recovery drive of W10 Home  

shuaner said:

[/I]This a why regular data backup is essential, but deal with that another day. Install this file search tool - voidtools
Let it finish scanning your drive (very fast) and punch in a few file names that you remember. It will find the paths to them even if it's in Recycle bin or Hidden folder. R-click 'open path' will open in containing folder. Good Luck

I can only find what's left in my Downloads folder; needless to say, I've looked in Recycle Bin and my File Explorer is set to show all hidden folders.[/QUOTE]

With right-click on the folders I used to have in VoidTools, I'm getting a 'problem with shortcut.. the item that this shortcut refers to has been changed or moved...' etc=the classic Windows message.

- - - Updated - - -

mrgeek said:

Did you run the tool (it'll take less than 5 mins to install and do drive scan)? It will do a much deeper scan than File explorer.

I jus did and replied to you. It lists folders/docs that are in downloads and links that aren't leading to anything since the folders I'm looking for aren't anywhere to be found

- - - Updated - - -

mrgeek said:

Did you run the tool (it'll take less than 5 mins to install and do drive scan)? It will do a much deeper scan than File explorer.

I jus did and replied to you. It lists folders/docs that are in downloads and links that aren't leading to anything since the folders I'm looking for aren't anywhere to be found

- - - Updated - - -

And now the drive can't be seen in device manager or cmd= No media, which defo tells me the problem has been with the drive itself...therefore now I have no files AND no backup drive...LOL...and I'm CompTIA A+ certified...I should have known better...

jumanji said:

I just recall what Bree said in his post #5


We now know what that something else that was at play. Quite unfortunate your drive was failing and then failed that lead to the loss of your data. Didn't you get any inkling by way of any warning message or performance deterioration that your drive is giving up?

Now you have no option but to do a clean install with Windows 10 ISO on a new drive. And unfortunately Dell OS Recovery Image is not , as far as I can see, available for your DELL Inspiron 3542.

https://www.dell.com/community/Image...O/td-p/5031463 ( This may be outdated)

In any case you can contact DELL Tech support and check whether they can provide a recovery image /drive for your model/ service tag.

If any of your friends/contacts have the same model , same specifications PC, you may also obtain a recovery drive from them.

Hi,
Thanks for replying. No, there were no warning signs other than a message-twice- that Windows could not complete the recovery drive-wish I'd given up then. Fortunately, since I've made the recovery drive for 'just in case' and my OS is working fine, I will not need to do a reinstall, but I've saved your message as a reference in case I will need to.

I have feeling that my data isn't completely lost, since a restore/recovery drive should not wipe out personal data. I will do a thorough search on all my internal drives and try to restore the failing usb drive with First Chip MP Tools or something similar.
I will post here the results, should anyone go through the same situation.
Many thanks,
Albert