Old directory question

[Craig234]

I reinstalled Windows 10 on top of an installation.

After doing so, it seemed to not totally remove/overwrite the old information but make a sort of hybrid.

Now in the users directory, there's the directory 'Craig' but file explorer says I have no permissions to look at it - even running as administrator - and properties says it has 0 bytes.

But there's a user 'Craig. DESKTOP-OQRSQ1C' which it's using as my user directory.

I was wondering if I might find sold copies of files backed up in the 'Craig' directory, or if it's really empty.

It offers to 'permanently allow access' to the Craig directory if I confirm, but I don't want to rush to do that, not sure if it'd screw something up.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah... don't do that, unless you have a REALLY good reason. A "fresh install" usually involves deleting the partitions off of the boot OS drive, and doing an install there, without any other disks connected.

 

[Craig234]

Yeah... don't do that, unless you have a REALLY good reason. A "fresh install" usually involves deleting the partitions off of the boot OS drive, and doing an install there, without any other disks connected.

Well, the reason would be if there's a chance to recover an important file. If it could be, great. If not, then bad idea.

I have no idea how this whole reinstall works at the state it leaves things in. I was expecting it to simply provide a new environment.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I was expecting it to simply provide a new environment.

No, that's what a "fresh" install does. You didn't do that.

If you want to recover data off of a failed Windows installation, boot a Linux LiveUSB distro, and have an external USB HDD attached too. Then use Linux to copy any and all important files to the external HDD, then when done, do a re-format and fresh installation on the main drive, with the USB disconnected. Then when the OS is installed, and tested, copy the files off of the external HDD back to the primary HDD.

 

[Craig234]

No, that's what a "fresh" install does. You didn't do that.

If you want to recover data off of a failed Windows installation, boot a Linux LiveUSB distro, and have an external USB HDD attached too. Then use Linux to copy any and all important files to the external HDD, then when done, do a re-format and fresh installation on the main drive, with the USB disconnected. Then when the OS is installed, and tested, copy the files off of the external HDD back to the primary HDD.

Way beyond what I'd be comfortable with unfortunately because of Linux.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Way beyond what I'd be comfortable with unfortunately because of Linux.

Try Linux Mint. For data-recovery, they have a file manager just like Windows does, it's just: 1) find files, 2) copy+paste to external HDD. That's IT.

Download ISOs at www.linuxmint.com , use Rufus to write the ISO to a USB stick in Windows, boot the USB stick (may require accessing BIOS boot menu at POST).

 

[Craig234]

Try Linux Mint. For data-recovery, they have a file manager just like Windows does, it's just: 1) find files, 2) copy+paste to external HDD. That's IT.

Download ISOs at www.linuxmint.com , use Rufus to write the ISO to a USB stick in Windows, boot the USB stick (may require accessing BIOS boot menu at POST).

I appreciate the help. If that was my only option to try to get files, I'd have to consider trying it.

I think I'm going to instead try to recreate the files I need, but good to know about the option.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I find that the Linux method, assuming that the PC is compatible with Linux (Mint), actually easier. The reason being, Linux ignores NTFS permissions in the filesystem. That's why file-recovery of user files using Windows can be such a royal pain.

That's why, attempting to access your "old" user dir on your "new" installation of Windows (on the same drive), prompted for a "take ownership" permissions dialog.