

David,

No insult or offense taken... Usual steps I take are like this:

Shoot images.
1. Take cards and copy files to Hard Drive #2(E) (this computer has 3).
2. Verify copied files are there both with PSCS2 and with windoze operating system.
3. Open images with software from Camera manufacturer, first on card, then on hard drive.
4. Copy images and folder from Hard Drive #2(E) to Hard Drive #3(F - this is a backup storage for data).
5. Burn CD of files on CF card.
6. Start editing or cropping.. etc. of images on Hard Drive #2.
7. Burn CD of finished images.

Unfortunately, Just after step 2, I had to shut down computer and go do some shooting for a "client", she needed images of some outfits she had made for her clothing business and needed images for her online catalog, and there was limited time to shoot.

When I got back home, and powered on computer is when I noticed that images and some other files were gone, and not even in the recycle bin.

But I know what you mean about backups and whatnot...


Andrew

[R_Fredrick_Smith]

There is a problem in some Window's OS systems involving the "write cache" of the hard drive. If the proper patches have not been installed, then when you turn the computer off, items in the "write cache" will not be written to the hard drive. This might inlcude FAT table items which determine the location of the files on the hard drive and thus files will appear to disappear.

I don't recall if you said what version of Window's you were using, but some versions were more prone to this problem than others. But if your problem was the the result of the "write cache" problem, then you'd need to apply the proper hotfix to correct it, to prevent future problems.

Cheers,
rfs

[isaiahbrink]

Well Andrew, it seems that you have a good backup system in place (you so noted a few posts down.) The only thing I might add/change is to put them onto a cd-rw right after you put them onto your hard drive, just so that they are on some sort of removeable media. Anyways, good luck.

Isaiah Brink

P.S. - just as a side joke, if this happens frequently, I'd recommend buying a Macintosh.

[AGellert]

[ QUOTE ]
P.S. - just as a side joke, if this happens frequently, I'd recommend buying a Macintosh.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL...

I did... and I gave it to my teacher way back when... I love Macintosh Apples..