Korean Job Discussion Forums

tombirner · Joined: 19 Dec 2007

My computer seems to have died today. The battery died about a year ago, so since then I can only use it while it�s plugged in. Usually it works if it�s plugged in, but suddenly it starts and instantly dies. Oh, I guess I should add I kicked it out of frustration, and it seems to be coming apart a little� it makes a whirring sound after it dies. 0

I�ve been working on a novel for a while� I e-mail it to myself once in a while and save it in my e-mails (of course I haven�t done it in a few months), and I have it saved on my laptop and on a portable disk drive. So I�m setting up my new laptop, my old one having died, and suddenly the folder that has my novel and notes is gone. Just gone. Everything else is there. This is gone.

How the hell does this happen? I mean I won�t even get into how I probably will contemplate suicide and will be distraught for the rest of my life if I can never find it, not in this post, so what I�m asking is if there�s any way for me to search a portable disk drive? If not, is there any way I can go back into my dead laptop and retrieve it? I�d pay a lot if someone can help me do this� buy a new battery and then some.

Please, please, please help if you can. I am so nervous I can�t sleep. I�ve done a lot of good work on it the past few months, and I�ll have lost hours and hours of it if I can�t find it back.

Just learned a few new things... apparently the best place to take it, so I hear, is the A/S service at Yongsan station. Can anyone confirm this? Anyone know how late it is open/phone number??

HELP.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Go to www.downloads.com and do a search on free deleted file recovery programs.

I_Am_The_Kiwi · Joined: 10 Jun 2008

recuva, its free and probably your best bet to see if its still there.....

http://www.recuva.com/

all is not lost just yet.

OneWayTraffic · Joined: 14 Mar 2005

In the meantme don't use either of those drives for anything else. A delete usually just marks that space as available. It doesn't actually eraes the data. But if you copy something else over it...

fruitcake · Joined: 18 Apr 2004 Location: shinchon

that's weird, same thing just happened to me

my external hard drive. I have about 75 Gb of music on it. I was in the middle of putting some files on it, it was stuck, so cancelled. Now it won't read any files in it. I even "made new" files as a test, and they disappear as well.

When I test the memory, it reads that the space is still taken.

I'll probably take it in the Yongsan and see if they can fix it.

tombirner · Joined: 19 Dec 2007

Thanks y'all. I guess the main problem is figuring out whether my computer is f'ed. Guess I didn't make that clear. If I can get into my computer, the file is there.

Though I guess I should ask: do any of these download-able recovery programs work for my portable disk drive??

I_Am_The_Kiwi · Joined: 10 Jun 2008

why not just download recuva and try yourself....

tombirner · Joined: 19 Dec 2007

Because I don't have my portable disk drive on me... it is in the possession of an independant computer technician, whom I mostly trust, but if I can do this all on my own, of course that's best.

So I'm using my new laptop. It has nothing to do with the file I need. The file mysteriously disappeared from my portable disk drive. So is there any way to use Recuva (or a similar program) to recover stuff from a portable disk drive, or just a computer??

tombirner · Joined: 19 Dec 2007

Fruitcake,

I have a guy who seems pretty honest. Though I don't know dick about computers, so I guess I wouldn't know. But he comes to you and speaks fluent English (he's Korean-American).

PM me if you want his #. I'm sure he'll be better (cheaper, more convenient) than going to Yongsan (which I was about to do until I found his number)

I_Am_The_Kiwi · Joined: 10 Jun 2008

yes revuca works on removable storage.

anything that connects to your computer....the site explains all

fruitcake · Joined: 18 Apr 2004 Location: shinchon

Tombirner,
Thanks for the note. I'm gonna bring it by the place I bought it and see what they say. If that doesn't work out, I'll take you up on the offer.

cheers

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Sometimes, when you highlight files/folders and you click+drag it to a new place to copy, it will MOVE the files, not just copy them.

The best way to copy files is to right click copy/paste.

You may have inadvertinately used teh click/drag method to copy your folder to your latptop copy, essentially "Moving" the files, not copying. Hence, the missing folder.

Jeff's Cigarettes · Joined: 27 Mar 2007

^Yeah, you should try searching your file in windows search. You can search by a number of methods...title of file or just a word in the contents.

Gatsby · Joined: 09 Feb 2007

Start with the basics.

If you delete something it will remain in the trash until you empty the trash. So check the trash.

Next, make sure your directory view lets you see hidden files. If you right click on a file or folder, there is a box that you can check that will hide the file from view. Sometimes a folder will "spontaneously" change to hidden (at least on my MP3 player).

Third, do a text search for keywords on your hard drive.

Fourth, check where your backup folder is for your word processor documents. If you use MS Word, it saves a backup copy of everything you write. This folder can be anywhere you choose.

A virus could damage your files. Do a virus scan.

If you shut down your computer or it crashes, while a file is being saved, you could wind up with a file fragment. These can be recovered with recovery programs, but not always completely.

If you are using an external hard drive, try another cable if the drive is not working at all. Also, make sure all hard drive cables and connectors are securely connected. You say you are using a portable drive. Not all USB cables are compatible with all portable drive enclosures. Some of the cables that come with other devices will light up the LED on the enclosure, but the drive will not be recognized by the computer. Using another cable often solves the problem. There was USB 1.1, and there is the matter of power to the drive. Cheap cables may not cut it. You could also try another USB outlet, or another hard drive enclosure. Needless to say, you need power to your external drive, either through the USB cable for a 2.5 drive, or a wall outlet for a 3.5 drive.

Finally, backups are a very good idea. Hard drives die. The simplest is to a USB flash drive. You can have Word save all file backups there.

Many great writers have lost manuscripts. They start over, and sometimes wind up with a better second version.

Good luck.

Tommy · Joined: 24 Aug 2005

A quick thought: Make sure you have your current computer set so you can view hidden files.

It's possible that your files were hidden, but on your first machine you had your file settings at "View hidden files". Now on this 2nd machine maybe you have the files settings at "Do not view hidden files". So if you make the change, maybe you'll see them!