So, today I realized I couldn't do much without my files on the computer (i.e. can't put up any more ebay auctions, can't access my pictures, can't review old email, etc.), so while I was running around doing other things, I kicked off the file recovery program and had it recover my files. Again. In fact, I named the new disk, "Again".

I decided one thing I was doing wrong was that I kept assigning the drive letter of "F:" to my disk. I think that must be bad luck. "F" is for "failure." "F" is also for "Fucked" (with a capital "F"). So, my new (renewed, recovered, restored, re-created, resurrected) drive has been given the letter ... you guessed it! ... "K"!

K?

K:

OK. Well, I don't know what it stands for, but it has got to be better than F. Anyway, I just couldn't let the thing sit there and rot away (along with my sense of humor), so the restoration effort resumed. It took longer this time, because the partition data is basically gone, so the data recovery software had to scan the entire drive just to collect the file information and build the representative directory tree in the display. That took an hour. In that time, I built a box to ship one of my ebay items in, and also took some pictures with my digital camera that has a dead "InfoLithium" battery in it (that gives me a whopping 5 or 6 minutes of operation).

Once the directory tree was available, I selected the directories I wanted to restore. This time, I elected to exclude all the system-generated folders (like "System Volume Information" and "WUTemp", etc.). I am suspicious that Mickeysoft operating systems such as Windows XP Pro might be getting indigestion when I restore those files. I let the file recovery process do its thing and it ran for about five hours and never once prompted me for any weird problems like before. Perhaps leaving those system files behind (especially the RECYCLER directory) did the trick.

Well, the files are all back. I ran my own utility (that I wrote during the past couple weeks) to compare against previous restore operations to see if any files were missing, and they are all accounted for, so things are looking good. The data recovery software just prematurely stopped (it has done this to me before) with 3007 files to go, but I restarted it to pick up the remaining 3007 files that were still selected, and that brought the total to what it was supposed to be - 646759 files recovered. And they're all accounted for, so I guess it worked. That's a lot of files!

Now the trick is to see how long it will continue to work. I am suspicious of the RAID controller I am using, so I am going to stop using it. I am going to write my own utility or service to just maintain a backup copy of my main drive on a second drive. Screw this crap that keeps breaking its own ribs and bleeding on itself for no known reasons. If I write it, I know it will work.

The thing that blew me away today was that when I put in another disk in my computer earlier today (the one that is now drive K:), Disk Manager popped up a wizard that was telling me all the benefits of how I could create a dynamic disk to establish all these nifty fault-tolerant configurations - LIKE MIRRORING! - yet it never once said anything anywhere about how Windows XP Pro JUST CAN'T DO IT!

Ugh! I will never get over that! I will never forgive Microsoft for that! Well, that and the fact they even exist. But enough of that. My files are back, and I am a little bit happier. MUCH happier, in fact! Happier that they are not completely gone. But then again, now that they exist (again), they will require more of my time and attention. But right now, all I am focused on is ebay. And this blog, for whatever reason. Maybe I am supposed to pursue a career in data recovery. Seems to be a theme in my life. Hmm... Maybe I can email my psyche to a shrink and see if s/he can recover it.

The next step in this process (DOWN THE ROAD!) is to expand my utility program to identify and consolidate duplicate files and to dispose of the files I don't need (like the operating system files that got copied from all my other drives that I archived). But I think before I do that, it's time to go back to writing my screenplay and recording audio tapes and starting to shoot some video, etc., etc. Maybe even fly a model airplane - something I haven't done in a while!

Get out! Get out of this box! See the world! Or, whatever that is that I see out my window.

Oh, by the way, I had this auction on ebay for a couple Amiga 2000 computers that I have. I made it painfully clear (there are six references to it in my auction) that the auction was for pick-up only, and the items would not be shipped. Excuse me - rather, I noted that the items would NOT BE SHIPPED!

So, what happened? Some guy from Arkansas chose the Buy It Now option and is now trying to convince me to ship it.

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