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Topic: Restoring after computer crash. |
Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 12 Aug 2006 7:25 pm |
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I had one and now trying to recover my files. I lost my address book and need to know the name to put in for a search. I tried "address book", but to no avail.
I got some of my programs and files back with the "Search" option on the ones I knew the names of. I would appreciate any advice from you expert forum members...thanks..al 
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 12 Aug 2006 8:57 pm
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If you were using Outlook or Outlook express your address book is (your_profile_name).wab and it is usually located in C:\Documents and Settings\(YourUserName)\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\(YourAccountName).wab
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Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 13 Aug 2006 9:33 am
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Wiz-Thanks for the information. I looked and searched but no luck so far. Do I have to type in that whole address you listed
for me? I'll try different parts of that and see what I get. Thanks again...al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2006 9:59 am
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Al asked me: quote:
Do I have to type in that whole address you listed
for me?
No Al, that path includes exemplified wording. You will have to drill down via My Computer > C: drive > "Documents and Settings" to the folder that has your login account name and open that folder. The address book will be found inside the (normally Hidden) folder labeled Application Data, inside a sub-directory labeled Microsoft, inside a sub-directory named Address Book, all under your main login account name.
To see the Application Data folder and it's sub-directories you must set your Folder Options to display Hidden Files and Folders and display known file extensions. To change thses settings open My Computer and click on the Menubar item Tools, then Folder Options, then View. Select the option Show hidden files and folders. Uncheck -> Hide extensions for known file types. Also, check the option Display the contents of system folders. Click Apply, then OK, refresh the view (F5) in My Computer, or your indentity folder, if open, and you should see the Application Data folder.
Example:
After setting the Folder Options so you can see hidden files and folders and known file types, you find your way to Documents and Settings...
Say you login to your Windows Desktop as "Al Marcus."
When you drill down as shown above you will find a folder named "Al Marcus," inside Documents and Settings. Open it and the first sub-directory should be Application Data, which will contain a folder labeled Microsoft, which contains another folder named Address Book. Inside that folder will be a file with an extension of .wab. That is your address book. Note that there will be another file there ending with .wab~ which is a temporary backup file only.
If this isn't confusing enough I will try again.
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Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices
[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 13 August 2006 at 11:01 AM.] |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2006 10:20 am
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| How about just searching all hard drives for *.wab ? |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 13 Aug 2006 7:18 pm
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Wiz-Thanks I'll try and past your advice so I can remember it all, if I can figure where to paste it to.
Earnest-Good Point. I already tried that and got some nammes on the search, but just got the few names in the new address book since the crash...Oh well, try , try again...al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 13 Aug 2006 9:36 pm
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Maybe they don't show up because they are hidden files? You can show hidden files in Windows Explorer -> Tools -> Folder Options -> File Tab -> show hidden files.
I just looked in the folder that Wiz suggested and noticed that there are 2 files:
Administrator.wab
and
Administrator.wab~
so maybe the second one is a backup that the system creates? I can't test it becasue I don't use Outlook Express. BTW the 2 files are identical here, and not hidden.
Yeah, I know I shouldn't be running as Administrator. |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 15 Aug 2006 8:06 pm
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Ernest and Wiz-Thanks again for the help. I have internet explorer but lost Windows Explorer on the crash....Can I get a download on it?...thanks..al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Wiz Feinberg
From:
Mid-Michigan, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2006 9:55 pm
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Al;
You didn't lose Windows Explorer. If you did you would not be able to boot into your "desktop," because Windows Explorer IS your desktop; a.k.a. "explorer.exe." It is known as the Windows Shell. It is located in your Windows directory. Sometimes desktop hijackers embed themselves into explorer.exe to make it more difficult to remove them.
If you are able to enter your desktop I doubt that you will need to replace explorer. It cannot be downloaded as it is an integral part of the Windows OS. If anything damages explorer.exe it can be restored by either using the System File Checker utility, or by rebooting from the Windows CD and running a repair re-installation on top of the existing installation.
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Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices
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Jon Moen
From:
Canada
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Posted 16 Aug 2006 5:18 am
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| If you mean you can't launch Windows Explorer because there is a missing shortcut, hold down the "Window" button between the "ctrl" and "alt" buttons on the left side of the spacebar and hit the "e" key. That should launch it for you. |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 18 Aug 2006 11:46 am
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Hapy days! After all the advice I got from you guys, I finally managed to get my Addres Book again. Thanks for all the help.
Now does anyone know how I can tell ,How many names I have in the Adress Book, like it does for message recieved and sent, etc.. There is a lot of them in it.Thanks...al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Jon Moen
From:
Canada
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Posted 18 Aug 2006 8:26 pm
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| Click once on the Main Identity Contacts in the address book (Windows XP) in the left hand window, and then look at the grey bar along the bottom. Mine tells me how many items there are. |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 19 Aug 2006 7:36 pm
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Jim-Thanks , I never looked down there but as you said there it is. Thanks a lot.
If any one is curious, it is 1941 names.Wow.That is over a period of about 7 or so years. Thanks guys for all your help, I am ok for now .al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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