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Topic: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR (Read 13256 times) previous topic - next topic

THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

For some stupid reason I wiped out my NWC 1.75b entire program but thank the dear
Lord for System Restore under Accessories  in the system tools window .That would have
wiped out 4 yrs work .Just thought I would share this little lifebelt for those who don't
know .You can restore your computer to as long ago as you wish .Who say's we can't
go back in time.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #1 –
but it seems to wreck wreak havoc with your caps lock settings ...
Registered user since 1996

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTORE

Reply #2 –
That's interesting in what way Rick?

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #3 –
The interesting bit is the shape his tongue makes as it is pushed firmly into his cheek... :)

I'm glad you got your stuff back mate.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #4 –
Okay I get it. I think.

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Reply #5 –
Simple - the subject title is in all capitals.
Your message reminds us mortals of the old adage:
Make Backups!
And: keep all your Noteworthy-files in one directory tree, and save it from time to time. On your 1 GB, 10 Euro SAN Disk that you bought with your new camera, for instance! And then save it on another PC. Or mail the whole Zipped thing (can't be big) to yourself on Gmail, for safe keeping. The options are endless.

What I think happened is: your precious Noteworthy-files were never lost. Only the program was. By going back on your M$ traces, you reinstalled the Noteworthy program... and since you never changed the path to your files, all your .nwc files automagically reappeared.

cheers,
Rob.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #6 –
Thank you Robddin,
I will refrain from using capital letters as well as take note of my spelling when
getting all exited about posting a topic to mortals in the future 'althoughsuccess
is not always a certainty.I will tell you why the program got lost in my opinion.
For some reason or other I had an uninstalled evaluation Nwc 1.75b program on
file ,which I opened  and installed by mistake.This evaluation programe not only
opened but also engulfed my existing licenced pragram.In my state of panic I
used the restore facillty I did not want to reload NWC 1.75 again or wait a month
for the evaluation copy to expire in or to get back to the original licensed program
I thought this might be useful to some other user who might also make such a stupit mistake however unlikely this may seem.But thank you for your saving tips
because it is only via mistakes that we really learn.Remembering the old saying
"He who doesn't make mistakes ,usually doesn't do anything"Anonymous

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Reply #8 –
Well like all stories there seems to be yet another happy ending for a true Noteworthiest.

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Reply #9 –
Happy indeed! This whole story reminded me that I was running behind on making backups.
I just wrote a nice script that uses RoboCopy to transfer all new and changed files to my external 160 GB disk. Including all mail-files (hey, Outlook Express, why not) !
I also put a link to "Backup Life, the Universe and Everything" on my desktop to fire it up.
So as from now, I do NOT have an excuse anymore for (not) making backups. Sigh.
cheers,
Rob.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #10 –
A bit OT, seeing as none of my NWC files were lost, but...
I was up to date on making backups, but due to circumstances I needed to transfer ALL of my files to my external disk.  THAT is the disk that started acting strangely.  Before I could get all of my files onto my new internal disk, an Error Check was run on the external disk, and every file was converted to a .chk file, whether it was a bitmap, Excel, Word, whatever.  So I now have over 20,000 .chk files with no folders, directory structure, etc.
So, folks, the lesson here is Backup your Backups!

[still looking for a "magic bullet" to put it all back the way it was...]

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #11 –
Not quite on topic, but a happy word about my recent problem.

About 3 weeks ago, my computer started crashing when I was running a lot of programs at the same time.  I backed everything important up, fearing the imminent demise of my hard drive. 

By last Monday, the computer was crashing 3 or 4 times a day.  It wouldn't reboot unless I left it turned off for a while.  Then an error message would flash on the screen during bootup.  It was too fast to read, but finally I realized it said CPU over temperature error. 

I was going to take the machine to the shop for repair, but Googled the error message.  The gist of the info was that the overheating was likely caused by a poor connection to the heat sink. 

Inspiration struck.  Dust accumulates inside computers, and the cases have vents for a reason.  I removed the things I had blocking the vents, and I vacuumed inside the case.  The computer hasn't crashed since.

Knock on wood. 

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #12 –
Here is a picture of my son's computer innards.
It used to be mine and my wife's machine until ~2000; I have forgotten to vacuum it since it was handed down. :-P
[This machine has been working with few problems since ~1992.]

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #13 –
Quote from: David Palmquist –
the computer was crashing 3 or 4 times a day.  It wouldn't reboot unless I left it turned off for a while.
A clear sign of an overheating problem. Usual causes:
  • a fan that is not running
  • dust blocking the vents
Years ago, I maintained the computers for about 10 hotels. Typically the CPU box was within 2 feet of a carpeted floor. Clerks walked back and forth in front of them 24/7, stirring up dust. They needed a cover off, compressed-air cleaning about every 3 months. I wore a lot of grey suits ...
Registered user since 1996

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Reply #14 –
Quote from: K.A.T. –
[This machine has been working with few problems since ~1992.]

1992 - that would be a '486 then - they didn't exactly get very hot in comparison to today's CPU's, still - that is one blocked vent!

We see quite a bit of fluff 'n stuff in customers' PCs but the most embarrassing one was my own system a while ago - I was whinging and complaining about that rotten "Windows XP - Media Center Edition" and how unstable it was - (in reality, it isn't great - the add-ons do make it less stable than XP Pro and it doesn't support my TV card which has a quite popular Digital TV decoder chip in it).

In the end, I took the side cover off and discovered a CPU heatsink that was totally blocked - no wonder the poor thing couldn't add 1's anymore...
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTORE

Reply #15 –
Quote
~1992
Oops - should read "1995."  Guess I don't know the difference between a 2 and a 5.  That's what I get for using the numeric keypad. ;-P
 

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Reply #16 –
Quote
... took the side cover off and discovered a CPU heatsink that was totally blocked - ...

If I knew what the heat sink is supposed to look like, or where to find it, I'd have been a lot more confident with my vacuuming efforts. 

That aside, there wasn't so much dust as to visibly suggest a problem.  The fan is fed from a duct on the opposite side of the case and I've only had this computer for a year or so.  I think the filter in the fan was a bit clogged - it looked a little grey before I vacuumed it - but there were no dust bunnies in the case, just a fine coating of dust on most of the vertically mounted motherboard. 

It truly couldn't have helped the situation that I had blocked the 3 x 5 inch vent grill.  It's a tower case, and a while back I leaned record albums against it to dampen vibrations that were getting very noisy.   A couple of weeks ago I added some pressure against them, so that probably squeezed the albums tighter against the vent.

This was the first time I'd opened the case since the machine was new, so I took the opportunity to relocate and firmly tighten the HDD.  The vibrations have gone away, although I suspect I'll need to replace the HDD soon.  They're not expensive, but gee, whiz, that's always a nuisance.

Even though I've got everything crucial backed up onto the old hard drives that are still in the case, I think my next accessory will be an external HDD.


 

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Reply #17 –
An external HDD is one thing - good management of backups another. As long as "making a backup" is one click away, you can (and will?) make backups regularly. If making backups involves starting dialogues, deciding on buttons, drive letters, bells, whistles & sundry Kit & Kaboodle, an external HDD will not help much.
But once you've got it to work, it saves you a regular worry. And they come cheap: way under an euro per GB now.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #18 –
G'day David,
Quote from: David Palmquist –
If I knew what the heat sink is supposed to look like, or where to find it, I'd have been a lot more confident with my vacuuming efforts. 

The heatsink I'm referring to is a large, finned, metallic object with a fan attached that sits directly on top of the CPU.  The fan blows air into the heatsink and can thus fill the top of the finned area with fluff which will, of course, block the airflow.

This will be the largest single object on your motherboard.  The vent in the side of your case that you referred to actually supplies air to the fan/heatsink combination.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: THANK GOODNESS FOR SYSTEM RESTOR

Reply #19 –
Hi David,
The processor is usually the largest chip on (off?) the block. The heat sink neatly covers it. So the heatsink is there where you don't see the processor...

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Reply #21 –
Quote from: Rick G. –
How times have changed. It used to be the PPI

That's a long time ago...  40 or 44 pins compared with 478 pins for the current core duo/core solo offerings from intel
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

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Reply #22 –
The heatsink is where the cops do their dishes?

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Reply #23 –
I sink so.

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Reply #24 –
...and now ALL of my NWC files are lost...
Now my new internal disk has failed (4 months old...) before I could finish taking care of other stuff.
Fortunatley, my son's system still had my most important stuff, but none of the new stuff (since MayDay - an omen?), so it's all on a flash right now (wonder when THAT'S gonna fail...)
I guess the real lesson here is Backup the Backups of your Backups!

[still looking for that "magic bullet" to put the external all back the way it was, if anyone knows any programs...]
[/quote]

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Reply #25 –
G'day K.A.T.
RE Internal HDD failure - there are a number of brands of HDD I simply won't sell my customers 'cos we have a history of them failing early.

Our current preferred drives are Seagate and Western Digital.  We have had good experience with some others but those 2 are the standouts.

One well known brand we absolutely refuse to sell was recently acquired by Seagate.  The rumor is that Seagate are closing/have closed this brands fabrication plants - a good thing IMHO, but I still won't supply 'em to customers!

As for the dodgy external drive (I bet I know what brand it is), we often use linux "Live" booted from CD.  Very often linux will mount a Windows HDD that Windows won't mount.  Using this you can mount your normal drive, hopefully the damaged drive, and use normal linux tools to do a manual copy.

Of course, this assumes that there isn't failed electronics in the HDD interface.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.