@Denise Happyfeet "You don't have to search the whole hard-drive." Now we're getting down to nuts and nuggets! Is there a way to seasrch the hard-drive? I'd love to do that! Frankj
@Denise Happyfeet I am working on the info you provided, and am grateful for it. Certain factors involved with this elude me. If the images in our laptop are truly not lost, just irretrievable, the answer lies in digging into the hard drive, a feat I have no idea how to start. Frank
Chances are good they are retrievable. You have to download this program: http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/recuva_portable.html If you can do that, install it and run it to find your files, you can get them. If you haven't a clue how to do any of that, I don't recommend trying. Take it to a shop for computers, or call, and see how much to restore your photos Frank.
I'll get the directions made up for you in the a.m. Frank. It's too late for me now, I think better early a.m. Have you ever downloaded a software program? Let me know if you have as soon as you can. That will tell me how much direction you need. As I mentioned earlier, use the PC as little as possible Ok? Did you read the links I put above about the way files can actually be saved, even after they've been wiped out, or deleted?? I'll be around in the a.m. Denise 1. What we'll be doing is downloading a simple, free program 2. We will scan your C:/ drive, and I imagine your wifes pics were in the "pictures" file? 3. Once the scan is complete, we will see the files hopefully. Then we copy & save them back onto your hard-drive. Sounds simple, but there are a lot of "little" steps mixed in.
Ok @Frank Sanoica Let me know when you get back, or are ready to do something. I should be around most of the day, denise
Ok @Frank Sanoica Here is a video to show you "how to" download and install the software (freeware) to your pc. If you don't have an extra pc to run the video as you work on your other pc, you will have to "pause" the video to complete each step. I would take a look at the whole video first. If you have questions then, let me know before you try to install the freeware recuva.exe. You will hear me say "give it permission" which is Windows way of making sure you want to install. A window should pop up to ask permission. If not, just move ahead with the process. Let me know when you are on here again, so I can be ready to help answer any questions. Here is the website link to go to, then in another tab, click the video next. http://downloads.techradar.com/downloads/recuva Denise PS in the video I tell you that the download, far upper right icon looks like a folder. Yours may also look like a "down" arrow Frank.
@Denise Happyfeet I don't believe this, Denise! Here is what happens when I click on the link in your post above: First an open page appears, then a small typicall Windows notice flashes on, nothing else, stating "Internet Explorer has stopped working. Windows is looking for a solution to the problem." That disappears shortly, replaced by another stating "IE has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available." It highlights a button at bottom, "Close Program", which I click on. Next, a small window appears at upper left, stating "This tab has been recovered. A problem with the program caused IE to close and re-open the tab." A few seconds later that disappears and is replaced by a large red "X" stating below it "We were unable to return you to techradar.com." Below that the usual "What you can do: Go to your home page Try to return to techradar.com More information" THIS PROCESS REPEATS OVER AND OVER. Techradar.com WILL NOT OPEN. Frank
Just had my wife click on it on her Chromebook. Works. Tried on my laptop using Chrome, it works! Something is haywire with my IE that it will not open that link. Never experienced this before, the machine seems to work OK in all other cases. Can the link be used doing it with Chrome, to recover files, since my browser is IE? I lack the experience to understand this.
Have you ran your anti-virus software @Frank Sanoica I don't know what is causing this, but you could start by running that. What do you have for Anti-virus protection?
Use your Chrome Browser then Frank. Not Internet Explorer. You can use any browser that works, so yes, use Chrome and see if you can follow the video to download the software. I would set Chrome as my default browser and it should ask you if you want to do that when you open it instead of IE.
@Denise Happyfeet OK, I have opened the link using Chrome. The screen I am seeing is not the same as on the video, whic h I have open on another login. The big green Download choice is labelled "Advertisement" and is on the right side of the screen, not left as you show.
Ok Frank, I've done what I can, and really didn't see you around when I was willing to do this with you so I suggest you get a "shop" to work on your computer.
@Denise Happyfeet Well! Yes, I was surprised and delighted by your offer to help, but could not jump through any hoops exactly when they were thrown at me. Now I've spent several hours trying to unravel all this, and seem to be on the right track, finally. It seems the link I thought you used for the vid was wrong. Now, I've found the correct one, it matches the start of the vid, but the steps following "download" are completely different from from those you run through. Now, a complete "change of heart". I suppose I should have been expecting it? I tried your patience, I guess, but maybe it's really my own ignorance of PCs that's at the root of it all, isn't it? Frank