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Question

Restore prior to Factory Reset

Jan 28, 2012 8:37AM PST

So.. Once upon a time I set up a Windows PW so I could have a separate acct for guests. Then I spent time couch surfing and had my PC in a box. When I started using it again, I found I couldn't remember the PW anymore, and after a week of trying to recall it, was forced to do a Factory Reset. I lost ALL of my files, installed software other than what came with the system, and of course - because the guest acct had no Admin privs, I couldn't make a back-up before the factory reset... Is there any way to revert the process to a time say... Before I instituted the Windows PW? So not just roll it back prior to my Factory Reset, but ALSO to a further time in the past (reset 1/21/12, but need to revert to 10/01/11)..??

Discussion is locked

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Answer
No
Jan 28, 2012 10:28AM PST

No, and if you stop to think about it for a second, what you're asking would be a pretty big security hole.

Suppose someone you spent some time surfing the couch of knew that password, and you had some kind of falling out. Now assuming you have some friends in common, say they're over visiting one of those common friends while you're out, and your PC is set up. Even if you've changed the password on that account since, if this hypothetical former friend knows about this particular method, they could revert the system back to a point in time where they knew the password, and then do whatever they pleased with it.

Now just imagine that same basic scenario, but change it to a disgruntled former employee and a small business.

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Understood
Jan 28, 2012 11:07AM PST

You're right, and I don't fault the logic. But of course taking it to some professional could yield the desired results, if I had the cash to spend. After all, unless I ran a strong magnet over the HD then just about anything is possible. I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. Was a last ditch option rather than deal with the frustrating loss of almost a TB of files I had.