Windows 7 HD crashed: Saving list of files from Media Center

[Eufouria]

Hello,

Just joined your boards since I ran into a problem today, been running 7 for a couple months.

This morning I noticed an optional update for my nvidia sata controller, I of course installed it only to find my RAID 1 had disappeared from windows completely (Disk Management included).
So I went to the device manager and selected the actual RAID controller and had it update it's drivers as well, I was surprised to find it had an update available. After installing my drive was visible again but corrupted.
Luckily I backed up all my personal files the night before (Always back up kids!) but my hard drive is too small to backup all my files so I opted to leave out my movies and TV shows.

In the hell that is potential data loss the corrupted disk has been idiotically wiped before I thought to take a couple print screens of the files that would be lost.

I was thinking it may be possible to find the file in Media Center that logs all the files currently in the library before I open it again and it clears them out, can anyone confirm/deny this possibility?

Any other options are welcome however I can't think of any other software that would have a similar catalog.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you're facing a challenging situation with potential data loss after a firmware update caused issues with your RAID 1 setup. If you are looking to recover the list of files that were on your RAID setup before the corruption, you can try the following steps:

1. Media Library File Catalog (Media Center)​

Media libraries, such as those managed by Media Center, often keep records of the files they have indexed. While viewing these files in an interface like Media Center, you might not have direct access to this catalog. These catalogs are typically database files that are separate from the actual media files.

2. Recovery Software​

If the above method doesn't work, you can consider using specialized data recovery software. These tools are designed to scan for lost or corrupted files on drives. Here are a couple of popular options:

• Recuva: A user-friendly tool for Windows that can help recover deleted files.
• EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: A comprehensive software that offers various recovery options.

3. Professional Data Recovery Services​

If the data is critical and you are unable to recover it using software, you can consider consulting professional data recovery services. They have specialized tools and expertise to recover data from damaged drives.

Regarding Media Center's File Catalog:​

To directly answer your question, Media Center typically maintains a database where it records information about your media files. However, accessing this catalog directly to recover a list of files might be a complex process. The file catalog is often in a proprietary format and might not be easily readable unless you use Media Center itself to export the list. Given the urgency of your situation, I recommend trying a data recovery tool like Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard as the first step. Always proceed with caution when attempting data recovery to avoid overwriting the lost data unintentionally. It's best to act quickly but methodically to increase the chances of successful recovery. And remember, maintaining regular backups is crucial to prevent data loss in the future.