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Question

Lost Files

Feb 27, 2016 10:52AM PST

About a month or so ago, I tried to backup or transfer my files to OneDrive. I thought it was backing up the data, but looks like it was transferring it instead. I did not have enough storage on OneDrive to save all my data. It came up with several warnings that there was not enough storage space. There was so much going on in my life at the time I figured I would worry about it later...

A couple of weeks ago we had a breaker go out and it fried the power on my laptop. I took it in to Best Buy and they were able to remove the hard drive and put it in an external case for me.

After the computer died and I extracted the hard drive I tried to find all my data, but it looks like what I tried to back up or transfer to OneDrive is not on the hard drive now. At this point I paid for more storage space in OneDrive hoping my data would magically appear, but my data is not there. (some of it is, but most of it isn't)

Where can I find my data? I have a hard time believing it is completely gone. Can I do a system restore on the now external hard drive to say, two months ago? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
That's half of what backups are.
Feb 27, 2016 11:02AM PST

Sorry but only you know where your files are. Cloud storage is nice but not under our control. That's why I have more than one copy and place what I can't lose on a few memory sticks.

I'll pause here rather than explain my backup scheme. Yours is missing the one thing. The backup of your stuff.

Microsoft's backup systems have been so unreliable over the years the I don't consider it when it comes to backup. That's what I learned.

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Answer
Data recovery tool
Feb 27, 2016 2:25PM PST
https://www.piriform.com/recuva

Get the free version and do a scan see what it says.

If you used this hdd for two weeks after doing the move/transfer the outlook is not good.