F**k Installation...

[grml]

Hi,

I installed Winamp5.06 a few hours ago. Setup asked me if I want to "upgrade"(?!?!?) Winamp3 to Winamp5, this would be recommended. I thought "yeah cool why not, then you don't have to deinstall it". All worked pretty well, then came the question if I want to remove the old skins and plug-ins. And naively as I was i clicked "Yes". What does this goddamn installation prog? It starts deleting all my *.mp3's, which were in another subdirectory called "mp3's"!!! I immediately wanted to abort the installation, but nothing worked (I'm using Win98SE), so I had to reset my computer.
And the result: this f***ing prog kicked ~200 mp3's in ~10 seconds..

I'm so angry, really.. who the hell told it to delete anything else then the Plugins or Skins subdirectory, he? God damn it!!

Edit: oh, obviously it not the fault of the Winamp5.06 Installation prog, but the Winamp3 Deinstallation prog.
But that does not change anything in the fact..

[JonnyMac]

I am Sorry that happened. Hopefully all is not lost (no pun intended). Maybe the following quote from a earlier thread will prove helpful.

Originally posted by Nunzio390

Never add anything of value that you want to keep (in your case the MP3's) into ANY Windows program folder(s) and then expect anything to remain intact after a complete uninstall of the program. True, not every Win32 program wipes the entire install directory. This is dependent on how the install package is authored. Unfortunately, Winamp3's install package was not authored that way. But common sense would dictate that you wouldn't "add" important files within a program's installation directory, and instead keep files within their own distinct folders (eg: My Music or Music, etc).

But it may not be too late to recover the deleted MP3's, even if they never made it to your Recycle bin (which they probably did not). Of course, if they are in the Recycle bin (doubtful), you can easily recover them by opening your Recycle bin, selecting/highlighting all the files and then select "Restore". If you have a utility installed like Norton's Protected Recycle bin, then there is no problem at all. You will be able to recover any and all files "permanently" deleted (even through a program uninstall). Do you have something like that? If not, then get something like it so that this problem cannot occur in the future.

Regardless, read through this guide on how to recover your files. Read both Part One and especially Part Two (if they are not present in your Recycle bin).

Good Luck

[grml]

thanks!

Sorry for my, eh style (my dictionary sais so..), I was really pissed off... but i made backup copies of a few things, and now I have restored 2/3 of the deleted files...

Btw: a friend wo studies software engineering told me, that since 2000 every installation program automatically delets every subdirectory of the installation path. I didn't know that, but I will keep that in mind..

With kind regards

[JonnyMac]

I was not bothered by the nature of you post, because your frustration was understandable. However, I did edit the thread title to something a little more appropriate.

Anyways, I am glad you were able to recover most of the files. Good luck and happy Winamping.

[gaekwad2]

That guide only mentions two shareware progs.
This one is free.

[Nunzio390]

Yeah. I had initially suggested that guide to someone close to a year ago, and then again on only one or two occasions soon after that. And all the while the solutions weren't free, so it's good that you posted that freeware link.

@ grml...

Try gaekwad's suggestion. See if the proggie will recover the remaining 1/3 of the files that you did not backup and weren't able to recover. If it works, then I'll bookmark the URL to the program and also recommend it in the future.