Can I use System Restore in Windows to get back a document mostly lost in a crash?

[conceptualclari]

A few days ago Jarte was locked up, so I clicked it out to start it all over so could use it. I ended up with a version of one of my Jarte documents that was truncated with a loss of over 95 percent of data. Would System Restore give me back the version of the document I had a few days ago?

It wouldn't take away the emails of recent days, would it?



Computer: Dell System B3 Desktop
CPU: Intel Pentium 4-2667 (Northwood, D1)
2666 MHz (20.00x133.3) @ 2657 MHz (20.00x132.9)
Motherboard: DELL 0G1548
Chipset: Intel 845GEV (Brookdale-GEV) + ICH4
Memory: 2048 MBytes @ 166 MHz, 2.5-3-3-7
- 1024 MB PC3200 DDR-SDRAM - Kingston K
Graphics: Intel 82845G/GL/GV Graphics Controller [DELL]
Intel i845G(L) Integrated, 64 MB
Drive: ST380011A, 78.1 GB, E-IDE (ATA-6)
Drive: HGST HTS545050A7E380, 488.4 GB, Serial ATA 3Gb/s <-> USB
Drive: SAMSUNG CD-R/RW SW-252S, CD-R Writer
Sound: Creative Technology SB Live! Series Audio Processor
Network: RealTek Semiconductor RTL8139 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC [A/B/C]
Network: Broadcom 4401 10/100 Integrated Controller
OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Build 2600 SP3

 

[Ketchup]

This page may help:

https://www.microsoft.com/resources...p_system_restore_hss_understand.mspx?mfr=true

And you do not lose personal files.

 

[conceptualclari]

Thank you.

System Restore protects your personal files by not restoring any files in the My Documents folder. It also does not restore any files that use common data file name extensions, such as .doc or .xls.

It wasn't in My Documents, but this seems to suggest its having the .rtf extension means it would not be restored. Do I have hope with data recovery software like Recuva?

 

[Ketchup]

Recuva is great if the area containing the file isn't overwritten with something else. So, it all depends on where you put the data.

In your case, if a good version of the file was overwritten with a bad version, it doesn't matter if you use Recuva, restore, or a sledgehammer, the original version is probably lost.

Best thing you could try would be Recuva first, followed by System Restore if 'cuva doesn't work. The only thing to lose here would be the time taken with the search.

 

[conceptualclari]

In your case, if a good version of the file was overwritten with a bad version, it doesn't matter if you use Recuva, restore, or a sledgehammer, the original version is probably lost.

After the shutdown of Jarte, when I brought up Jarte again, I was shocked to find that a huge file of mine was truncated, with less than half of it there. I was able to recover virtually all of it by going to the Document Backups folder which resides in the Jarte folder. A second information-packed file, "My Programs", the one I have been referring to here, I recall was OK in the Jarte GUI but the freestanding WordPad version of it on my external hard drive (my default location for new things on the system) was deformed, with only a small amount of text and a page full of backward slashes. I deleted the WordPad version therefore.

The next time I brought up Jarte, I found that I couldn't bring up "My Programs", getting a message "File: 'F:\My Programs' could not be found.'" I thought, no problem, I'll just check the Document Backups folder. I was disturbed that what I found in the backups folder was the same as the deformed WordPad version I had deleted, and the intact version that had been in Jarte the previous session was nowhere to be found.

 

[JackMDS]

but the freestanding WordPad version of it on my external hard drive (my default location for new things on the system)

Big mistake to set it this way. External drives are good as backup not as a prime interacting Drive.

There is No Magic in saving/baking files if your word processor if not configured for multiple back ups in very short time gaps there is No Bak files.

You can try installing this program.

http://www.ztree.com/html/ztreewin.htm

Run it choose the mode of reading all files on each drive and sort by time. This reads every file across each drive including files that are not appearing in regular Explorer type apps.

It might be that it will find some temp version of the problematic file.

 

[conceptualclari]

Big mistake to set it this way. External drives are good as backup not as a prime interacting Drive.

Well, I don't have much space on my C drive. If I can ever beat the scabies I will be transitioning to a new system.

I heard back from Jarte's developer. He said the backward slashes are from a bug in WordPad. He sent me back my attachment of "My Programs" with the slashes removed and the text restored. I'm very relieved.

Jarte is a really good program, and I know the developer is a good guy. I have Jarte set to save once a minute. I have come to use the Libre Office type programs less and less.

 

[conceptualclari]

I said on an earlier draft of my last comment that got vaporized :

Thank you very much for your help, JackMDS and ketchup79.

 

[Puffnstuff]

To answer the op's question system restore won't help you with a non system file like that. You should back up your critical documents on a regular basis onto a disk that is separate from your os/boot drive.