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Help - Windows File and Settings Transfer

Discussion in 'Computers & Technology Forum' started by mnw, Jul 20, 2006.

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  1. mnw

    mnw New Member

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    Right, two days ago I used the Windows tool for transferring all files and settings from an old system to a new one.

    Now when I try to copy it over it keeps telling me the file is empty.

    I transferred the files and settings to an external USB hard drive. The file is over 16gb.

    Now when I try to transfer it back I get the message:

    The location that you have specified does not contain stored information etc, etc.

    Am I doing something wrong?

    Is there a program I can use to manually access the files.

    The files, btw, are DAT files.

    Any help would be appreciated.
     
    #1 mnw, Jul 20, 2006
  2. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    Oracle I could help you with. But MS .dat files are nortorious about becoming corrupted.

    Anychance you can call MS support?

    I know this is the age old question, but do you have a backup? Hopefully recent?

    Sorry . . . Oracle can be a big pain as well - but, I can make it hum.
     
    #2 El_Guero, Jul 20, 2006
  3. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    PS I should ask you the version of the database (can't be before ms 7, 'cause the datafile is big).

    Which version of the OS?

    Does it actually give you an error message?

    Can you back up the USB drive to tape of other media? (I would suggest doing that before using 'tools' to open up the datafile(s)).

    PS - I am not awake yet - WHICH tool did you use? What is version number and vendor of the 'tool'?
     
    #3 El_Guero, Jul 20, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 20, 2006
  4. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    PSS - coffee is kick starting my system and my dat files are starting to work.


    Do you still have the old machine? I hope you can say yes. Because it sounds like the file may have been corrupted during the 'build phase' of the tool.

    If you do have the old box, let me know and we will go a different direction.
     
    #4 El_Guero, Jul 20, 2006
  5. mnw

    mnw New Member

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    Hello El,

    Thanks for the replies. The DAT files were from the Windows File and Settings Transfer. I was just re-installing Windows on the same hard drive. It has since been formatted and had the XP re-installed.

    I did have another back up straight onto DVD but that is blank for some reason... I am sure I did it, but hey, how many times do Computer Support Desks hear that.

    At the moment I am running a program to recover deleted files. May be that will shed some light.

    If there is no way of accessing the DAT files I think data recovery from the hard drive may be my only option.
     
    #5 mnw, Jul 20, 2006
  6. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

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    That sounds like these may not have been database files?

    data recovery from the HD is expensive over here. 16+ gig (the tool is supposed to do significant compression).

    Can you boot to a different drive and access the old file structure? Windows is sometimes bad about not letting you do that (not a 'bug' but it acts like it occasionally).
     
    #6 El_Guero, Jul 20, 2006
  7. mnw

    mnw New Member

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    Can DAT files be something other than database files then?

    At the moment I am running some software that is meant to recover deleted files. So far it has found 29000. What quality they are in and if everything is there I do not know. It looks promising.

    Though, the thought of sifting through them all to find my essential files is daunting.
     
    #7 mnw, Jul 20, 2006
  8. mnw

    mnw New Member

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    Just a quick update. I kept trying the FAST wizard with no success. I tried pointing to the DAT files directly, to the folder it places them in and even the external drive as a whole all to no avail.

    Then for some reason late Thursday night it simply worked! And I have to say it worked very well.

    Looking around web it seems a lot of people have had a problem using the File and Settings Transfer from Windows.

    Thanks for the suggestions.
     
    #8 mnw, Jul 22, 2006
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