Doc_Recovery

Help

This document provides general information about Doc_Recovery. Please read the How2use and FAQ files as well!

Help 22 April 2002

CONTENTS

GENERAL
Brief description of Doc_Recovery

HOW TO USE
Instructions for use

NOTES
Important Information

SUPPORTING OPERATING SYSTEMS
Operating systems that support Doc_Recovery

RECOVERING UNSUPPORTED DOCUMENT TYPES
Instructions for other document types

TO START YOUR COMPUTER FROM A WINDOWS STARTUP DISK
Starting your computer without access to Windows

GENERAL

Sometimes, problems arise with Windows without the user having backups of important document files.

These problems may be caused by infection by a virus, or perhaps because vital Windows system files have become corrupted, or have been inadvertently/maliciously deleted etc.

Unfortunately, without backups, many users are wary of attempting to repair Windows, because of the risk of permanently losing important files.

Doc_Recovery is a small utility program, written around the PKZIP™ archiver, that allows the user to automatically save all their documents to floppy disk, even if Windows has become completely unusable.

Once the document files have been recovered safely to floppy disk, the user may then begin work on repairing Windows without risk. Alternatively, if time is important, the user may transfer the files to another computer for printing etc.

Should the user find it impossible to repair Windows, then the hard disk can be re-formatted and a ‘Clean Install’ of Windows performed. Once Windows has been repaired or re-installed, the user may then, if necessary, load the documents back to the hard disk.

Doc_Recovery will automatically recover document files from: 'WordPerfect,' Microsoft 'Word,' 'Excel,' 'Access,' 'PowerPoint,' 'Outlook Express,' Microsoft 'Works' (Word processor, database and spreadsheet,) Microsoft 'Money,' 'Quattro Pro,' Adobe 'Acrobat,' 'Presentations,' Windows 'WordPad' and 'Notepad' programs, but may be configured by the user to recover files from any other program or package.

Doc_Recovery will recover documents produced under Windows 95/98/98SE/ME, as well as FAT32 installs of Windows XP.

Back to start

HOW TO USE

Doc_Recovery's document saving module (DOC_DUMP) is run from DOS, booted from a Windows Startup Disk, sometimes referred to as an 'Emergency Boot Disk’ or 'EBD.'

You can create an EBD in Windows 95/98/98SE/ME by going into 'Control Panel,' selecting 'Add/Remove Programs,' and then clicking on the 'Startup Disk' tab. You will need an empty formatted High Density (1.44 Mb) floppy disk. It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you make an EBD BEFORE you experience problems with your computer. Keep it, together with the Doc_Recovery program disk, in a safe place.

Doc_Recovery is fully automatic and needs just three commands.

After the computer has been booted from the EBD, remove the EBD and insert the Doc_Recovery program disk into the A: drive.

At the command prompt (A:\>) type in, without the quotes ("): "SETUP"

The programs will be loaded onto the D: drive (the Ramdrive) and Smartdrv run. The prompt will change from 'A:\>' to 'D:\>'

To dump (Recover) files from the hard disk type: "DOC_DUMP"

The hard disk will be searched (see note below) for document files, which will then be compressed to take up less space and dumped onto floppy disk - the DR_DUMP disk(s.)

Depending on the size and number of your document files, you may need more than one floppy disk. If so, you will be prompted for them. The screen will show the names of the files found and being dumped. When finished the program will report 'Dump Completed'

To load the files back to the hard disk after Windows has been restored:

Insert the Doc_Recovery program disk into the A: drive and using 'My Computer'/'Windows Explorer' double-click on the 'WIN_LOAD' icon. The program will create a folder in the root directory (i.e. C:\>)of the hard disk called 'DOC_REC' This is where you will find your documents when the process is complete.

Insert the DR_DUMP disk (or the LAST disk of the DR_DUMP set) and press ENTER. The files will then be loaded off the floppy. Insert the remaining disks, if any, when prompted.

When the files have all been loaded to the hard disk the program will report 'Load Completed' and the screen will show the new DOC_REC directory and the names of the folders from which the documents were originally extracted.

When you have completed loading your document files back to the hard disk, you should remove the DR_DUMP disk from the A: drive and, using 'My Computer'/'Windows Explorer,' open the DOC_REC directory/folder, from which your documents may then be copied back to their original directories/folders.

Back to start

NOTES

Hard Disk Search Times

While DOC_DUMP is searching your hard disk for document files, it may appear as if the program has stopped. Depending on the speed of your computer, size and speed of the hard disk, together with the size and number of your document files, the search may take several minutes.

If the hard disk access light shows disk activity, then the search is proceeding and you are advised to be patient.

Floppy Disks

Depending on the size and number of your document files, you may need a considerable number of floppy disks. ANY EXISTING (excluding Read-only) FILES ON THE FLOPPY DISKS WILL BE ERASED - make sure the disks you are using do not contain files you wish to keep.

You are advised to label them as they are produced by DOC_DUMP, e.g. 'DR_DUMP #1', 'DR_DUMP #2' and so on.

Program Interruptions

If you find when running DOC_DUMP that you have run out of floppy disks, then you may halt the program by pressing Ctrl+C (hold down the 'Ctrl' key and press the 'C' key) This will not effect the files on your hard disk. You may then, when you have more disks, re-boot from the EBD, run SETUP again and then re-run DOC_DUMP.

Should DOC_DUMP be interrupted when dumping e.g. through power failure etc., then it is only necessary to re-boot the computer from the EBD and run the program again. IF IN DOUBT, re-boot from the EBD and run SETUP again, followed by DOC_DUMP.

If WIN_LOAD is interrupted, then delete the DOC_REC folder on the hard disk before re-running.

Changes to Computer

The only change made to your computer is the addition of a new folder on drive C: (the hard disk) i.e. DOC_REC. This should be deleted AFTER the document files have been copied back to their original folders. It is important to delete the DOC_REC folder after you have restored your documents, otherwise subsequent runs of DOC_DUMP will dump the contents of the DOC_REC folder as well. This will not only slow down the dumping process, but will also use up more space on the floppy disk(s)

Windows XP

Due to a different file system (NTFS) being installed by default during a 'Clean Install' of Windows XP, present versions of Doc_Recovery will only work with FAT 32 (File Allocation Table 32) implementations of Windows XP, i.e. Windows XP installed over a previous version of Windows, e.g. Windows 95/98/98SE or ME.

In addition, because Windows XP no longer produces a Startup Disk incorporating a ramdrive, it will be necessary to obtain a Startup Disk made on a computer running Windows 98/98SE or ME. This disk may then be used in the normal way, to run Doc_Recovery on a computer running a FAT 32 version of Windows XP.

Icons

When you have loaded your documents back to the hard disk, you may find that some of your files no longer have the correct icons.

This situation will occur when you have not yet re-installed the program that was used to produce the document. The correct icons will be re-instated, once you have re-installed the document-producing program.

Filenames

After you have loaded your documents back to the hard disk, you might find that some of your files have truncated (shortened) filenames, ending in a number preceded by a tilde (~) character, e.g. 'PAYMEN~1.XLS' This is NOT an error condition, but is due to inherent limitations in the original DOS file system that Doc_Recovery uses. This situation may change in later versions of Doc_Recovery.

Excluding Unwanted Document Types

Users who are familiar with the various document types they wish to recover, may exclude unwanted files from the dump by following the steps in 'RECOVERING UNSUPPORTED DOCUMENT TYPES' (see below) At step 4 delete the filename extensions of any file types not required. When finished, continue from step 7.

Transferring Document Files To Another Computer

It is a simple matter to recover document files from an unusable computer and transfer them to a normally operating computer for printing etc. On the computer with problems, follow the instructions in the 'TO START YOUR COMPUTER AND RECOVER YOUR DOCUMENT FILES' section of the 'HOW2USE (Quick user guide)' document.

Then, when you have recovered your documents, follow the instructions in 'TO LOAD YOUR DOCUMENT FILES BACK TO THE HARD DISK' on the other (Normally operating) computer.

Test Running

The programs may be test run if required. Follow the above instructions and delete the DOC_REC folder on drive C: (the hard disk) before re-running DOC_DUMP and after testing is complete.

Back to start

SUPPORTING OPERATING SYSTEMS

The following operating systems support Doc_Recovery;

Back to start

RECOVERING UNSUPPORTED DOCUMENT TYPES

Although Doc_Recovery has been written to recover document files from the most common and widely used programs, the user can easily configure it to recover files from any other document-producing package.

You will need to find out the file extension given to document files by the program you wish to recover documents from. This will be a dot (i.e., a period or full stop) followed by three letters, e.g. '.DOC' for Microsoft 'Word' documents (as in 'MYFILE.DOC') or '.PDF' for Adobe 'Portable Document Format' (as in 'MANUAL.PDF')

To recover document files from a program not currently supported by Doc_Recovery, do the following:

1. Follow steps 1 to 8 in the 'HOW2USE (Quick user guide)' document.

2. At the command prompt (D:\>) type in EDIT DOCS.LST and then press ENTER.

3. This will result in a blue screen with text similar to the following:

*.WPD
*.WPG
*.WB1
*.DOC
*.TXT
*.PDF
*.WPS
*.MBF
*.XLS
*.PPT
*.MDB

4. Using the cursor control keys, move down to the line directly below the last line, in this case '*.MDB'

5. Type in '*.' (asterisk-dot) followed by the three letter file extension of the document type that you wish to recover, e.g. 'HTM' for HTML files and then press ENTER.

6. Repeat step 5 for each new document type you wish to recover.

7. When you have finished adding your new document types, press the 'Alt' key, followed by 'F' and then 'S' to save the modified DOCS.LST file and then press 'Alt', 'F' and then 'X' to exit the editor.

8. Continue from step 9 in the 'HOW2USE (Quick user guide)' document.

Back to start

TO START YOUR COMPUTER FROM A WINDOWS STARTUP DISK (EBD)

1. Shut down (turn off) your computer.

2. Insert the EBD into the A: drive.

3. Power up (turn on) your computer.

4. When the on-screen menu appears select: 'Start computer without CD-ROM support' and press ENTER

5. Boot up is complete when the 'A:\>' prompt appears.

Top of page

Back to start page

All trademarks acknowledged. ©2002 IED Contact

Last updated: February 25, 2005

This site was created using Macromedia Dreamweaver MX and little discernable talent.

© 2003 Gag Helfront