windows help desperately needed!!!

My kids computer was on windows 95, a disk format was done and lets just say the drive wasn't changed...... the hard drive was formatted. The computer is now an empty shell, I have no windows disks as they came preloaded....... besides trying to shell out money to but a new operating program, is there anything else I can do?

 

If it had Win95 and you have no disc, then the only thing I can recommend is locate one from a friend or something or buy a new computer. Reason I say this is because Win95, 98, & ME are basically no longer supported by Microsoft.

 

Windows 95!!!
There should be a selection under start for DOS.

If you can get into DOS or try the "Start", "Run" buttons, try to see if DOS has an unformat slection, Type "unformat c:" (w/o the quotes



Email removed.

 

Thanks all!!! Tried ur suggests but nothing worked, found a trial prog on micro downloads that may work....... Its downloading right now, but I'll let you know!

 

To those helping you:

If I read the threads correctly she had the win 95 hard drive formatted/upgraded to a newer version(??) she still gets the windows program and all the desktop icons but she has lost access to all her programs except her access the internet and can download?

You must admit this makes no sense that if she only had the drive formatted, and I will presume she upgraded her win/operating system that the only program she can still access is the internet.

Can she locate them in the c:\ drive or did she use the search for files? Did she make a back up disk before the format? Has she tried to open any existing file from a disk or the c:\drive? Has she right clicked and checked the properties of her icons?

Question 1:
Is is possible the win 98 software program icons have dropped their Target type, location and/or start in their properties? She did not say what type of hard drive format she did ie. was it to win 98, 2000 or XP?

Question 2:
Since the operating system has drastically evolved there had to be necessary upgrades to the software it runs; when she formated the hard drive will the win 95 software version conform to newer operating system or will the newer operating system run the older software?

If the answer to question 1 to question 2 is no her best bet is to, as directed below "ebay" go for a used computer also dell has had great deals for $400. and/or some department stores still provide lay away without interest.

 

pretty much as Major Attitude said
option 1) try some data recovery software..
if you have 2 computers you could always pull the hard drive from your kids computer and place it as "slave" in your machine. then run the data recovery software via the working computer..
(doubt you will recover much if anything)

option 2) Snag windows (does not matter what version unless its xp then follow steps on xp help posted lower) install and have a fresh install of w/e OS you installed

now if that computer had win 95 on it xp is not going to run so great unless you would be to follow these steps (no matter what computer i run or tech i always do these steps to make it run faster)
This guide will permit windows xp pro and home to run just as good as windows 98 (relative to speed) on even a junk computer.
i currently have 3 computers from 533mhz down to 333mhz running on windows xp pro.
The XP Tweak Guide i wrote:
Before doing the following steps get all of your windows updates.
1.) go and get "TweakNow PowerPack" and "Window Washer" install both.
2.) run windows washer and clean out the computer.
3.) run tweaknow and do the "quick system optimization" (check everything and select that you have t1 or higher for the internet)
4.) in tweaknow click "windows enhanacements > startmenu and taskbar > options tab > set menu delay to 250 > check "disable baloon tips"
5.) apply changes and close tweaknow DO NOT REBOOT
6.) right click my computer > properties > advanced tab > click performance settings button > uncheck anything with fade, animate, slide, and use visual styles on buttons > apply and ok.
7.) click start > control panel > (make sure its on clasic view) double click Network Connections > right click your connection (in my case its under lan or high-speed internet named "Wireless Network Connection") select properties > uncheck "client for ms network", file and printer sharing, and QoS packet scheduler > click ok.
8.) reboot
check your computers speed now.
i would also advise run windows washer once every few months.. i only wash mine after a lot of installs and uninstalls.. deleting files ect.. i also "bleach" the free space then defrag.. tends to help.

*note the best defrag tool i have ever found/used/tested was "Perfect Disk" i use it on all my computers.
Also i wrote this for users that have dsl/cable/satalite internet.. if you do have dial-up set the internet connection to one higher then dial-up unless you have issues then i would say set to dial-up*