A few months ago, I bought a My Passport by Western Digital. It is an external back up drive that is supposed to automatically back up your data, so that if you have a computer glitch or belch or puke, or whatever you want to call it, you will be able to just retrieve your data and go on about your merry way. Except that, it didn’t happen that way.
Yesterday, my dear husband decided to do some clean up and maintenance on my computer. I know he meant well, and never meant to cause me harm. He is a good man and I love him for that. Except that, it didn’t happen that way. When everything was said and done, the “Disc Clean Up” from system tools trashed most of my personal data. My pictures, including all of my pictures of my grandchildren (GAHHHH!!!). My letters. My “important documents”. ALL of my bookmarks from Firefox. ALL of my user names and passwords from Roboform. I am lost, I tell ya! How can a FabGrandma go on, I ask?????
Then, when I was in deep in dispair over this turn of events, I though to myself “You have all this stuff backed up on your external drive. So, I went to the “Retrieve Data” link on that drive, clicked, retrieved, and waited. When it finished, only about 1/3 of my important documents were retrieved. For some reason, that external hard drive only saved things IT deemed important. Entire folders in my “My Documents” file are missing. I am soooo not happy.
I tried doing a System Restore, but that did nothing. I feel cheated. I feel lost. What have I learned from this fiasco? First, if you have or plan to buy a back up drive, test it. Make sure it works the way you want it to, BEFORE a major disaster happens. Second, keep a written record of your user names and passwords, just in case. (I didn’t think I needed to do this, as I have used Roboform since 2001, and it has NEVER failed me.) Third, use an online addon for Firefox that will save all your bookmarks online. All this I have learned too late to save ME. Maybe it will be in time for YOU.
geogypsy says
Hope it all gets better. Good advice.
Judy Bell says
That is really a big bummer for you. 🙁 Maybe the stuff will magically reappear??? Good luck!
Penny says
I have never had ‘disc clean’ remove anything on my computer, and I do it regularly.
I can’t even get my computer to recognize the external hard drive I bought.
Maybe that is a good thing!
I am sure you can get your documents retrieved by someone who knows how to do it.
Happy Trails, Penny TX.
Theresa Mitchell says
You might try this. pres F8, F8, when you turn it on, a screen should come up about re starting in safe more, or restore from a Previous day. (maybe a day before the cleaning) Worked for me.
sharon griggs says
I feel your pain. “Take two asprins and call me in the morning” won’t make it go away. Thank goodness most websites have the “forgot your password?” feature. Hope you can reconstruct your data.
Sallie (FullTime-Life) says
Oh Karen, I have a headache just reading your post. Oh so sorry! Computers — can’t live with ’em, can’t live without ’em.