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4.167. How do I recover lost data after a computer crash?

Our computer crashed and we lost our customer information files and older jobs and we are looking for info on how to recover those files. How do I recover my lost data?

If you have been backing up within the software you can simply restore the backup and be back to normal. This is the best way to get your data back.

The restoration procedure is as follows:

1.On EstiMate's main screen click management>backup/restore.
2.Click the restore tab on the Backup/Restore Data files screen and then click the restore button on the upper right. An open screen will come up.
3. Find the backup file. (if backed up on floppy point the 'look in' dropdown box to the '3 1/2 Floppy A:' selection)
4. Click the open button to restore your data from the backup. NOTE: this will overwrite any data files your are currently using.

Once the restoration process is complete you will be back to normal again with all the settings you had previously.

If you do not have a backup then you will want to retrieve the estimate data files off the old hard drive and restore them manually if you can.

The folder you are looking for on the old hard drive is called "data" and is located by default at C:\Program Files\EstiMate\Data

If you cannot find the folder then the actual databases themselves may need to be extracted one by one.

Information on the databases EstiMate uses can be found at:

http://www.PricingMadeEasy.com/go/kbase?id=329

If you are able to retrieve the data, then do the following:

1. Rename the data folder on the new hard drive to Data2.
2. Create a new file in the EstiMate directory called Data.
3. Paste the files you recovered from the old system into the new folder.
4. Open EstiMate.

If the files are all intact EstiMate should open without a problem.

For best results and to minimize the potential of future data loss, backup on a regular basis. Information on backing up is located at:

http://www.PricingMadeEasy.com/go/kbase?id=342