Windows 7 please , I need some help. files corrupted.

soul

New Member
please , I need some help ! my windows crashed , and after many attempts , I succeeded to recover it with windows cd , but the problem is that all my photos and documents has been corrupted , all still in there but empty: 0 bytes.
like when I try to open a photo, it says : " windows photo viewer can't display this picture because the file is empty"

also my external hdd has the same problem. and all my data and photos and documents still there but empty.

no virus has been detected by my antivirus.

i used "Power Data Recovery" to recover my data , but it fails to recover.

my operating system : windows 7 - 32bit

all my data and my family pictures are there.

please I need help.

1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg
1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg
 
Welcome to the Forum

View media item 647
Sorry to hear your problems after your Windows repair. You most likely have 1 of 2 problems; you are fighting a failed Windows repair or reinstallation, or a faulty hard drive.

To help narrow this down a bit, we need to know a little bit more about your computer; is it a desktop or a laptop? And what is the Make/Model? (e.g.: Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop or Dell Dimension E520).

I'm not familar with "Power Data Recovery" tool, and I do data recovery for a living.

Some more information would be helpful to us, such as have you backed up all your personal data to external media PRIOR to this Windows repair/reinstall? If not, I would recommend you stop what you're doing, and take your computer into a licensed Tech at your local repair shop to see what if any files can be recovered. If you can't do this due to cost or location remoteness, I'd suggest that you purchase a new hard drive and reinstall your Windows to get your computer working again, and take your old hard drive and set it aside and decide what if anything to do about recovering your corrupted data from it. If you have backups, it still could be a problem say if your last backup was 2 years ago!

Depending on the options you selected when you did your Windows repair/reinstall, you may or may not have formatted your hard drive. If you did so, you probably won't be able to recover your files, you'll have to send out to very expensive professional data recovery. Post back if you need those resources.

You can also test your existing hard drive to see if an electromechanical failure is actually causing your problems, and the Windows repair/reinstall was what we call a coincidental failure. You can download the free SEATOOLS drive diagnostic from SEAGATE.COM, and create a bootable disc or flash drive. Run BOTH the short and long tests. If SEATOOLS reports any errors, your drive has failed and must be replaced. Data recovery can ensure once you know whether your drive is good or not.

Best of luck and we'll look for your specs to help advise you further.
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
 
Thank you so much BIGBEARJEDI for your reply,
Here is my specs / I have a desktop pc

Windows Edition : Windows 7 Ultimate
motherboard : Foxconn
proccessor : Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2200 @ 2.20GHz
Installed Memory : 2048 MBytes
Graphic Card : NVIDIA Geforce 6200 TurboCache



Hard Drive on what is in my bios :
1- Sata channel 0 Master : Hitachi HDS721612PLA
2- Sata channel 1 Master : Samsung HD322HJ

And I have an external hard drive. It was connected when windows has crashed, so it has the same problem than the other internal hard drives. And all the important data, are in This external hard drive.
I tried to open the external hard drive on my laptop, to see if it's only matter of the OS that has been crashed on my desktop pc, but the same problem persist.

External hard drive : Packard bell 1TBYTES - connected by usb.

it's been four days with my issue , and i didn't format any hard drives.


I'm so sad and exhausted, but I haven't lost hope to recover my data.
 
Thank you so much BIGBEARJEDI for your reply,
Here is my specs / I have a desktop pc

Windows Edition : Windows 7 Ultimate
motherboard : Foxconn
proccessor : Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2200 @ 2.20GHz
Installed Memory : 2048 MBytes
Graphic Card : NVIDIA Geforce 6200 TurboCache



Hard Drive on what is in my bios :
1- Sata channel 0 Master : Hitachi HDS721612PLA
2- Sata channel 1 Master : Samsung HD322HJ

And I have an external hard drive. It was connected when windows has crashed, so it has the same problem than the other internal hard drives. And all the important data, are in This external hard drive.
I tried to open the external hard drive on my laptop, to see if it's only matter of the OS that has been crashed on my desktop pc, but the same problem persist.

External hard drive : Packard bell 1TBYTES - connected by usb.

it's been four days with my issue , and i didn't format any hard drives.


I'm so sad and exhausted, but I haven't lost hope to recover my data.
>>>Just getting back to you; sorry about the delay, things got a little hectic for me this week and had several emergencies.
Thanks for your information. You mention that your Motherboard is a Foxcoon, but not what brand the computer is such as Dell, HP, or Gateway, so I must assume it''s a custom-built rig or a clone. Did you buy this computer pre-built or did you buy the parts and put it together yourself? THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION!!


Next, you're going to need to approach the problem from 2 directions, and then can be in parallel. Since you have asked for help again, and didn't mention my suggestion to take it to a Computer Pro, I'm guessing you don't have one close to you or you simply can't afford it. The first thing you need to do is test ALL 3 of your hard drives. This will take some work, and I'll provide you with some instructions. The second thing you need to do is to disconnect all but your Hitachi boot drive; once tested, and reload your Windows onto that drive and only that drive and get your computer working again. Keep your secondary and external drives in a safe place and we can discuss data recovery later on. This method lets you fix your computer and get it running again, and separates your lost data on those other drives from the troubleshooting process.

Take a deep breath, and read the following...

First we need to determine if the result of your computer crash was due to faulty hardware or a software problem such as a virus. Just because you scanned it with a virus scanner doesn't mean you don't have a virus. You may have not used a quality virus scanner, or as in most of my Client's computers, it's either out of date, disabled, or sometimes even uninstalled.

Being a hardware guy, I like to test all your key hardware first before attempting any kind of repair. To do this start here:

(1) Test RAM memory. If you are running Windows7, your computer is 4-5 yrs. old and is very likely to have 1 or more hardware failures to aging/usage. Download free MEMTEST fromvia Google and test each RAM stick individually a minimum of 8 passes. If MEMTEST returns any errors, that RAM stick has failed and must be replaced.
cry.gif
Repeat MEMTEST on each stick until all sticks pass. Then reinsert all sticks into your computer and run MEMTEST again for the 8 passes. Any failures reported by MEMTEST must be corrected by replacing RAM with matched-pairs or all sticks with new until MEMTEST RETURNS NO ERRORS.
cry.gif
Once done, your RAM has passed move onto Step #3.
(2) Test your HARD DRIVE. On a PC that's nearly 5 years old as is yours, it is VERY likely your hard drive is failing or has failed. Hard Drives are the #1 failed component in both desktops and laptops across all makes/models.
nonono.gif
Download the free SEATOOLS drive diagnostic from SEAGATE.COM and run BOTH short and long tests on your drive. If SEATOOLS returns any errors your drive has FAILED and must be REPLACED.
cry.gif
.[Also, if you have a Toshiba, Hitachi, or HGST drive, SEATOOLS won't test those drives so you will have to go to WD's website wd.com and download the appropriate diagnostic, either DLG or HGST to test those 3 types of drives. Additionally if you have a SSD boot drive, you will need to download TRIM via google to test SSD drive].

If you discover bad RAM sticks or a faulty drive (your Hitachi); of course they will need to be replaced before proceeding.
Next you'll need to reinstall Windows, as below:


The next step is to perform a WINDOWS RESET or WINDOWS REINSTALLATION. This has several names, so it can be confusing. You have 4 ways to perform a WINDOWS REINSTALLATION:
1)
Using Factory-provided authentic WINDOWS RECOVERY DISCS that came with your laptop. These will have printed labels, such as DELL, HP, etc. with makers logo on the labels.
2) Using built-in Factory-provided WINDOWS RECOVERY PARTITION software that can reset your laptop to OOB (Out-Of-Box) condition. These will have printed labels, such as DELL, HP, etc. with makers logo on the labels.
3) Using factory-provide MEDIA CREATOR program that uses built-in software to create a set of 1-12 DVD RECOVERY DISCS used to reset your laptop. You will need good quality DVD blank discs (1-12 DVD blanks) in order to create these discs on your laptop, and your DVD burnder drive needs to be in working order to do this.
4) Using Microsoft authentic Hologram boxed retail product disc for your version of Windows; eg: Windows7 disc (not a copy!!), and usually this requires a 26-character Product Key or Windows License to activate once installed. This disc and key combination is not cheap and if you had to buy it the cost would have been between $100-$300 depending on which version of Windows7 you had originally installed on your laptop. There are like 8 different versions of Windows7 you could have for this.
**ADDITIONALLY, WITH THIS INSTALL YOU WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE DELL SUPPORT WEBSITE AND DOWNLOAD 50-150 DRIVERS TO ANOTHER WORKING COMPUTER AND BURN A DISC WITH ALL THESE DRIVERS AND UPDATES ON THEM AND THEN REAPPLY THEM TO YOUR LAPTOP AFTER METHOD #4 INSTALL ABOVE MANUALLY. THIS IS AN ARDUOUS TASK, AND CAN TAKE 1-5 DAYS TO PERFORM, IF DONE RIGHT. AND THE MANUAL INSTALLATION OF THE DRIVERS IS "ORDER DEPENDENT" SO YOU WILL HAVE TO POST BACK FOR CUSTOM INSTRUCTIONS TO DO THIS; IT IS NOT A 5 MIN. JOB!!**
As I write this, I still don't know whether or not your computer is a custom-built rig or a name brand (Dell, HP, Gateway). If your PC does turn out to be a name brand (we call this an OEM PC), there's an excellent chance there is Windows Rescue or Windows Recovery software pre-loaded onto that Hitachi hard drive (as long as that's the hard drive that originally came with the computer when you bought it new!). If that Hitachi drive passed drive testing, it may still have either the Windows Recovery partition intact in a hidden partition, or the ability to create Factory Recovery media (discs or flash drive). If you don't know how to do this, you'll have to do more research to find your exact Model number on the outside of the computer case, and download the Owners Manual from the PC maker's website. For example, support.dell.com for Dell, support.hp.com for HP, etc. The Owner's Manual will tell you how to create the RECOVERY MEDIA, and where that program is located on your Win7 menu. If that program doesn't exist or doesn't work, you'll have to try running the Recovery Partition program, and once again, the correct keystrokes required for this are also in that downloaded Owners Manual I mention above. Usually, it's a key you hit on your keyboard at bootup of your PC such as the F9 or F12 key. From there you go into a Menu and follow the instructions to apply your Recovery process to your hard drive. Make sure you select the FACTORY REINSTALL--THIS WILL ERASE ALL INFORMATION ON YOUR HARD DRIVE. The Repair option will not help you.

If you apply either of these Windows Reset methods they should have your PC back up and running again with all the original software (programs) that came with your computer when it was brand new. However, this will not included any programs you installed or downloaded from the Internet since you bought the computer, nor any of the data on that hard drive. This means that you will have to reinstall any and all programs from media such as CD or DVD discs or re-downloading programs from websites. This can be a painful process, especially if you have over 100 programs or more on your old Win7 setup as many of my Clients do. Once you do this, your Computer should be back up and running; make sure to test on the Internet and reinstall any anti-virus or security software you may have used before back onto the new Win7 setup.

With all that being said, if you have a custom-built rig or a clone PC (not a name-brand), you won't have the Windows Recovery options I mention above, so you will have a much more difficult time rebuilding your PC with Win7 from scratch. This requires expert level computer skills, and unless you own a retail boxed version of Microsoft Windows7 legit media, and know how to download drivers and install them, you should consider taking your PC to a local repair shop or independent Computer Pro. If you had indeed installed Win7 with all the drivers on this computer which you built, you simply need to repeat that process.

As you probably figured, this is not going to be an easy process, which is why I recommended you take it into your local Computer Pro. Even if you do so, you will probably need to provide him with more information than you've provided to us here. Usually it takes me 2-3 hours of conversations with my clients to fix a problem like this, even if they physically provide me with their computer. It's like solving a murder-mystery. You don't give us all the information about this computer you've had for 5 years, and we have to figure out what broke on it, how it broke, and most importantly the best way to fix it. If you did built this computer yourself, most of what I'm saying here will make sense. However, if you bought it and someone else built it or it's a name brand (OEM) PC, you may well be lost at this point or overwhelmed. That's not unusual. You mention you've been living with this crash for 4 days. I have Clients who have crashed computers for week, months, even years before they get around to getting them fixed. o_O

Finally, as for the Data Recovery component. On the 2 other non-boot drives you have your stuff on. You have 2 choices; #1 take to your local Computer repair shop or Tech and pay them to do a level 1 data recovery; this will run you $35-$120 US or so. 2-3 times this outside of US. If the Tech cannot get any data, or finds that a virus destroyed your data, you or he can then send out the drive(s) to very expensive data recovery. This starts at $250 US and goes up from there. It can also take up to 7 weeks or longer to get your data back. If you wind up having to go this way, post back and I will provide those resources for you.

Best,:)
<<<BBJ>>>
 
Last edited:
I come to think of a possible power out, maybe through a lightning hit? But someone has to check the disk(s) physically.

All the very best. Can't add anything to BBJ:s comments. And the cause isn't the question, the remedy is.
 
Good observation, Pauli. Yes, I think I can help this person, if they are willing to slog through all my lengthy instructions. In many areas including here where I live in Southern California mountains, we do get many summer thunderstorms, and they definitely include lightning strikes which are bona fide computer killers! It might be worth asking the OP if he/she had the PC plugged into a Surge Protector or not. Nevertheless, we are left with fixing it. Nice to know you're giving me another set of eyes on this problem as always!!

Best, :brew:
<<<BBJ>>> :usa:
 
Hi Soul,
Now it looks like there are 2 of us helping you. Waiting for your response!

<<<BBJ>>>
 
thank you so much for your replies and your help, you won't believe how much i appreciate it.

so to Mr Pauly : the crash it's not due to a power out.

to Mr BIGBEARJEDI : yes my computer is custom-built, and i built it my self, it's been 5 or 6 years ago.

for the datas , I have tested my external hdd on my laptop " my laptop also run windows 7, and it's clean" . I have tested on my laptop, to see if it's matter of OS but the same issue persist.

so if i can reinstall windows like you suggested*, yes i can, and I have an authentic- genuine windows. I didn't do it until now , because i'm trying to recover some data on my desktop windows. and if it work, then it will work on the external hdd- that I disconnected afraid to lose other data.


The mean raison i think is: I had the idea to install a program to manage my internet bandwidth, the program is "SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager". So when i did and installed it, the program didn't want to work properly, then I googled for solution,the solutions that I found was that my firewall block the program, and yes when I had checked my firewall, I found it locked with no chance to communicate through.
so i had the bad idea that had been suggested in many website, is to delete a file in "hkey_local_machine" .So I have done this, without create a restore point, then I restarted my windows to see if all what I have done, work well.
but my my windows crashed, and after recovering windows, I found that my data were corrupted. and my external hdd was connected so it also had the same issue . My data still there but corrupted with 0 bytes, like the photos I posted previously.

my conclusion is I think that a VIRUS has done this. and if it's really a virus that has destroyed the data. there is a hope that I recover my data ?
there are programs that can do the work ?
and also like you suggested, if nothing work for me , I can send the drive to "data recovery". but can I trust them for my data ? and what is the procedure ?

and thank you again / BIGBEARJEDI your answers gives me hope, and you are like a real JEDI for me ;)
 
thank you so much for your replies and your help, you won't believe how much i appreciate it.

so to Mr Pauly : the crash it's not due to a power out.

to Mr BIGBEARJEDI : yes my computer is custom-built, and i built it my self, it's been 5 or 6 years ago.

for the datas , I have tested my external hdd on my laptop " my laptop also run windows 7, and it's clean" . I have tested on my laptop, to see if it's matter of OS but the same issue persist.
>>>Sounds like a language issue here, but you need to test the ACTUAL HARD DRIVES themselves, not the data contained on them. Use the testing procedures I outlined in my previous post. And it's essential to check all 3 of your drives, not just the Windows C: boot drive. Most likely you'll have to go to the WD.com website to download the HGST drive diagnostic as you have a Hitachi, and the SEATOOLS diagnostic won't test that drive.<<<

so if i can reinstall windows like you suggested*, yes i can, and I have an authentic- genuine windows. I didn't do it until now , because i'm trying to recover some data on my desktop windows. and if it work, then it will work on the external hdd- that I disconnected afraid to lose other data.
>>>Thanks for providing that information. Since you do have a self-built custom rig or system, it will take much more work to perform a Windows reinstallation, which is part of the reason you are avoiding it I am sure. Since you have no Factory Recovery Discs or Recovery Partitions, you'll have to reinstall your retail Windows from your disc, and then re-download all your drivers (or from the original disc that came with your Foxconn Motherboard when you purchased it), and that's usually 2-3 days or more if you have to download and reinstall all the drivers. I'll address the data recovery issue of your boot drive below. One other thing to note, is that if your Hitachi boot drive has failed or is failing, and your probelm is NOT from a virus, your attempts at using Recovery software will further damage the existing data (such as your photos), and decrease the chances of you ever getting it back from that damaged drive.:sorrow: Non-destructive testing of that drive is IMPERATIVE to know the answer to this question.<<<

The mean raison i think is: I had the idea to install a program to manage my internet bandwidth, the program is "SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager". So when i did and installed it, the program didn't want to work properly, then I googled for solution,the solutions that I found was that my firewall block the program, and yes when I had checked my firewall, I found it locked with no chance to communicate through.
so i had the bad idea that had been suggested in many website, is to delete a file in "hkey_local_machine" .So I have done this, without create a restore point, then I restarted my windows to see if all what I have done, work well.
but my my windows crashed, and after recovering windows, I found that my data were corrupted. and my external hdd was connected so it also had the same issue . My data still there but corrupted with 0 bytes, like the photos I posted previously.
>>>That makes sense to me. Doing manual Registry "tweaking" without knowing what you are doing often produces unpredicatable and disastrous results. Those results we call "WINDOWS CORRUPTION" in lay terms, in technical terms you have damaged your Windows Hive files. It takes expert level skills to recover from this. Those bad results also mimic virus damage. So, to determine whether it's a virus or a windows corruption problem, you must start with the testing and validation of your hardware; specifically with your hard drive (C: boot drive) first, then the RAM. If you don't take this testing step you are just wasting your time trying to figure it out and have any chance of recovering your lost data on that C: drive!<<<

my conclusion is I think that a VIRUS has done this. and if it's really a virus that has destroyed the data. there is a hope that I recover my data ?
>>>As, I said, your conclusion is probably faulty, at this point, until you perform the necessary hardware testing I mention above you cannot jump to that conclusion. Also, you haven't mentioned that you've run any virus scanners that detected a specific virus. Since you can't identify a specific virus, or something similar, you are only guessing as I said.<<<
there are programs that can do the work ?
>>>Yes, there are programs that can assist with data recovery, but it takes many years of experience (20+ yrs.) to be proficient with them. Some of the ones I recommand are:
1.) Testdisk & Photorec (ISO Linux)
2.) Recuva from piriform.com (Windows)
3.) GetDataBack(Windows)
#1 & #2 are free; #3 is free to try and if it finds your photos/files they charge you $60 on a Credit Card to actually recover them, assuming you know what you are doing.<<<


and also like you suggested, if nothing work for me , I can send the drive to "data recovery". but can I trust them for my data ? and what is the procedure ?
>>>Yes, you can send out to professionaly data recovery. You can google both of these companies, they are in the U.S. only, so if you are outside the U.S. there will be substantial increased cost to ship Internationally. Here are the only 2 Companies I have used for this and trust implicitly with my data as well as with my client's data (I have personally used both):
1.) BEST BUY GEEK SQUAD (Google Best Buy and use Store Locator to find closest store to you).
2.) KROLL ONTRACK (WEBSITE HERE: http://www.krollontrack.com/ps211-d...DU8NWl7L3mqwicC2Xf4mds6WT_L4WKSemAaAgF58P8HAQ


For your information, data recovery starts at about $250 US at both places. The procedure is different for these two. For Best Buy Geek Squad it's best to find a store and walk in there; you'll have to fill out paperwork and data disclaimers and sign the forms. They will then ship to their Recovery center in Mempis, Tennessee. For Kroll Ontrack, you'll have to call them and ship your drive to them in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I don't know if Best Buy Geek Squad will take your order over the phone or from outside the U.S.; never tried it.
After you send in your drive, they will perform a level 1 recovery which takes 3-6 weeks typically.

<<<BBJ>>>




and thank you again / BIGBEARJEDI your answers gives me hope, and you are like a real JEDI for me ;)
<<<Glad to try and help!!>>> :D
 
Last edited:
Thank you BIGBEARJEDI, but i still haven't solve the problem, or figure out a solution, as i asked in my previous message .

After that I mentioned* what I think is the main reason for my issue.

I said, my conclusion is I think that a VIRUS has done this. and if it's really a virus that has destroyed the data !

- Is there a chance that I recover my data ?
- Are there programs that can do the work ?
- And also like you suggested, if nothing works for me , I can send the drive to "data recovery". but can I trust them for my data ? and what is the procedure ?
 
You may have to pay for an expert to recover the data. Do a search for data recovery experts on google.
 
I'd say you have stepped in a trap. On their front page "SoftPerfect Bandwidth Manager" proclame, Did the Internet access bandwidth become a major bottleneck in your network?

Then they suggest themselves as a solution when, as a fact, it's not really software that solves the problem, but it's hard[ware] facts about links and cables and such that finally matter. It doesn't matter if you have a terabyte software, if you only have access to a megabyte in cable and other "plainly physical points". One can't get a 2" thing through a 1" tube, can one?

Goes with mind too, can you heal a mind with medicine = psychiatry, or does it need a human? Or God?

Sounds like their remedy is something from Wild West, when self-learned healers offered miracle medicine to cure anything and everything... but their miracle mixture was some 98% cheap whiskey, the rest consisting of herbs and stuff, even pure dirt, that made it all taste all the more more awful - it's proven in studies, that medicine works as best when it's liquid and tastes bad, pills with same ingredients don't work as well... we have the placebo effect. Some up to 85% of sicknesses are considered to be more or less psychosomatic by nature. Even cancer is to be seen as a possible cause of self-hatred, in psychological term.

Trust ones who have a good name. Trust ones who have created a stature. You can't create something big, unless you have done something right and well sometimes, somewhere. Be very careful with trying, stay with what you have found safe. But creeps are everywhere.

To get back to the question itself: trust a professional. And have him/her safe copy everything before proceeding.

But yes, if there is data, it is there, and it can be read. Only a true mechanical/electrical disaster can destroy it.
 
Last edited:
That's a good point, when you have to get an IT pro to recover your data they are bound to snoop. Maybe you could try removing the hard disk and using one of those usb interface cables plug it into another working computer and see if that reads it.
 
Back
Top