Data files revert to previous versions after restart

[jmack356]

For the third time in a week, Windows 7 has replaced some of my personal data files with earlier versions, without my consent, following a restart.
I'm talking about my outlook Data file (outlook.pst), my Quicken data files and a few others. Files are located in different places, but mostly in my Documents folder.

There are no errors, no crashes and no warning whatsoever.
I just restart the PC and suddenly my data files are overwritten with sometimes days old versions. The first time it happened I assumed that maybe I hadn't properly saved my document(s), but then I noticed it actually WAS replacing current files with earlier versions. I would enter a few days worth of transactions into Quicken, save and even backup the files, only to have it revert back to a file that was saved two days ago after restarting the PC, causing me to have to re-enter all those transactions.
Same thing with Outlook - I could add/change/remove appointments in my calendar, only to discover that it went back to an earlier time after the next restart, all changes made would be lost.
Just a simple reboot is all it takes - the last time I had to reboot to update a driver.
This is completely unexpected & unacceptable behavior. What would cause Windows 7 to do this?

 

[richc46]

Win 7, has a function that allows you to restore to a previous date, in the event that you

lose or want to change your current copy. The previous copy comes from back up and

restore or system restore, whichever is applicable. Some how you are returning to those

earlier documents, without giving permission. May I suggest, until we figure out the

cause of the problem, you turn off the system restore function and the back up and

restore function. Although I think that these features are very good and a safeguard

against problems, in your case you might want to disable them, until a remedy can be

found for your problem.

 

[SngBrdB]

Same problem here, sys restore is off, no backups set

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I can't find anywhere else this has been discussed.

I've had this exact same issue... Windows 7 just reverts files to previous versions, primarily System-related files such as the Start Menu shortcuts. My System Restore has always been disabled on all drives, and I've never set up a backup, so neither of those can be the cause.

This happens occasionally on my home PC, and just happened to me for the first time on my work laptop... a couple of weeks after installing Visual Studio 2010, the start menu rolled back, and now I have no shortcuts to VS on my start menu.

My laptop is suspended every night at the end of work, but my home PC is never suspended, and rarely restarted.

I haven't had personal data files overwritten (that I'm aware of), but I don't keep my documents in the 'My Documents' folder, so maybe that's an answer for others experiencing this.

How am I supposed to trust an OS that overwrites files with older versions without warning, consent, or reason??!? This never happened in XP.

Has anyone found a cause for this, or opened a ticket with Microsoft?

 

[SngBrdB]

Entire installation is gone

I was wrong... it didn't just wipe out the start menu shortcuts, it completely wiped out VS2010. Unbelievable.

 

[jmack356]

What concerns me the most is that it seems overwritten (reverted) files also include my personal data files.
I could see if maybe only system files were being affected (ala System File Checker) but WHY would an Outlook or a Quicken data file be overwritten with older versions?
Leave MY files alone MS!!!

 

[abstraktus]

I recently started using Windows 7 x64 and have that problem, files will reverts to an older version, files I renamed reverts to the old name, a folder reverted itself and the new files inside disappeared... Arghhh I'm losing valuable work!
Is there any development on that issue? I only found 3 posts on the net talking about this...
Thanx!

 

[SngBrdB]

Not a peep from Microsoft

Back up your work frequently. Like every time you make a change to your work. Don't use Microsoft folders, e.g. the desktop or My Documents to store anything.

This is the kind of crap that makes me so angry with Microsoft... they're trying to be overly controlling of the OS for my own good... it's impossible, and when they screw it up it's at the expense of my data. Just be an OS!!! Don't automatically roll back ANYTHING!!!!!!

 

[MrRoundel]

FYI: I have Windows XP Home edition w/SP3. I'm having the same problems noted here. It seems to effect my Quicken data, Outlook Express email, and even my screen saver photo was involved this morning. I guess I will disable the backup and restore functions and see what happens.

 

[fseal]

This is a very old thread and doesn't seem to be a very common problem. It also seems unlikely to be caused by Windows itself IMHO.

I wonder if there isn't another common issue such as a common piece of AV software or maybe some sort of backup or "Data Safe" type of software that is being used as well? Could be some tag-a-long feature of program suite that is doing it... (Apple and Adobe software frequently installs all kinds of hidden "features" without telling you, plenty of others likely do the same)

 

[MilesAhead]

My suspicion would be it's related to updates. Even if you have system restore disabled, I would suspect if you have updates enabled, it enables the system restore so it can roll back if there's an error applying the update.

I'm just taking a shot in the dark. But that's one area where I could see the system rolling back without asking.

Back up your data to external drives.

Make system images with a 3rd party tool like Macrium or Easus ToDo Backup to an external drive.

 

[MrRoundel]

Thanks for your replies. The only AV software that I have, and I usually disable it, is the old Trend Micro PC-cillin. I find that AV stuff really slows down the PC and you are constantly receiving large-file updates. A little less than 2 months ago, installed a new WD hard drive in my computer but left the original in as a "slave". I did this because the original was making little squeaking noises upon start-up. I also purchased full version Acronis True Image and something known as a bootable image, aside from backing up my files weekly on an external hard-drive (WD Passport). I'm not that well versed in this deeper computer stuff, but I can say that my Passport is showing 191GB used, so I'm guessing that there's a large, bootable image, on there.(?) Last night my system finally "let" me use safe mode to initiate a check-disk process. I ran it on my "C" drive and the "H", which are both of my hard-drives. A few files were repaired via chkdsk. I awoke to the computer having restarted itself, despite my not initiating a restart. There was one of the 3 last desktop photos showing. I never know which one will show up on restart. Sometimes desktop icons show a more recent layout. Other times, it seems to go back to a day before, or? I know this because I cleaned up my desktop while mentally preparing for a complete system recovery. I guess I'll see which computer decides to show up and run today. It's like it's taken on multiple personalities, some of them with severe dementia. Thanks again. MrR

 

[fseal]

If files were repaired with chkdisk, that is potentially bad news

I would run it again till you get no errors. But also might want to run a better disk check program. Either you lost power while your computer was writing to disk (though NTFS is actually quite good at handling that) or possibly your disk could be going bad.

But either of those could posibly cause such problems as files reverting on next reboot because the newer versions didn't get written properly due to a bad file structure or possibly a bad disk.

 

[MrRoundel]

Thanks for your response,fseal. Sort of an interesting thing happened last night. We had a brief power outage. At the time, my computer was on standby. When I got up and attempted to start 'er up, it was a no go. Multiple beeps from tower. I unplugged the power cord and tried again. She started up and, of course, went to one of the earlier version screens. I ran checkdisk on the "C" drive, but blinked while the program was showing whether or not files had been corrupted, repaired, etc. The next line before restarting said something like "volume was clean". Upon restart, the "right" screen came up. My faith in my computer is being shaken a bit. I want to squeeze a little more life out of it before it's hopelessly obsolete. It's been a good one, Sony Vaio PCV-RX650. As I said, it's got a new 300GB WDC Caviar Blue HD in it as of September '11. Do you have a good disk checking utility to recommend? Terabytes of "thanks". MrR

 

[fseal]

Unfortuantely I don;t have a recomendation for a good free drive inspection tool. If they are both WD, I think that the WD website has a diagnostic tool you can use on them theough...

 

[MrRoundel]

I ran diagnostics on my hard drives using the WD/DataLifeguard utility. I need more computer "creds" to be able to read the report. Then, after reading someone's post on the WD discussion page, and seeing a report generated by HD TunePro, I downloaded a free trial version and ran it. My new drive seems to be o.k., but the old drive, now in "slave" position, showed a "warning" under "Reallocated Sector Count". So, I'm guessing that I at least made the right call in replacing the "master" drive. I'll just have to see what the future holds, since the main drive checks out. Thanks again, fseal, you've been very helpful. MrR