Monday, November 29, 2010

How to recover Windows 7 data when a failed device update makes the system inaccessible

Windows 7 is the latest version of operating systems from the house of Microsoft. It has got various advanced features that help immensely in creating amazing user experience. It has handwriting recognition enabled, has got a distinct Media Center to facilitate all kinds of multimedia activities, the ClearType functionality, etc.

Having said that, there may occur some problems while updating a new device that may block you from access the system. You should use the Windows Recovery Environment to overcome such problems. However, if that does not happen then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to recover Windows files.



Let us consider a case in which you have installed a new device in your Windows 7 system. After that, you have restarted your system but it fails to start.


Cause:

There could be various causes responsible for this startup problem in Windows 7. these are:


  • There are compatibility issues with the new device or the its driver with other drivers on your computer.

  • There is some hardware-specific issue that has caused the startup problem.

  • The device driver that you have installed is damaged.

Resolution:

To resolve this problem, you should repair Windows 7 installation using Windows Recovery Environment. This can be done using the following steps:

  • Insert the Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and restart the system.

  • Press any key when the 'Press any key' screen is displayed.

  • Select the language, time and currency, keyboard or input method, and click Next.

  • Click 'Repair your computer'.

  • Select the operating system that you want to repair in the 'System Recovery Options' dialog box.

  • Click Next.

  • Make the required changes in the Registry Editor.

  • Exit Registry Editor and restart the system.


If the system remains inaccessible even after performing these methods, then you should use a third-party Windows recovery software to recover the trapped data. With highly interactive user interface, these data recovery tools are able to recover Windows data without any hassles.


The best data recovery software that recovers Windows data from all instances of disk corruption of data loss is Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery. With the ability to recover more than 185 different file types from various storage media such as hard drives, memory cards, iPods, USB drives, etc, this Windows data recovery software also recovers deleted emails from MS Outlook and Outlook Express. In addition, this software is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, and NT4(SP6).

Recovering Windows files using third-party software after SYSTEM hive has damaged in Windows 2000

The Windows registry is a comprehensive database that stores all the configuration settings of your computer. It contains information about the low-level applications as well as for applications running on the platform.

All the registry information is stored in the SYSTEM hive, which is prone to corruption owing to several reasons like virus infections, power outages, etc. You should try to restore the registry file using the Windows Setup CD to recover Windows files. If the method does not succeed, then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to do the needful.

Let us assume a practical situation in which you are unable to start your Windows 2000 system. You may see the following error message in this regard:

“Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

\windows\system32\config\systemd”

Cause:

The most possible cause of this start up issue is that the SYSTEM hive of your computer is corrupt or missing

Resolution:

To resolve this situation, you should restore the SYSTEM hive using the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. To do this, you should perform the following steps:

Insert the Windows 2000 CD in the CD-ROM drive and start the computer.
Press R to repair the Windows installation when the 'Welcome to Setup' screen is displayed.
Press C to repair Windows installation in the Recovery Console.
Type the number of the Windows installation that corresponds to the one that you want to repair.
Rename the SYSTEM file as “System.old” in the “%SystemRoot%\System32\Config” folder by using following commands and pressing Enter after each command:
cd system32
cd config
ren system system.old
Copy the ' %SystemRoot%\Repair\System' file to '%SystemRoot%\System32\Config ' folder using the following commands and pressing Enter after each command:
cd..
cd..
cd repair
copy system %systemroot%\system32\config
Restart the system.

If you are still getting the similar problem even after performing these steps, then you need to reinstall Windows 2000 after backing up the data. Some third-party Windows data recovery utilities are there that can help you to recover Windows data. These data recovery tools are absolutely safe to use that do not damage the files while recovering them.

The most efficient data recovery software that recovers Windows files from FAT, NTFS, and exFAT file systems is Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery. Recovering more than 185 different files from various storage media such as hard drives, external HDDs, pen drives, iPods, etc, this Windows data recovery tool is able to recover deleted emails from MS Outlook and Outlook Express. In addition, this Windows data recovery software is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, and NT4(SP6) versions.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Windows Data Recovery if Pci.sys File Is Missing Or Corrupt

Windows is one of the most advanced and reliable GUI based operating system that can be used to perform various tasks. Even though it went through many faces of evolutions , the one thing that this powerful operating system cannot guarantee is that data will not be lost. That is why, it is recommended that users must maintain backup to be able to perform Windows data recovery. Otherwise, in such a situation, they have to opt for powerful software to perform the task. Let us take an example to understand this better.

On trying to start your Windows 2000 computer system, you get an error message similar to the following:

File is missing or corrupt: C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\Pci.sys


Reason:

This error message occurs in case the Pci.sys file is unavailable or corrupt.

Troubleshooting:

The following measures may help you troubleshoot the problem:

1st Method: Restore Pci.sys file using the Recovery Console in MS Windows. In the Console, you will need to expand Pci.sy_ to \%SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers folder on the hard disk. Pci.sy_ is in the I386 folder of the CD of Windows 2000 CD.

  1. To start the Console, insert the CD in the drive and restart computer.

  2. On the 'Welcome to Setup' page, press R (followed by Enter) to repair.

  3. Next press C (followed by Enter) to Enter the Recovery Console.

  4. Type the number corresponding to the 2000 installation that needs to be repaired (followed by Enter).

  5. Enter the password when prompted.

  6. In the Console, type map (followed by Enter). Make a note of the drive letter assigned to the CD drive.

  7. Once done, type the command followed by Enter:


expand X:\i386\pci.sy_ c:\winnt\system32\drivers /y

where, X refers to CD drive letter,

C refers to Windows drive,

winnt is the folder in which Windows is installed,

Also, there is a space before c:

  1. You should get following error message

pci.sys

1 file(s) expanded.

  1. Once the same is done, you can quit the Console by typing exit.

  2. Restart Windows normally.

2nd Method: In case the above method doesn't start the system normally, there is a possibility that some additional files are missing or corrupt. So to replace them, perform an in-place upgrade, by

  • Inserting the installation CD in the drive, and restarting the computer.

  • Install Windows 2000, by pressing Enter on first option screen, and click 'Accept' on the License Agreement.

  • After this, the Setup detects installation and when it prompts you to repair, press R.

3rd Method: But in case the setup refuses to detect Windows installation, then you will need to reinstall the operating system. But, since this procedure removes all the data saved in that partition, you will have to recover partition data using the most recent backup. But, in the absence of a backup, you will have to perform Windows data recovery using appropriate software.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Remove personal data before retiring you old PC

If you're planning to replace, sell, or retire your old computer, it's very important to eradicate your personal data stored on its hard drive before unplugging it for the last time.

You should always remember that even though you manually delete computer files, an identity thief might still be able to recover them, possibly putting you or your family at risk.

Files you should remove before you donate or sell your computer:

  • E-mail contacts

  • messages

  • All documents

  • All files in the operating system recycle bin or trash folder

  • Internet files

  • All non-transferable software (most software is transferable if you have the original disks and product key)

Options for removing files from your computer:

  1. Remove the files yourself at home using disk-cleaning software. On Windows 7 and Windows Vista you can clean up files with Disk Cleanup. If you have any sensitive files on your computer, you can also use a third-party application. To find software that works with your version of Windows, visit Bing and search for "file shredder" or "secure file deletion."

  2. Call the computer manufacturer's technical services department and ask how to delete personal files (your computer might need to be under warranty for this service).

  3. Take your hard drive to a local reputable computer supplier to have them safely overwrite your files.

Once you've cleaned the personal data from your old computer (and you don't plan to or are unable to sell it), what should you do with it? Consider donating or recycling.

Donate

If your unwanted computer still works, donating it is probably the best way to go, and doing so will help keep toxins such as lead, mercury, and other electronic byproducts out of the environment.

Each computer dumped in a landfill is a missed opportunity to provide a computer for others to use through a nonprofit or school-based refurbisher.

In addition, depending on the current market value of your donated computer, you might be able to deduct its value from your taxes (refer to current federal and local tax laws for more information).

Recycle

If your computer is an older model (five years is typically the maximum for donating), doesn't work, or donating isn't otherwise an option, you can dispose of it responsibly with the help of a qualified recycler near you, such as those found on the National Center for Electronics Recycling.


For any windows data recovery issue visit: http://www.stellarwindowsdatarecovery.com/

Backup and Restore Windows 7 Data

Backup and Restore—improved for Windows 7—creates safety copies of your most important files, so if you lose something, it won't be lost forever.

Let Windows choose what to back up, or pick individual folders, libraries Easily find the files you're looking for and manage them as if they were in one location—even when they're in different folders or on several PCs. or drives. Windows can back up files on whatever schedule you choose. Just set it and forget it. In Windows 7, you can back up files to another drive, your network, or a DVD. Backup and Restore for your personal PC and attached DVD or external hard drives comes with all editions of Windows.

To back up Windows files

  1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • If you've never used Windows Backup before, click Set up backup, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

    • If you've created a backup before, you can wait for your regularly scheduled backup to occur, or you can manually create a new backup by clicking Back up now. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.



Notes

  • We recommend that you don't back up your files to the same hard disk that Windows is installed on.

  • Always store media used for backups (external hard disks, DVDs, or CDs) in a secure place to prevent unauthorized people from having access to your files—we recommend a fireproof location separate from your computer. You might also consider encrypting the data on your backup.

To create a new, full backup

After you create your first backup, Windows Backup will add new or changed information to your subsequent backups. If you're saving your backups on a hard drive or network location, Windows Backup will create a new, full backup for you automatically when needed. If you're saving your backups on CDs or DVDs and can't find an existing backup disc, or if you want to create a new backup of all of the files on your computer, you can create a full backup. Here's how to create a full backup:

  1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

  2. In the left pane, click Create new, full backup.

        Note

    You will only see this option if your backup is being saved on CDs or DVDs.

To set up a backup after upgrading from a previous version of Windows

After you upgrade Windows, you will need to set up Windows Backup, even if you had a scheduled backup in the previous version of Windows. This is because there are several changes to the backup program. Instead of selecting file types to back up, you can have Windows back up data files saved in libraries, on the desktop, and in default Windows folders, or you can choose specific libraries and folders to be backed up. You can also create a system image of your computer. For more information, see How does Windows choose which files to back up?

To set up your backup, follow these steps:

  1. Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.

  2. Click Set up backup, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Resource: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Back-up-your-files

If you have a proper backup of your data then a Windows data recovery software can be used effectively to recover your data completely.



Safety tips for using a public computer

Public computers in libraries, Internet cafes, airports, and copy shops can be safe if you follow a few simple rules when you use them.

Read these tips to help keep your work, personal, or financial information private.

1. Don't save your logon information

Always log out of Web sites by clicking "log out" on the site. It's not enough to simply close the browser window or type in another address.

Many programs (especially social networking Web sites, Web mail, and instant messenger programs) include automatic login features that will save your user name and password. Disable this option so no one can log in as you.

2. Don't leave the computer unattended with sensitive information on the screen

If you have to leave the public computer, log out of all programs and close all windows that might display sensitive information.

3. Erase your tracks

Internet Explorer 8 offers InPrivate browsing that leaves no trace of specific Web activity. For more information, see Browse privately.

Internet Explorer also keeps a record of your passwords and every page you visit, even after you've closed them and logged out.

Disable the feature that stores passwords

Before you go to the Web, turn off the Internet Explorer feature that "remembers" your passwords.

  1. In Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options.

  2. Click the Content tab, and then click Settings, next to AutoComplete.

  3. Click to clear both check boxes having to do with passwords.

Delete your temporary Internet files and your history

When you finish your use of a public computer, you can help protect your private information by deleting your temporary Internet files. For information on how to delete temporary Internet files on Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8, see Delete temporary Internet files.

4. Watch for over-the-shoulder snoops

When you use a public computer, be on the look out for thieves who look over your shoulder or watch as you enter sensitive passwords to collect your information.

5. Don't enter sensitive information into a public computer

These measures provide some protection against casual hackers who use a public computer after you have.

But keep in mind that an industrious thief might have installed sophisticated software on the public computer that records every keystroke and then e-mails that information back to the thief.

Then it doesn't matter if you haven't saved your information or if you've erased your tracks. They still have access to this information.

If you really want to be safe, avoid typing your credit card number or any other financial or otherwise sensitive information into any public computer.


Resource: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/mobile/public/publicpc.aspx

We suggest the above tips for securing a private data. If anyhow you have lost your data I personally suggest to go for Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery Software





Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7

Introduction

To upgrade your PC from Windows XP to Windows 7, you'll need to select the Custom option during Windows 7 installation. A custom installation doesn't preserve your programs, files, or settings. It's sometimes called a "clean" installation for that reason.

A custom installation is more complex, and it can sometimes take a couple of hours to complete. We created this five-step tutorial to help guide you through the entire process each step of the way.

What you need

  • An external hard disk. You'll need to move your files off of your PC before you install Windows 7. To make this easier, we recommend a free download called Windows Easy Transfer, which will require an external hard disk. They're readily available at electronics and office supply stores, and they provide an easy way to add additional storage space to your computer.

  • The original installation discs or setup files for the programs that you want to use with Windows 7. You'll need to reinstall your programs by hand after installing Windows 7. When you run Windows Easy Transfer you will get a report that lists the programs that you are currently using with Windows XP.

32-bit or 64-bit: Which version of Windows 7 to install?

Both 32-bit and 64-bit installation discs are included in the Windows 7 package. 64-bit operating systems can handle large amounts of memory—typically 4 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM) or more—more efficiently than 32-bit operating systems. However, not all computers are 64-bit capable. For more information, see 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions and 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7.

You'll probably need the 32-bit version, but to make sure, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

  • If you don't see "x64 Edition" listed, then you're running the 32-bit version of Windows XP. Step 1 of this tutorial will show you how to run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, which can let you know if your computer is capable of running the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

  • If "x64 Edition" is listed under System, you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP and can run the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

Next: Download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

For more details Click here

windows 7 data recovery

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Recover Windows files with Stellar Windows data recovery software

Data is precious and data loss is a tragic for almost everyone of us. Even the loss of photos is a great headache for all of us. The data is lost usually when there is a system crash, virus attacks, sudden power surges all affect the hard drive and makes files corrupt, lost or damaged and leaves you needing to recover windows files.


It is better to check if the hard drive is affected. What caused the system to crash? It may be a new incompatible hardware or software. Try to unplug the hardware and restart the computer. A normal start-up indicates that the hardware is indeed the problem.


If it does not start-up normally, press the F8 key while the Windows is rebooting to start it in safe mode. If it reaches the log-in screen, then the problem may be related to a new software. Before proceeding to the next step, already make a backup of the other remaining files.


You can also fix the problem using system restore which resets the settings but there is no guarantee you will get your files back and recover deleted files.


If the first step did not work at all, then you can try another method to try to save lost data. Take off all the cables and USB wires and open the case to find the hard drive. Make sure that all the cables are plugged into the right place. You can also try to switch with one cable from another and see if this will work. If the problem still exists, then it is time to accept that there is something wrong with the hard drive.


If nothing else works, then you can now try to use Stellar Phoenix windows data recovery software. This software is the ultimate solution which I have also tried and recommend you to try to recover your files.


Sunday, November 14, 2010

How to Solve 'Invalid drive specification' Error in Windows

'Invalid drive specification' – is a windows error that generally appears when a command (containing a drive letter) is run. The operating system is unable to find. One way to sove the issue is to run the command using a different drive letter. However, there are times when you get this error while accessing a hard disk partition using boot floppy disk or CD.

Occurrence of 'Invalid drive specification' error at this point of time can be serious as this suggests that the Windows partition is inaccessible, possibly because of corruption. This is when a Windows Data Recovery utility can come handy.


A new hard drive with 'Invalid drive specification' error indicates that it needs to be partition and formatted before being used. But in other cases, a boot disk can prompt this error when:


  • You are trying to access Windows XP or later NTFS partition using a boot disk that has been created for Windows 98 or earlier. The DOS command prompt in such cases cannot read the NTFS partition of Windows XP or later. Thus you need to use a different boot disk that is exclusive to the operating system and can read the partition. If no such disk is available, create NTFS recognizing disk.


  • If the above case doesn't, you should make sure that your hard disk is correctly configured in the BIOS. An improperly set hard disk is not accessible by Windows.


  • If you get this error even if BIOS settings are appropriate, the partition to be accessed is corrupted. To resolve the issue, you can delete the damaged partition if you have a backup to restore the data. But to extract data from a corrupted partition itself, you need to use a Windows Data Recovery Software. Designed to run effective scanning algorithms, these Windows Data Recovery software are competent enough to restore lost or deleted data from Windows disks.


Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a high-end, easy-to-use utility that can recover lost data from Windows disks partitioned to NTFS, NTFS5, FAT32, or VFAT file system. Providing advanced features like, disk cloning, disk imaging, RAW data recovery, etc., this is one of the most efficient Window Data Recovery Software.



Tuesday, November 9, 2010

How to recover windows data when boot.ini file is missed or corrupted ?

When you start a Windows system, first of all the number of operating systems that are installed in the system are scanned and listed. After that, you can select and go ahead with the operating system with which you want to log onto the system. This information is stored in the boot.ini file, which is not a read-only file.

Because of not being a read-only file, the boot.ini file can get corrupt or may contain incorrect entries, due to which the system would not start. In such circumstances, you should modify the boot.ini file using the Windows Setup CD. However, if that does not work then you should use a third-party Windows data recovery software to recover Windows data.

Consider a scenario wherein you are unable to start your Windows XP system. The following error message is displayed in a black screen:

“Invalid Boot.ini”

Cause:

The root cause of this problem is that the boot.ini file is either missing, damaged, or contains incorrect entries.

Resolution:

To resolve this case, you would need to refurbish the boot.ini file. This can be done using the following steps:

  • Configure the boot settings in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output Section) so that you can boot the system using a Windows XP Setup CD.

  • Insert the CD in the CD-ROM drive and start the system.

  • Press R to enter the Recovery Console.

  • Type 'bootcfg /list' and press Enter to view the current entries in the boot.ini file.

  • Type 'bootcfg /rebuild' and press Enter to scan the hard disks and display the various operating systems present in the system.

  • Perform the instructions as they appear on the screen.

  • When you are through with all the tasks, then type 'exit' on the command prompt and press Enter to exit Recovery Console.

  • When the computer restarts, you will see the 'Please select the operating system to start' message. Select the appropriate operating system in which you want to start the system.

If the system is still not starting and is still inaccessible, then you should try to reinstall the operating system after recovering the trapped data. To do this, you can use a third-party Windows data recovery software. These data recovery tools have rich user interface that make the Windows recovery safe and easy to perform.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

NTFS File System- A deep discussion

NTFS (New Technology File System) is the standard file system of Windows NT, including its later versions Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

NTFS supersedes the FAT file system as the preferred file system for Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. NTFS has several improvements over FAT and HPFS (High Performance File System) such as improved support for metadata and the use of advanced data structures to improve performance, reliability, and disk space utilization, plus additional extensions such as security access control lists (ACL) and file system journaling.

In the mid 1980s, Microsoft and IBM formed a joint project to create the next generation of graphical operating system. The result of the project was OS/2, but Microsoft and IBM disagreed on many important issues and eventually separated. OS/2 remained an IBM project. Microsoft started to work on Windows NT. The OS/2 file system HPFS contained several important new features. When Microsoft created their new operating system, they borrowed many of these concepts for NTFS. Probably as a result of this common ancestry, HPFS and NTFS share the same disk partition


NTFS has five released versions:

  • v1.0 with NT 3.1, released mid-1993

  • v1.1 with NT 3.5, released fall 1994

  • v1.2 with NT 3.51 (mid-1995) and NT 4 (mid-1996) (occasionally referred to as "NTFS 4.0", because OS version is 4.0)

  • v3.0 from Windows 2000 ("NTFS V5.0")

  • v3.1 from Windows XP (autumn 2001; "NTFS V5.1"), Windows Server 2003 (spring 2003; occasionally "NTFS V5.2"), Windows Vista (mid-2005) (occasionally "NTFS V6.0"), Windows Server 2008, Windows 7.


Features of NTFS


  • NTFS Log

  • USN Journal

  • Hard links and short filenames

  • Alternate data streams (ADS)

      • Sparse files

  • File compression

  • Volume Shadow Copy


To know more about these features Click here

For NTFS recovery visit: http://www.windows-data-recovery.net/