Unable to restore files after factory reset

[Mike294]

Before performing a factory reset I backed up my files (pictures, emails, etc) to a DVD-R disk as prompted.

After the factory reset I tried to restore those files from the DVD disk but the HP file restore program stopped working at 96%.

Is there any hope of getting these emails back?  And could I restore them to a different computer?
Please help!
Thank you, Mike

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

Could you give the file size(s) and suffixes please.

Also the program that did the backup.

[WAWood]

@Mike294 

From your description, it sounds like you used the HP Recovery Manager to backup your files.

In that case, here are the instructions you need:  https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/HP-ENVY-TouchSmart-m6-k000-Sleekbook/5375391/model/5447426/docu...

Good Luck

[Mike294]

Hi, thank you for replying.

I'm not sure of the file sizes, but they wouldn't be large. The most important files I need would have the suffixes:

.odt, .ods, .eml. There would be many .gifs and .jpeg but they are less important. Does that help?

Mike

[Mike294]

Hi WAWood,

Yes, I used  HP Recovery Manager to backup my files, and followed the procedure you link to as far as I could, but the file restore program stopped working at 96%.

In the link you gave, the third image shows a "Help" button which does not appear when I reach that page, so I am unable to proceed in that way. I can only press "Next" to continue, and then it stops working at 96%.

Do you have any idea what might be wrong?

Mike

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@Mike294 

Backup/restore apps all too often load files into compressed archives -- which save space, but since the archive format tends to be proprietary, if those apps don't retrieve the files, there is no way to get them back.

But ... if your files still have the same file extension, and you can find them, then you need to do the following:
1) Download and install this utility on a working PC http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/recover_data_in_3_steps_with_minitool_power_data_recovery_free_...
2) Run the data recovery utility to see what can be retrieved.

If that tool does not find what you need, an alternative is Recuva http://www.piriform.com/recuva

Good Luck

[Mike294]

Hi WAWood,

Thank you for continuing to try and help.

I tried that "Minitool" program without success, regarding "Recuver" i tried that a few days ago, but had earlier tried a free program from Hetman Software. That may well have found the files, but when I saw the time remaining was showing over 22 hours, and finding that the free program would not restore those files unless I paid for an upgrade, I stopped that, and then tried Recuva. After 16 hours it told me that the files I needed had been overwritten by the Hetman Software ! Imagine my surprise (I'll say no more!).

But of course the back up files remained on the DVD disk. I found here: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebooks-Archive-Read-Only/HP-File-Recovery-Manager-has-stopped-worki... that a program called 7-Zip would decompress the .wim files and that did work, but I can only find image files and a few others, but no emails.

So I'm now resolved to having lost those emails forever. It seems I've learnt the lesson of backing up my files the hard way, I'm now using a new computer and am probably backing up my important files more than necessary. I hope I can stay so disciplined!

Thank you again for your help, I'll keep an eye on this thread just in case you or anyone else thinks of another possible solution.