Windows 10: Can not repair, reset or re-install and it seems my data was wiped...

There shouldn't be any problem with the mouse, do you have another mouse or can you borrow one?

 

I borrowed one. But I did not find the data. Was there a particular place I was supposed to look? Or was I supposed to run something before browsing? It looked like my regular explorer after the data was wiped. I.e. I don't see my sda4 and 250 GB still missing.

 

It's similar to Windows Explorer, when you open a partition you should see what you also see in Windows Explorer.

If you can't find your data, then it is almost gone. It may still be present on the hard drive, only not visible for the system, to access it you need a docking station to put the drive in and a computer to connect the docking station to.

 

I see. Although, I think I noticed why I can not detect the files.

Apparently, they are in the found.000 folder. I noticed that Macrium took a while to load the folder but it eventually did load. The folder is very curious in that it has 100,000+ files and its 146 GB. When I thought to run a 'find' for a file I knew (main.py) it showed up deep in that folder's directories. Unfortunately, the folder, I'm assuming, has thousands of folders, with some folders inside of them! Additionally, each folder has a generic name: dir_000*.chk [0 to 699 (although there were letters before it reached 699)] and each files has a generic name: file000000*.chk [0 to 87CE]

It appears that when I did chkdsk /f . . . it made these files and changed their names and moved them around. I was wondering if windows had a command line to at least change the file extensions back to what they used to be. I understand that there are programs that do that. Also, are there any that can run in linux? Since I can only boot in linux for the moment.

Attachment 103152

 

File associations can be easily reset without any program, but I cannot find any commands for it.

I'm unfamiliar with Linux and also with any program that can be used in Linux.

 

In Ubuntu you can find the files or pictures and save them to a usb drive if that's what you wanna do. Whatever you do DO NOT format a usb drive in Linux as Windows won't recognize it. As for opening .exe files in Linux you can download wine using the the terminal. As for Windows it seems to me that the only thing you possibly do now is clean install Windows as far as I can read the Windows partition is corrupted and you have to be very very careful when you install a Linux OS alongside Windows as you can mess up the windows partition and linux can install over Windows.

 

How can I reset file associations? Are there any programs that reset them? I figure I should reset these file associations, keep the ones I like, then clean install Windows.

 

My apologies for not making a thing clear, I'll clarify a bit what I meant with 'File associations can be easily reset without any program'

'Without any program' I meant without any 3rd party program, the only way I know is via the settings in Windows.

You may be able to change the reset the file associations through the Windows registry (GUI is I believe not possible).
If you can find a registry editor for Windows in Linux and can download the file types/protocols from the tutorial below we can get the reset done manually *Smile
Default File Type Associations - Restore in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

 

As far as I know messing around with Linux and Windows alongside each other is that you can't change Windows file associations within the Linux os. He would also have to have Root access to that drive if he's still able to see the C:/ drive within linux. If he was to have a external hard drive he could possibly transfer those files onto that drive. But he's corrupted the file system its self so either way he won't be able to boot into Windows. So his only option is to boot from the Windows ISO and delete all partitions and clean install Windows. But he would have to move all those files and pictures and restore them to his new installation.

 

That's the plan for some time.

 

*Wink okay wasn't sure.

 

It appears that I can not install anything on linux as I am only operating it on a bootable flashdrive.

That said, I think my best route is to purchase an external harddrive, transfer those files, then clean install Windows and attempt to restore the files on that.

I don't want to go that route without being absolutely sure that it's viable. Also--can I truly restore the files after a clean installation? When I tried to put some files on a USB and restore them on a separate computer, I didn't have any success. Are .chk files unique to the computer? And will they be restored if the installation is removed?