URGENT help needed! Recovering a partition?

Question

We've always had problems with our pc, the last time windows crashed i completely reformatted the hard drive and created three partitions, two 30 GB ones (one for windows and one for the next installation) and a larger 100GB one for files in general.
Recently windows crashed and wouldn't reboot because some files were missing. We reckon that this was because while i was playing a game the pc froze and eventually we had to press the power button to turn it off. I reinstalled windows on the other 30gb partition in the hope that i could replace the missing files or at least recover the files on the old installation (My Documents). When it installed i found that windows recognized its current partition and the larger one but the old installation came up with only its name and no size info. When i try to open the old partition windows says that it isn't formatted and that i formatted it but i know this will erase my data.
I've tried with Active Partition Recovery and this has read the drive but the free version cannot restore. I really need those files.

Is there anyway i can recover them for free? or if i have to pay whose service should i use (i live in UK)?
Should we get a new PC (its needed reinstalling about 6-8 times (windows xp) and its been to the store a few times)?
How can i stop this from happening (i'll buy an external HDD to back it up... i've finally learnt) again?

Thanks very much for your help.

Answer 1

1. Only keep (at most) 2 partitions at a time. I have had troubles similar to yours when keeping more that 2 partitions.

2. You should really replace the computer. Get a Dell or HP, these have great quality and reliability, which seems like your current one doesn't have either.



Hope this helps.

Answer 2

connect your pal's no longer undemanding disk on your pc and you will have been given the pictures in case you nevertheless can no longer see data, you could attempt some unfastened archives restoration application to recuperate archives, like eassos restoration unfastened and partitionguru unfastened. archives restoration application can recuperate deleted or formatted data once you purchased the pintures, you could reinstall gadget to the disk, and the gadget reinstall basically outcomes the gadget partition; i assume that there is undesirable sectors on the no longer undemanding tension, so which you will verify this. if my guessing is robust, do no longer save important archives on the no longer undemanding tension, for undesirable sectors would reason archives lost sometime.

Answer 3

if it was me i would just get a new pc and save all the trouble

Answer 4

www.partition-tool.com

Answer 5

testdisk

www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk