Not sure about the minitool CD, never used it, but really you don't need to copy everything from the partition to an external drive, just the data files you want to rescue. Does the minitool allow you to explore the file system within the partition? That is why I suggested Puppy Linux because that definitely does. You can just drag and drop the required files and/or folders over to the external backup drive. Anything else already on the external drive will not be deleted unless you deliberately instruct Puppy to do so.
Looks like you have the factory reset partition on there too so a restore to original factory state should be easy once you have rescued the data.
There's 113Gb used up on the drive, so there might be a hefty amount of data on there. If it's all in one User Account, it's pretty simple to back up. If it's spread across four User Accounts, you'll have a lot more work. It's always best to check with the owner first to see what data they have and what they actually need backed up. It's easy to forget about things like email, address books and folders stored on the Desktop.
Not sure about the minitool CD, never used it, but really you don't need to copy everything from the partition to an external drive, just the data files you want to rescue. Does the minitool allow you to explore the file system within the partition? That is why I suggested Puppy Linux because that definitely does. You can just drag and drop the required files and/or folders over to the external backup drive. Anything else already on the external drive will not be deleted unless you deliberately instruct Puppy to do so.
Looks like you have the factory reset partition on there too so a restore to original factory state should be easy once you have rescued the data.
Right. I've downloaded Puppy Linux .iso (there were a number of options to download - I chose slacko - 5.5 - 4G.ISO) and burned it to DVD to make the bootable disk.
That booted to a full desktop as you said it would which is great. I can see the drive partitions on the desktop as icons. I've clicked the icon and and can see what's what. I can see all sorts of data files - video, music, word. I've installed a USB drive which has appeared on the desktop as an icon which is good. I have tried to copy data files to the USB drive but don't appear to have the knack. I write click on a file but don't seem to have found the knack of pasting it to the USB drive. You mentioned "drag and drop" but, again, I can't seem to be able to get any files to paste or drop into the USB drive. I've Googled the problem but can't find anything which is as "basic" as the question I'm asking.
I've managed to copy two Word files into the USB drive by opening them up and clicking "file" then "Save As" and clicking on the USB Drive down the left hand side and then clicking "save." This method doesn't seem to work with pictures, though.
Err...i'd leave everything well alone and get someone you can trust (aka hit them with a large stick) to get your data off for you as you do seem to be as technically competent as a rock, i hate to say but sometimes the rise in technology aint been followed by a rise in the ability to use it
I think I've cracked it. After 15 years of Windows so much is second nature that anything other than Windows and I'm groping in the dark, so to speak....
I seem to have stumbled across the technique of "dragging and dropping...." Alert the media!
As you have found a Linux based live CD can be very useful for rescue purposes.
I've managed to put a few of these so called Live Linux distributions on to one USB flash drive for such situations. This swiss army knife of computing has been done using a program called Yumi from www.pendrivelinux.com which is ironically a Windows based program. On the USB stick I have got rescue distros Puppy Linux (Racy 5.5), KNOPPIX 7.0.5 , Parted Magic 2011_11_24.
As with a CD you need when using this stick to change the boot order in the BIOS of the computer so that when switching on it boots from USB flash drive.
You may have already figured it out it seems, but:-
Click the icon of the ntfs partition (that you want to rescue the files from) so a window opens displaying all the files and folders. It looks visually different but the file tree stucture is exactly as it would be in windows explorer.
Click the icon of the external USB drive so a second window is now on your desktop showing the files stored in that.
Drag and drop the required files from one window to the other. When you release the mouse button you will get a few options that pop up including "move" or "copy". Very simple and instinctive once you have done it a couple of times.
As you can see, Puppy is not just a repair tool but a full distro, OS and apps. You will be able to open files, view pictures, play media etc. Personally I use it all the time and never boot into windows at all.
Ok. I've dragged and dropped all the Data from the "sick" Packard Bell laptop to an external hard drive. (Data consists of Videos, Word Ducuments, Mp3 files and Pictues but, thankfully, no email).
I say "dragged and dropped the Data" but what I've dragged and dropped is the entire "Users" Directory to the external drive. I've been through everything on the Packard Bell hard drive and am happy that all the data is in the "Users" Directory.
I notice that a lot of the stuff included in the "Users" Directory is not what I would have called "Data" (I include stuff like Videos, Mp3 files, Word Documents and Pictures under the heading of "data.") Amongst the other stuff I have copied over which is included in the "Users" Directory is lots of stuff in "Appdata" directories - one for each of the three Users. Will I need to re-install these "Appdata" directories along with the other Data?
Before I restore the Packard Bell to factory settings and transfer back all the data it would have been nice to have been able to back up the entire Packard Bell system but in its current state this isn't possible. I guess before I "press the button" I ought to find and save as many executable files in "Program Files" as I can so I can re-install some programs. I've listed all the programs currently installed on the Packard Bell.
Could anyone suggest a website I could visit which might be useful for me as I hopefully bring the Packard Bell back to some sort of Windows-based life? Thanks.
The only thing you can usefully restore will be the files in the Documents, Pictures and Video folders etc.
As you say, the Users folder contains lots of junk. There is very little in Appdata that is useful and you shouldn't restore it. Also, you can't move the Program Files data across. You will have to reinstall all the software from scratch.
Just reinstall Windows, and then put back the software you need, then the data.
If you want to backup the entire drive before you "press the button" download a copy of Macrium Reflect Free. Install it on another computer and make the recovery CD. This creates a bootable Linux based version that you can run on the dead machine, now that you've got it booting from the CD drive. It allows you to take an image of the drive (drive, partition, or whole disk) onto your external disk. Don't worry about it being Linux based, you don't get to see it, it just boots up as a Windows lookalike of the application. Easeus ToDo does the same thing, but once you've got the machine working again, installing Macrium Reflect (under Windows) allows you to 'mount' the saved image, and access files in it simply via Windows Explorer - it looks like another drive (you can "un-mount" it when you've got all you're looking for). Not sure if ToDo allows that.
The only thing you can usefully restore will be the files in the Documents, Pictures and Video folders etc.
As you say, the Users folder contains lots of junk. There is very little in Appdata that is useful and you shouldn't restore it. Also, you can't move the Program Files data across. You will have to reinstall all the software from scratch.
Just reinstall Windows, and then put back the software you need, then the data.
Thanks for those confirmations, Stig.
I've been on to the Packard Bell website and found all the drivers for the model (Easynote EN TJ68) so there shouldn't be a problem if some of the drivers aren't there.
I've been on to the Packard Bell website and found all the drivers for the model (Easynote EN TJ68) so there shouldn't be a problem if some of the drivers aren't there.
Make sure you download the drivers first, as your network adaptor might not work when you first install Windows.
Good idea to have all the drivers to hand as a precaution, but I reckon that normally a factory reset restores from a complete system image of how it was when it came out of the box, so drivers and some other software will already be installed along with Windows. Could be wrong though. Windows will of course be back to the state it was at that time so will want to install all the Windows Updates from then to now. That might take a few minutes.
If you want to backup the entire drive before you "press the button" download a copy of Macrium Reflect Free. Install it on another computer and make the recovery CD. This creates a bootable Linux based version that you can run on the dead machine, now that you've got it booting from the CD drive. It allows you to take an image of the drive (drive, partition, or whole disk) onto your external disk. Don't worry about it being Linux based, you don't get to see it, it just boots up as a Windows lookalike of the application. Easeus ToDo does the same thing, but once you've got the machine working again, installing Macrium Reflect (under Windows) allows you to 'mount' the saved image, and access files in it simply via Windows Explorer - it looks like another drive (you can "un-mount" it when you've got all you're looking for). Not sure if ToDo allows that.
I've installed Macrium Reflect Free on another pc and opened it then, clicked "Other Tasks" and then "Create Bootable Rescue Media". I then get the option of "Windows PE" or "Linux." I chose "Linux" and have burnt the file to DVD.
I inserted the newly-created rescue disk into the optical drive of the defective Packard Bell Laptop and obtained the following screen-
Restore Wizard v5.1.5828
Introduction. Welcome to the Image Restore Wizard.
NEXT>
I clicked "Next" and see the following screen-
Locate Image
Select Local or Network Folder that contains the image to be loaded.
Computer
C: (OS)
E:
boot
grub
grub 2
EFL
F(CD)
G FreeAgent Drive
Th "G: FreeAgent Drive" is my External Drive on which of course I'm looking to save the image of the Packard Bell's system so I highlight "Computer" and click "next" but nothing happens.
I'm wondering if somehow I've missed a stage because it seems that what I'm doing here is Rescuing from a (supposedly) previously saved image when what I'm looking to do is to CREATE the image.
Can you spot from my posting what is obviously a failure to understand on my part! Thanks.
If I have read this right, you have copied all the data you need to an external disk using the boot CD.
If this is the case, then all you need to do is remove the CD, go back to your initial posting and choose:
5. Recovery Management Powered by Acer - Restore system from factory default.
I seriously doubt if trying to copy the entire drive is going to be any advantage, you would just have a copy of a broken Operating System.
Apologies for my lack of clarity, esperanto.
What you describe is precisely what I intend to do but firstly I wanted to create a mirror image of the defective Packard Bell's hard drive and save it to a remote drive so that if the worst comes to the worst and I make a total cock of it I can at least get back to where I started.
Peter, sorry for wasting your time, my mistake. From memory, I thought that the Macrium boot disc allowed you to both create and restore an image. Clearly it doesn't. I've just had a look at the Easeus ToDo manual, and that also only allows recovery from the boot disk.
Acronis TrueImage which I use (unfortunately not free, but not expensive) does allow you to do both, hence the confusion.
The only advantage to having the image is if you have missed some critical data the user wants back, you still have a chance to get it. Saving the executables from Program Files isn't going to work (in most cases) as the install routines will have copied stuff into other places, like the System and System32 folders, and will have written important data to the registry. Without all that, its most unlikely just putting the executables back will work. Your customer is going to have to find his original installation discs, apart from those apps that are free downloadable things from the internet. But before you start that make sure you've got your antivirus up and running.
Once you've got the machine back how your customer wants it, you might want to consider installing Macrium Reflect and taking an image. With that image and the boot disc, at least you'll be able to quickly restore the machine to the state it was in (ie all updates to now installed, and all customers apps installed) when you took the image, should another disaster happen.
No worries, plugs13amp.
,
I'll go ahead and restore the system on the Pakard Bell without backing up the its defective sysrem. (So reckless. I'll be drinking milkshakes out of dirty glasses next....)
Everything went well. Windows was restored and I transferred back in all of the user's data and was pleased to hand the machine back yesterday together with a lecture about backing up!
Many thanks to everyone who took the time and trouble and patience to help me with this task. It was always interesting, sometimes stressful but ultimately rewarding in that I learned a lot and managed to boost my confidence levels for future tasks!
So often you read a thread like this where the person asking the questions refuses to take on board very good advice and just ends up in an argument. What a welcome change to read this one and see a successful outcome.
Everything went well. Windows was restored and I transferred back in all of the user's data and was pleased to hand the machine back yesterday together with a lecture about backing up!
Many thanks to everyone who took the time and trouble and patience to help me with this task. It was always interesting, sometimes stressful but ultimately rewarding in that I learned a lot and managed to boost my confidence levels for future tasks!
Hopefully you won't receive endless phonecalls, as you'll now be considered responsible for every little thing that ever goes wrong with the machine. The first call is usually: 'my email isn't working. It keeps saying incorrect password, even though I think I'm definitely typing it right'.
Comments
Looks like you have the factory reset partition on there too so a restore to original factory state should be easy once you have rescued the data.
I'll try the Puppy Linux option.
Put the old hard disk into an external hard drive casing and copy back all the important things.
At least then you know the data is safe and it's easier to pick and choose what you want/need to copy back
Right. I've downloaded Puppy Linux .iso (there were a number of options to download - I chose slacko - 5.5 - 4G.ISO) and burned it to DVD to make the bootable disk.
That booted to a full desktop as you said it would which is great. I can see the drive partitions on the desktop as icons. I've clicked the icon and and can see what's what. I can see all sorts of data files - video, music, word. I've installed a USB drive which has appeared on the desktop as an icon which is good. I have tried to copy data files to the USB drive but don't appear to have the knack. I write click on a file but don't seem to have found the knack of pasting it to the USB drive. You mentioned "drag and drop" but, again, I can't seem to be able to get any files to paste or drop into the USB drive. I've Googled the problem but can't find anything which is as "basic" as the question I'm asking.
I seem to have stumbled across the technique of "dragging and dropping...." Alert the media!
I've managed to put a few of these so called Live Linux distributions on to one USB flash drive for such situations. This swiss army knife of computing has been done using a program called Yumi from www.pendrivelinux.com which is ironically a Windows based program. On the USB stick I have got rescue distros Puppy Linux (Racy 5.5), KNOPPIX 7.0.5 , Parted Magic 2011_11_24.
As with a CD you need when using this stick to change the boot order in the BIOS of the computer so that when switching on it boots from USB flash drive.
Hopefully you will now be able to recover pc.
Tell your friend to invest in proper backup package e.g. acronips true image or similar.
Two good packages are paragon or macrium reflect and both are totally free.
Good luck.
Click the icon of the ntfs partition (that you want to rescue the files from) so a window opens displaying all the files and folders. It looks visually different but the file tree stucture is exactly as it would be in windows explorer.
Click the icon of the external USB drive so a second window is now on your desktop showing the files stored in that.
Drag and drop the required files from one window to the other. When you release the mouse button you will get a few options that pop up including "move" or "copy". Very simple and instinctive once you have done it a couple of times.
As you can see, Puppy is not just a repair tool but a full distro, OS and apps. You will be able to open files, view pictures, play media etc. Personally I use it all the time and never boot into windows at all.
I say "dragged and dropped the Data" but what I've dragged and dropped is the entire "Users" Directory to the external drive. I've been through everything on the Packard Bell hard drive and am happy that all the data is in the "Users" Directory.
I notice that a lot of the stuff included in the "Users" Directory is not what I would have called "Data" (I include stuff like Videos, Mp3 files, Word Documents and Pictures under the heading of "data.") Amongst the other stuff I have copied over which is included in the "Users" Directory is lots of stuff in "Appdata" directories - one for each of the three Users. Will I need to re-install these "Appdata" directories along with the other Data?
Before I restore the Packard Bell to factory settings and transfer back all the data it would have been nice to have been able to back up the entire Packard Bell system but in its current state this isn't possible. I guess before I "press the button" I ought to find and save as many executable files in "Program Files" as I can so I can re-install some programs. I've listed all the programs currently installed on the Packard Bell.
Could anyone suggest a website I could visit which might be useful for me as I hopefully bring the Packard Bell back to some sort of Windows-based life? Thanks.
As you say, the Users folder contains lots of junk. There is very little in Appdata that is useful and you shouldn't restore it. Also, you can't move the Program Files data across. You will have to reinstall all the software from scratch.
Just reinstall Windows, and then put back the software you need, then the data.
Thanks for those confirmations, Stig.
I've been on to the Packard Bell website and found all the drivers for the model (Easynote EN TJ68) so there shouldn't be a problem if some of the drivers aren't there.
I've installed Macrium Reflect Free on another pc and opened it then, clicked "Other Tasks" and then "Create Bootable Rescue Media". I then get the option of "Windows PE" or "Linux." I chose "Linux" and have burnt the file to DVD.
I inserted the newly-created rescue disk into the optical drive of the defective Packard Bell Laptop and obtained the following screen-
Restore Wizard v5.1.5828
Introduction. Welcome to the Image Restore Wizard.
NEXT>
I clicked "Next" and see the following screen-
Locate Image
Select Local or Network Folder that contains the image to be loaded.
Computer
C:
E:
boot
grub
grub 2
EFL
F(CD)
G FreeAgent Drive
"Rescan" "Network Settings" "Map Share" "Back" "Next"
Th "G: FreeAgent Drive" is my External Drive on which of course I'm looking to save the image of the Packard Bell's system so I highlight "Computer" and click "next" but nothing happens.
I'm wondering if somehow I've missed a stage because it seems that what I'm doing here is Rescuing from a (supposedly) previously saved image when what I'm looking to do is to CREATE the image.
Can you spot from my posting what is obviously a failure to understand on my part! Thanks.
If this is the case, then all you need to do is remove the CD, go back to your initial posting and choose:
5. Recovery Management Powered by Acer - Restore system from factory default.
I seriously doubt if trying to copy the entire drive is going to be any advantage, you would just have a copy of a broken Operating System.
Apologies for my lack of clarity, esperanto.
What you describe is precisely what I intend to do but firstly I wanted to create a mirror image of the defective Packard Bell's hard drive and save it to a remote drive so that if the worst comes to the worst and I make a total cock of it I can at least get back to where I started.
Acronis TrueImage which I use (unfortunately not free, but not expensive) does allow you to do both, hence the confusion.
The only advantage to having the image is if you have missed some critical data the user wants back, you still have a chance to get it. Saving the executables from Program Files isn't going to work (in most cases) as the install routines will have copied stuff into other places, like the System and System32 folders, and will have written important data to the registry. Without all that, its most unlikely just putting the executables back will work. Your customer is going to have to find his original installation discs, apart from those apps that are free downloadable things from the internet. But before you start that make sure you've got your antivirus up and running.
Once you've got the machine back how your customer wants it, you might want to consider installing Macrium Reflect and taking an image. With that image and the boot disc, at least you'll be able to quickly restore the machine to the state it was in (ie all updates to now installed, and all customers apps installed) when you took the image, should another disaster happen.
,
I'll go ahead and restore the system on the Pakard Bell without backing up the its defective sysrem. (So reckless. I'll be drinking milkshakes out of dirty glasses next....)
Many thanks to everyone who took the time and trouble and patience to help me with this task. It was always interesting, sometimes stressful but ultimately rewarding in that I learned a lot and managed to boost my confidence levels for future tasks!
Well done OP.
Hopefully you won't receive endless phonecalls, as you'll now be considered responsible for every little thing that ever goes wrong with the machine. The first call is usually: 'my email isn't working. It keeps saying incorrect password, even though I think I'm definitely typing it right'.