oh NO NO NO NONOOOoooooo....

[Catty1]

A client had the blue screen of death last night. Brought the tower home and the HD was toast...hooking it up externally brought NO results.

So, I decided to put in a temporary HD - I had a couple of 80g around, the same size as hers - and would see about getting her pictures and documents retrieved by one of two companies.

...........................Her Windows is successfully reinstalled.

Unfortunately, it seems I overwrote her own hard drive WITH HER PICTURES ON IT.

I know lying is NOT good...I just feel sick and don't know what to tell her. I don't feel I should even charge her.

One thing for sure, I am done with being even self-employed. Screwups like this are unforgiveable.

And I was hoping to even make a few dollars on this.

I'm going to go cry now...

[catnapper]

Yikes! My feeling is you saved her computer, and thats worth being paid. It is her fault for never backing up her photos.

[Laura's Babies]

I know how terriable you must feel.. The one thing we don't want to loose is our pictures.. I feel your pain and hers.

[Catty1]

Well..if it is her HD I messed up...at least it is working again with all the drivers in it. I have texted a fellow tech about all this, and I am to call him in a few minutes.

The computer was VERY dusty inside...lucky the motherboard didn't fry!

Anyway...I did message her to ask if she had sent copies of her pics/docs to anyone.

The understanding is now that her original HD is to be checked to see if the files can be retrieved from it.

I was trying to be careful, I really was.

Trust me, friends, your repair people hate screwing up as much as you hate them doing it.

Bottom line....the computer is working. Files may be lost. I'm so sorry!

[Catty1]

Okay...bought a bit of time, and am getting help from a fellow tech who led me to an article on freeware data recovery.

Found a good one...will contact him tomorrow. My current machine will NOT burn stuff to disc...silly thing.

Hope I can find some of her stuff.

Thanks for listening to my rant...

[DJFyrewolf36]

I wish all techs were as nice as you are...a lot of people warn customers that if they didn't back up the files, it isn't the techs problem.

*HUGS* don't beat yourself up...it works now doesn't it?

[Kirsten]

I'm so sorry!!! I would feel as bad about it as you do... and since I'm not a good lyer, I would probably tell her what happened.

But you saved her computer, didn't you? So I guess you could at least charge her for that. Doesn't she have any backup of her data? Everyone should have! (reminds me that I should run another backup, too ).

Kirsten

[wombat2u2004]

Candace !!! You klutz !!! How could you do that ???
It's unforgivable !!!!!
Boy, am I glad I don't take my computer to you !!!!!

[Catty1]

wom!

[Husky_mom]

me being on the other side... hadn´t backed up pics as I didn´t had a burner then.. and due to a virus or something.. same thing happened and my repair guy was told so he could back everything up.. anyway.. I lost the first year of my boy in pics.. I was so pi$$´d...he was told beforehand and he just didn´t even bothered..

unlike you, who are searching for a way to get them back... if he had at least tried getting them back.. it would be a bit better.. not perfect but I would´ve know he knew he messed and was trying to compensate...


later we got another guy.. same comp toasted again.. and he backed up EVERYTHING!!.. pics, programs, documents... after being sure all was saved he then proceeded to do the repair.. I wish we´d found him earlier..

you are doing the responsible thing.. what I´d expect for a service person.. even if it´s going the extra mile.. even if it´s my fault for not backing up for whatever reason (not everyone is aware of what can happen until it does).. so you are doing great... do what you can...

[kokopup]

I am so aware of the potential of lost data that I have multiply copies of just about everything but my operating system. My son comments on my multiple copy thing but I seldom lose data. I had rather waste HD space than to have data disappear. With HD's being so cheap there is no excuse for NOT having
backups of ALL data. A TERAbyte for less than $100 is cheap. I remember paying over $100 for a 20kbyte hard card.

[Puckstop31]

Woah.... LOL


First and foremost... Its not your fault that the PC died in the first place, is it? Also, is it your fault that the user did not have a backup? Nope.

Next, 'freeware' data recovery tools are less than effective, especially after you re-install a OS over top of it. So, the question to her will be if she gives you grief... "Is that data worth about $2000?" Because that is what it would cost to send it to a 'clean room' data recovery place.


Comp her an hour I guess, for the OS reinstall goof. But its not your fault she did not have a backup.

[Catty1]

I have some other freeware data recovery stuff that I spoke with another tech friend of mine about...will give it a try. At least I will have the practice!

Puckstop - here is the article he told me about:
http://www.informationweek.com/news/...leID=208403254

I am trying Photorec by Testdisc, mentioned on page 4.

I DO hope I can get the stuff back...but will give her several blank CDS for future backups.

Thanks all...

[Catty1]

Well...the software is taking a few hours...the few images I have seen so far I checked with the client...she said it 'sounds like something'. I told her that maybe not ALL the stuff would be recovered, but that I was doing the best I could.

A bunch of viruses are being uncovered too...not sure if it's from the download, or if they are what gave her the blue screen of death to begin with!

And yes, I installed AVG 9.0 yesterday.

[caseysmom]

I would be interested in that software...my hubby pulled the same stunt. No I didnt have backups and that was my job at work for years...