Installed Ubuntu, and all my Windows Files and Folders are gone!

There is a very slim chance that you can recover the files...

Go here: http://www.remote-exploit.org/backtrack_download.html

download the backtrack3 iso and then burn it to a cdrom.

You can then boot to it and try to use its file recovery tools.

I have to be honest, for a novice, this is likely not going to be too successful. You might want to find an experience technician to assist you. Any files that were in the sectors that Ubuntu is now installed in will be gone.

In the future to avoid these problems I always suggest having a second hard drive (internal for desktops) and external for laptops that you use for either the documents themselves or to back the documents up to.

Do as above but it is also best if you burn your iso from another computer because using the computer that had your stuff on it can mess up things even more.
You've learned a painful lesson and your files may very well be gone. Whatever you do DON'T screw around with operating systems unless you have a good backup and are ready to reinstall everything. Also remember windows and ubuntu are 2 different ways of doing things on computers and they aren't interchangeable.

Well I'm resigned to my losses. I'll try and recover with help, but I don't
have high hopes. Yep, sucks, but it's me sand no one else, so I'll own it
and learn it.

Thanks for the help,

Rog.

On Fri, Aug 1, 2008 at 10:47 AM, ordcestus <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #40895 on yelp in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/yelp/+question/40895
>
> ordcestus proposed the following answer:
> Do as above but it is also best if you burn your iso from another computer
> because using the computer that had your stuff on it can mess up things even
> more.
> You've learned a painful lesson and your files may very well be gone.
> Whatever you do DON'T screw around with operating systems unless you have a
> good backup and are ready to reinstall everything. Also remember windows and
> ubuntu are 2 different ways of doing things on computers and they aren't
> interchangeable.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
>
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/yelp/+question/40895/+confirm?answer_id=1
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/yelp/+question/40895
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

How did things work out? Did you have any luck at all?

you have my sympathy too my friend...

Been there and done it too... Oh -Ill just format my Boot drive and reinstall my OS and two hours later, no personal files. And did I do a backup recently like they say you are supposed to do? Did I buggery! Next step is to hold your head in your hands and bang your head repeatedly against a wall, saying to yourself (oh you Caring Understanding Nineties Type!) or something similar.

One good thing that will come out of this is that you have learnt a very hard lesson... Use a second HDD to store your personnal details and files on away from the OS drive. I label mine Boot for obvious reasons and Data for another good reason and so far that has saved my bacon so many times it is almost a mantra now.

Having now learnt your lesson, move onwards and enjoy your world of computing with Linux or Windoze, but remember there is not normally any way back from cocking it up. But sometimes you can be very lucky and get away with it time and time again. Backups are foisted upon us for just this reason. They can and do save your bacon.