Find old files on a HD?

[MarkF]

My elderly aunt's laptop went "pop" and she has already bought a new one. But all her old pictures and documents were on the old one, none were ever backed up. I've taken the HD out and cabled it up to my PC, I can access "users" but every single folder (Docs,Pics, Music etc) is empty, "last modified 2008". I have enabled all hidden files to be shown etc But there is still nothing there?

Any help would be much appreciated, she pining for her old family pics.

 

[Milkfloat]

In the search functionality of Windows explorer search for 'type:image' without the quote. You can also do 'type:doc' etc

 

[LetMeEatCake]

Sounds like you're looking in the right places - that's where I'd expect her files to be (assuming Windows 7 or later). Worth checking her desktop too: \users\auntie\desktop\ ... But yeah - as @Milkfloat says - a search is maybe your best bet as she (or something installed on her computer) had perhaps been creative with the default saving location.

One other (less likely) possibility is that her drive had been partitioned (so that the single hard drive showed up as 2+ 'drives' with different drive letters in Windows). To check, open up disk management (diskmgmt.msc) on your PC and see how many partitions are on your aunt's HDD, and make sure that each drive has been assigned a drive letter. You can then search each 'drive' for her stuff. Good luck!

 

[steve50]

i would think the cause of your issue is the hard drive is partitioned and the partition containing the "user" operating system has become unreadable, you could try some recovery software as a last resort.
I have had some success with this in the past, http://download.cnet.com/PhotoRec/3000-2094_4-75761896.html

Failing that , do you know anyone who uses Linux as this is a great operating system for recovering otherwise lost data.

 

[swee'pea99]

First thing I'd do would be to run a search on the entire hard drive for .jpg and see what turns up. Hopefully some pictures. Then if you click on view -> details, it'll tell you where those pics are. The you can take it from there.

 

[Andy_R]

Did she have a login password? If so, the files will be hidden from you, and the folder "owner" needs to be changed

 

[classic33]

*.jpeg in search, will bring up all saved in that format, *.jpg will show all saved under that one.

 

[MarkF]

Did she have a login password? If so, the files will be hidden from you, and the folder "owner" needs to be changed

Already did that, I can access everything but there's just about nothing there, stored, a few bridge club pdf's, a map of Pateley Bridge and 1 pic of 2 cute cats by a fireplace.

*.jpeg in search, will bring up all saved in that format, *.jpg will show all saved under that one.

Thanks.

 

[MarkF]

A whole bleedin day wasted, friggin hell!!!!!!

The penny dropped about 5pm, I rang her and asked what mail system she used and what she did with info and pics that arrived via it. Yep, she has actually downloaded bugger all in 6 years, in fact Yahoo is her "computer", she has saved e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g into email folders that she has name tagged.

 

[TheDoctor]

So, cloud storage of a sort then?

 

[LetMeEatCake]

1 pic of 2 cute cats by a fireplace

Some days it feels like I accomplish less at the office...

 

[fossyant]

Well she's not too daft then !!!!

Ergh, got my SIL's laptop winging it's way to me to fix. Letting normal people near computers is a mistake. I've not used it in ages and it keeps telling me it's full. No bloody chance.

 

[raleighnut]

A whole bleedin day wasted, friggin hell!!!!!!

The penny dropped about 5pm, I rang her and asked what mail system she used and what she did with info and pics that arrived via it. Yep, she has actually downloaded bugger all in 6 years, in fact Yahoo is her "computer", she has saved e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g into email folders that she has name tagged.

Ah the joys of 'save' as opposed to 'save to'.

 

[andyfraser]

I don't do family tech support any more.

I gave my OH an old Chromebook and she's happy with that. Her iTunes library is on my old laptop. Why? Her laptop is so full of bloatware and needs so many updates it literally grinds to a halt when it boots. I have no idea how long it would actually take to be properly usable.

My mum has a MacBook Pro and she hasn't had a single problem with it.

 

[fossyant]

I wish i didn't, but my SIL is a nightmare.