I Lost EVERY DOCUMENT!!

[sensei8]

Aaarrgghhhhh...I call out to anyone here at KF who's a computer genius/wizard for help.

I just discovered that I've lost EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT that I had stored in one of my computers. It has/had Microsoft Office 2007.

Today, I went to continue writing my karate memoirs, which was in the DOCUMENT FILE, amongst many, many, MANY personal/important documents, but, a note from my computer says that the fileS are corrupt!! Then my computer asks me what Microsoft Office I have, like it doesn't know that, so I click on the appropriate link and I find myself staring at a 2010 version that I can BUY for over $200.

Even if I update to a current version, would that bring back EVERY SINGLE DOCUMENT??

OR...

Should I go to a computer wizard shop in the hopes that they might be able to recover them, or at least print them all out?

HELP!!

If you're asking me..."Why didn't you update ALONG time ago?" My answer is..."It [Microsoft Office] wasn't broke, so I didn't ever see a need to "fix" it."

[Adamo]

Well, I have been a network administrator for many years. So hopefully I can be of some assistance.

In my years, I've found it difficult to provide support unless I'm in front of the computer. They are like puzzle pieces, one fix may not work while another may. So take it for what it's worth.

I hope that you are being smart about your files by backing them up. This is the issue in the digital world. While things like CD's, DVD's, etc. cost, they are in analog format. Therefore you have a copy. Your hard drive was not design for storage. You probably have a spinning disc hard drive which means the moving parts can fail just like anything else.

So...back up! I can help you figure out what's a good way to back up files if you tell me how much you have. Do it right now because it could just be a PC issue that is going to lead to bigger issues.

If your files worked before and now they are corrupt,somethings wrong. (duh)

It shouldn't just stop working because of your Microsoft office UNLESS your M. Office has failed. (I assume you have protection against viruses etc, also)

You don't have to buy M. Office for $200. I bought a brand new edition from Amazon for about $80 from a seller. You don't need to buy it brand new! That's the good thing. Not only that but they are going to be updating the software since it's the newest and it won't be full of loopholes for pesky viruses and so on. Older versions probably aren't going to be updated so they are easier targets.

1. Make sure you have protection.

2. Back up everything!

3. Office may be corrupt. Take out the original installation disc. Remove your version and reinstall it. That way it's fresh. This would be my first guess.

4. Ask around for somebodies copy. If they haven't used all of their installation codes, use theirs real quick to test it out. If it works, buy your own so they can have it back. That way you don't waste a bunch of money.

5. If this all fails, it would be good to take it to a reputable computer shop.

[Elizabeth]

You can find out whether your files are lost or not pretty quickly. Locate one on the hard drive, but don't open it. Instead, email it to one of your friends and see if they can open it. If they can, your files are still there and it's just a software problem that needs sorting out.

What is the file extension on your documents? (.doc, .wrd, .docx etc)

[mindsedgeblade]

Run a good anti-virus program before you do anything else.

[sensei8]

For the posts thus far, I thank you!!

To Adamo: No, I didn't back it up. Why? I'm stupid, it's just that plain and simple. I was trusting that the software was doing that on its own already.

To Elizabeth: I tried what you suggested but I didn't and I still don't know how to do that and/or as simple as your suggestion was, it was above my abilities. You know, with me and computers, I'm like a calf that's staring at a very strange gate.

To mindsedgeblade: My computer won't let me run Norton until I get an external hard drive for more space. Norton wants to download some updates, but, on that computer, the space available on the hard drive is limited, and I've deleted as much from that hard drive as I can without causing new problems with its operations.

I'm getting real close to taking this computer to my computer girl, who's a genius in that stuff. I deserve to pay out the nose for her to save my bacon.

Sheech....way to go Bob....duh!!

[Elizabeth]

Oh, if you've got a computer girl definitely take it to her, then. You should also ask her whether it's time for you to upgrade to a new computer, and to recommend an external hard drive to get.

[Adamo]

I will repeat it, back up now!

All these suggestions are wonderful, but if the hard drive fails you will lose it all. Regardless of what you do in the long run, at least you will still have the files.

[sensei8]

I will repeat it, back up now!

All these suggestions are wonderful, but if the hard drive fails you will lose it all. Regardless of what you do in the long run, at least you will still have the files.

My computer dumbness is about to ask...how do I back up and into what, etc?

[isshinryu5toforever]

Get an external hard drive and move the files onto that.

[Adamo]

An external hard drive would work temporarily. It would be one of the fastest ways to get it off the computer also. But if they end up buying another spinning disk hard drive, it's only a matter of time before it all crashes again.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Hard-Drives/External-Hard-Drives/abcat0504003.c?id=abcat0504003

http://www.walmart.com/browse/Computers/Computer-Components/Hard-Drives/_/N-9683?browsein=true&ic=48_0&ref=+427971&catNavId=132959&fromPageCatId=132959

An external hard drive is basically...a hard drive not inside the computer. They are very very easy to use. Buy one big enough for all of your files. Plug it in (normally USB) and it will work like any other additional storage system. If you are familiar with plugging in a USB thumb drive, then it's the same concept. Just copy and paste your files into the external hard drive. Does this make sense?