It died!

Al Launier

Member
Messages
1,683
Location
Bedford, NH


My Gateway computer crashed for the last time last week (neither I or Geek Squad could not re-boot it). So, I had to get another PC. This time an HP Pavilion with the Windows 8.0 OS. Not exactly a user friendly OS! I upgraded it to W8.1, but still have problems.



  1. Can't use Outlook email as it uses the IMAP protocol & Comcast uses POP3. However, Comcast is currently in the process of implementing IMAP. In the meantime I had the online Geek Squad tech resolve by downloading Windows Essentials 2012 which gave me back Windows Live email.
  2. Unfortunately, this led to the discovery that all of the folders & messages were missing, as well all my email addresses.
  3. I previously backed up my files on a spare hard drive that was on the Gateway PC, but not available on the HP. So, I bought a DYNEX enclosure for the HD.
  4. I also pulled the old C: hard drive from the Gateway thinking I might still get some data from it & when through using it, I would re-format it to serve as a spare hard drive.
  5. Guess what? The original spare HD could not be read: it was corrupted & unreadable. No data at all. Also, very little data left on the old C: HD. Bummer!
  6. I’ve lost the email folders/messages & all the email contact addresses.
  7. I’ve lost hundreds of pictures & other files.
  8. Worse still, I cannot run my Chief Architect architectural software because it is not compatible with W8, & I lost the files of over 100 designs that I had developed for local home builders.
  9. I cannot download Norton’s Security Suite because Norton is still working on a patch to make NSS compatible with W8.1 Have to wait until next week when it should be ready.


This has not been a good experience. Plus, I’m still working my way around W8.1.
 
That bites, Al. :(

A word of advice from someone who was in the utility software biz for a lot of years: Don't install any Norton products on a computer. Same with McAfee. I'd almost rather have a virus. (Both of those are strictly personal opinions based on issues I've had with both brands in the past.) Find another security product. I use AVG, but there are other good ones, too.

Also, before you completely give up on recovering your data from the old hard drives, seek the help of an expert, not some kid with a Best Buy shirt on. ;)
 
Also, before you completely give up on recovering your data from the old hard drives, seek the help of an expert, not some kid with a Best Buy shirt on. ;)

Depending on what its worth to you there are data recovery companies out there that can get data off of many drives.. The cost can run up a little although it looks like a lot of them offer a diagnostic for free I'd expect to spend a few hundred $$'s to get the data back if it was possible (there are some failure cases where its not possible; a reliable vendor would just return or destroy the disk in that case for low/no cost). I honestly have no idea who is a good vendor anymore or what the rates are like so I'll wave my hands and say its possible - one caveat is that if someone ham hands the problem you can make recovery much harder so its worth investing some time into a reliable source before mucking with it to much.

Its also possible that there is just something funky about the setup and the disk is ok but just not recognized properly which would be much easier to fix...

Looks like newer versions of the architect sw support windows 8: http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00027/


Finally: I would highly recommend that you look at backing up critical files offsite. A free solution for small amounts of data would be google drive: http://www.google.com/drive/about.html however that still requires that you keep track and doesn't scale to a LOT of data. There was a thread here a while back on backup solutions that a few folks (Darrin?) had some good suggestions on.
 
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I also don't run mcAfee or Norton products, I use Avast.

For email I started using Gmail. I've got an actual gmail account, but I have my other accounts tied to it also, I setup a filter so that the mail from each account go into their own folders (or tags as they call them). This let me stop loosing mail that was lost with crashed pc's and can access it from just about any computer with internet, including my phone/tablet. I also keep all my contacts in gmail, which sync with my phone, if I add a new one there, it updates gmail.

Might try right clicking the executable for your architect app, then choose the OS it's made to run for under the compatibility tab to see if it will run.

I use carbonite ($60 per year) to backup my main laptop (new computer is a good time to start using this). For any files I need to use in the shop computer I use dropbox and copy.com software it it keeps data in those folders backuped to the cloud and each computer running them. Dropbox also automatically copies any pics I take with my phone(s) to my pc, which is nice.

Pickup an external USB drive, can get a 1 TB drive pretty cheap anymore and do a periodic backup of your data/picture folders. Dunno if Rob Keeble has trialed any programs for doing this automatically, but might be worth asking him.
 
Sorry to hear about your computer. I'd try to isolate the real cause of the issue without adding new elements. Try using your drives with the external HD case on a different computer that is running the same OS as your gateway, possibly a laptop or a friends computer. Try different hard drive cables.

I've had my own computers fail caused by many different reasons such as a bad power supply, bad HD cable, bad memory, blown motherboard /CPU. In any case its a long troubleshooting process. If it is a bad controller on the hard drive itself, contact the customer support for the hard drive maker. Each company, Western Digital or Samsung, etc, can refer you to a data recovery dept to pull the info off the platters.

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Sorry to hear of your computer woes, I will only echo the dont go near Norton etc. Personally i have used a german company originally known as Nod32 now marketed as Eset (name if the company) Smart Security 6.
I have used this company on 5 computers for over 6 years. Never yet had a virus. Its also a very cheap package which i buy in multi year multi computer form costs me something like $15 to $17 per computer per year.

Vaughn said it best, get your hard drives etc out of the hands of the guys i a blue shirt. Not saying they are all useless but just talking to them about product on the floor scares me, i would never let them touch anything of mine.
Sorry i dont have experience of any backup software, i now run a full server so have a way more complicated method than most even consider.

I think your post has real value for loads of others that will read it. Its as good a warning as Rogers safety reminder.
The good thing about those old Kodak prints we all have is they dont rely on a digital file being kept intact. I feel pain in the loss of the files, follow through on Ryans suggestion and dig into the data recover aspects its worth it for sure.

Btw i do the same but with a few slight changes as Darren with regards to mail. The way they have the online accounts now you can receive mail online , filter spam, store your contacts and a copy and redirect it to your own computer at home. Its really plug and play to setup.
Also in the case of Yahoo where i have a paid account ($19 per year) u get to have 200 disposable email accounts which can be really good to use for signing up at places where you need to provide a legitimate email address but may wish to terminate connections later.



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Having lost all hopes of me finding a solution, after downloading various SafeNet Sentinel Protection Installers, including 7.6.1 (I was close with this one I think), I decided to bring my PC to the Geek Squad since I have a support contract with them. After a couple days, they found a patch: Sentinel Protection Installer 7.6.6 which worked. I'm back in business in terms of being able to run CA 10(Full) on W8.1. I did lose over a hundred house designs that is severe in itself, but at least I can still use CA.

Now, with your suggestions in mind, and opinions by others, including the Geek Squad, I'm going to abort Norton Security Suite offered b Comcast and install a different protection software. I'm currently looking at Kaspersky. This has been recommended to me before. However, the jury is still out.
 
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