Files lost after syncronizing issue

EH

A year ago I left a job and took my work laptop with me. When I was working for the company every time I connected to the server in work my laptop would sync with the server. Since leaving the company the sync function still works in the back ground when I connect to the internet but I just turn it off.
Now something has changed and the laptop has tried to sync and deleted all files from before the day I left the company. My question is, is there a way to get these files back?
I tried the system restore but there it doesn't let me go back further than the last two months and the above problem happened about 3 months ago.

Thanks in advance

Eoin

Laptop is a Compaq NC6120

onq

EH wrote: »

A year ago I left a job and took my work laptop with me. When I was working for the company every time I connected to the server in work my laptop would sync with the server. Since leaving the company the sync function still works in the back ground when I connect to the internet but I just turn it off.
Now something has changed and the laptop has tried to sync and deleted all files from before the day I left the company. My question is, is there a way to get these files back?
I tried the system restore but there it doesn't let me go back further than the last two months and the above problem happened about 3 months ago.

Thanks in advance

Eoin

Laptop is a Compaq NC6120

Are these your files to recover, or are they company files that you should have deleted?

ONQ

jimmycrackcorm

What is the syncing software? What is it syncing with? Typically a sync model will remove old files from the client once they are deleted from the server.

EH

Yea, there my files (photos etc)

EH

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

What is the syncing software? What is it syncing with? Typically a sync model will remove old files from the client once they are deleted from the server.

Thanks for the reply, its under the accessories menu "Microsoft Synchronization Manager". I don't think it ever re connected with the server because this used to only happen when I plugged into the network in the office. I used to log in via a VPN on the internet to check e-mails when out of the office.

onq

EH wrote: »

Yea, there my files (photos etc)

Was the laptop yours to take when you left the job?

If so, why was the syncing software left on it by the sysadmin?

ONQ

EH

Yes the laptop was given to me as part of the deal when I left the company. I don't know why the sync software was left on it, I guess they just didn't bother taking it off.

onq

EH wrote: »

Yes the laptop was given to me as part of the deal when I left the company. I don't know why the sync software was left on it, I guess they just didn't bother taking it off.

Now THAT's interesting.

Normally, syncing software needs to interface with the company's LAN [these days I presume its wirelessly] in order to update the files.
However I used to think [before I read your post] that the updating was two way in that files you had written while away were sent in, while others, say dealing with company policy, pricing/fees and product information were updated on your laptop.
I thought that normally "private files" in another folder shouldn't be sent to the company and deleted or "updated" by the company's system not finding them and then deleting them.

Of course, all this may have worked in a way that's totally unknown to you.

• Your syncing software might have been trying to connect to the compay LAN for a whilebut couldn't.
• You may have left your personal files in "the wrong folder".
• Not being able to connect may have been read eventually as there being no files and so your syncing software deleted them.

However...

If the laptop was yours to take [and I'm not doubting your word, just restating the case] then you need to talk to your old company.
1. Inform them of the ongoing company syncing protocol on your laptop and suggest they should check all past employees for a similar breach of protocol - in theory your laptop shouldn't be able to contact the company and vice versa.
2. Ask for the sysadmin's help in recovering the files. If these haven't actually been overwritten, or else only overwritten say once by known document/file, then these may be recoverable.

If the sysadmin cannot help and/or the information is professional and necessary/personal and dear to you and you're willing to pay toretrive it, you could give Critical Data Services a call.
They're not what you'd call cheap, but they are VERY good, and they saved us from some professional embarrassment after a hard drive crash last year.

Anyway, see this of your interested: http://www.criticaldata.ie/
New roads and roundabouts out that part of the world now.
Consider taking a current Dublin City Plan.
This is what CDS say on their website:

• No Recovery, No Fee!
• Free Data Recovery Evaluations
• Class 100 Clean Air Environment
• All work carried out at our secure lab in Dublin
• Full Client Data Confidentiality
• Highly Competitive Rates
• Prompt Service

I recommend them.

But *do* contact your company.
You may not feel any loyalty to them after leaving/being let go, but it does your reputation no harm to behave professionally and inform them of a possible security breach.
Plus it may go hard on you if you take on another job with responsibility for files, do work on this laptop, and lose the new company's files because of this syncing problem.
You could get sued, expecially if they chose not to believe your version of events.

BTW, does your system operate a "restore" facility - you might be able to bring these files "back" by yourself - if you can do this, back them up externally, a 1Tb Hard Drive [say a Western Digital "MyBook"] only costs around €120 or so.
You could try http://www.elaraonline.ie/
http://www.elaraonline.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=MME1410676
Hard Drive: MYBOOK2 ESSENTIAL ED 1TB SINGLE DRIVE USB 2.0
Manufacturer: WESTERN DIGITAL
Price: €103.28 Incl VAT €85.00 Excl. VAT
There are also other drives available with less capacity which cost less.

I have no connection with CDS or Elara Online other than being a satisfied customer on both counts and happy to pass on my experience.

ONQ.

onq

Further to a private query from the OP I have given this advice, which may prove useful to others and I reproduce it hereunder with a minor amendment.

---

My own experience on this is limited to that of a professional anxious not to lose his information.
My understanding is that files are not actually deleted from a Windows system unless they are selectively overwritten by a file shredding program or the disc they're on is given a low-level format.
Instead, in the interest of 'efficiency' the first few lines [the headers] are stripped so that the system 'sees' the space as being available to write to.
If nothing is written on the section where the files were located originally, logically most of each individual file must still be 'there' - without headers.
File recovery programs suss out where these 'be-headed' files are and gives you the option of writing a new header to 'retrieve' them.
Once new header information is attached to the file, Windows 'sees' the file again.
If you've just hand-deleted a set of files, retrieval software can be enough, if the files were on a separate partition from 'C'
However where the files were on 'C' on a laptop in continuous use - this presents a different problem.
Windows decides where to write files - every file you've written since the file deletion reduces your chances of retrieving the original deleted files.
You can be lucky, but if you install the retrieval software to the same drive as the files were on, you risk overwriting some of the files.
The difficulty with files on 'C' is that - even when you install the retrieval software to another partition - the temporary installation files get written to 'C' and these can overwrite the deleted files.
Even heavy surfing with lots of images or video content [YouTube, for example] could accidentally overwrite the files as the swapfile uses more space especially on systems with minimum RAM.
I mentioned CDS http://www.criticaldata.ie/ and these are the deluxe service.
You may also get a retrieval service for a lesser cost from other firms - firms like PC Peripherals http://www.pcp.ie/
They are not a specialist data retrieval company, but if you explain the problem they may be able to 'look' at the Hard Drive.
I have to say at this point that I first went to PC Peripherals and they couldn't help me and I still had to pay their fee, which I knew beforehand.
After that I gritted my teeth, dug deep in my pockets and went to CDS.
It cost nearly a grand and a few days to get the new HD and the data, but the alternative was several grand over in the UK and the laptop gone for over a week.
You pays your money and you takes your choice.
I think this response contains useful information and I'll post it to Boards.ie for others to see.



ONQ