computer geeks HELP!!!URGENT!lost data at work!

[mmaria]

Matt, they did backup on an external hard drive and the mentioned partition on their computers has My documents and Desktop files.
When I did recovery on one computer, it showed some deleted files but not some of the folders or files she (the user of the computer) remembered by name.
A woman had f.e. folders "2014" and "legal assistance" and they weren't shown either with EasyRecovery or on his external drive. We (I and IT guy who did backup) were speaking on the phone and he was telling me what he has on his drive. Interesting is also that some of the backuped files were shown on her computer but not on his drive.

We have 52 computers now and 4 departments with, of course, different demands.

The link situation... well I suppose I could say something like this...

In one department there are 6 computers with network/connected to the states register/excuse my ignorance... When I called that another IT guy who was doing the job via TeamViewer he said that there aren't supposed to be any troubles and that he doesn't understand why our guy needs whole day ... because all he needs to do is change hssl? file and copy that file on the rest of those computers (if I remember it correctly, he needs to put ip addresses there or something) I know a thing or two about computers but I know nothing about what I'm trying to explain you now so please forgive me

The hardest thing though is dealing with people.

The mentioned woman was a former chief of department and she's just a panic type. The documents that she lost aren't that big of a deal (yes they are but...) because she has all those printed and archived. She needs to type them again and use them as templates. She also mentioned that she has some of the documents on her usb stick drive, but she won't tell how many or what. She called her chief, told him she lost everything, she can't manage even to write a new document because they changed everything. She's claiming she doesn't know how to use new Word... She'll write to our superior and so on... so on.... and i'm really not good with dealing with that kind of people.

The second type is a woman I work with in office. She's rude and doesn't care about her vocabulary (someone might remember her from help I seeked for translating her sentences) . She attacked the guy, who run away from her, looking for me to go back in office (I was on a meeting). She was threatening and calling names.

And the third type is a woman who didn't even tell she lost some documents. I heard that from another woman.

Our IT guy in this whole story is completely lost. I kind of feel sorry for him, but then again I'm also mad at him, which makes my life even harder. I just want him to tell me "I don't know how to do this" and I'll know where we stand. This way he makes everything more complicated!

 

[Wizard15001]

In 2007, I retired as the computer systems manager at a V.A. hospital in Fl.....granted, my user #'s were much higher (1500 - 2500 at any given time)....having said that, I can tell you that if your company has 50 or so computer users, and they are all working on pc/laptops that are not networked together and being backed up at night, then that company is asking for trouble.....and apparently, they have found it.....good luck to you.....you all don't need an IT guy, you need an IT dept.....

 

[mmaria]

Unfortunately,the man who "runs this place" doesn't think that way! We've been without anyone at all for a month! We can serve as a bad example and how things shouldn't supposed to be done

 

[Msteelio91]

you all don't need an IT guy, you need an IT dept.....

I'll absolutely second this. Your organization needs someone on deck 24/7 and you need to get these systems networked and backed up. You don't even need to host a server, sign up for a hosted service and call it a day.

Unfortunately,the man who "runs this place" doesn't think that way! We've been without anyone at all for a month! We can serve as a bad example and how things shouldn't supposed to be done

That's absurd. Whoever runs the place needs to get their head on straight.

Congrats on the 3,000th post by the way.

 

[Tailgunner]

Wow...50 PCs/users, no Network Server, and employees are storing everything direct to their HDs?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Best of luck.

 

[mmaria]

Congrats on the 3,000th post by the way.

You're basically saying that I tossed my 3000 post on this stupidity!!!!

 

[mmaria]

Wow...50 PCs/users, no Network Server, and employees are storing everything direct to their HDs?

Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Best of luck.

yes I agree with you all, of course

I'm working here since October last year. I was in complete shock when I started the procurement for new computers and software. I had to make a list of all the working computers. You wouldn't believe on what computers some people were working, their ram was 512 mb f.e. and they were complaining for years but no one was listening them.
In one office there are three computers and two people working. Why they need the third computer? Well it serves them for printing only. It has to be turned in so they can print! absurd!

What is also a problem, people don't know what the previous or this current guy did on their computer, they don't understand nor anyone explained to them...

I know nothing about servers, but I'm tempted to learn... but then again, that's not my job at all... but then again, I'm starting to be really curious about this all IT world

Thanks for everything!

 

[mmaria]

and forgot to say just one more thing...

Tinderbox, those guys from that forum you linked were very nice! Thank you!

I might spend some time there

 

[Tailgunner]

their ram was 512 mb f.e.

That is one penny pinching company! You could do better with a $100 and a flea market.

This brings back memories. It's been at least 10 years since I've seen and upgraded a 512mb Ram PC. I really do feel for you. I would personally buy an external hard drive and personally back up my stuff separate.

 

[mmaria]

their ram was 512 mb f.e.

That is one penny pinching company! You could do better with a $100 and a flea market.

if you knew about what kind of organization is this all about, it would be even worse!

This brings back memories. It's been at least 10 years since I've seen and upgraded a 512mb Ram PC.

oh lol!
Five of those computers were using a separate software/application which requires much more then 512mb of course, and when I saw that I immediately promised them they'll finally get new computers.

One woman actually hide the new computer until they install a new version of the software (kind of a state register) because she's afraid someone will come and take it! I said: "No one can take this computer, it's yours!" She said: "Oh, you don't know this place!"
Can you believe? she (and the rest four users) were complaining for years to the current superior, chief of department, the former superior, the former chief, IT guys, everyone, and no one listened.

That makes me feel a bit better, because at least I've done something about that.

I really do feel for you.

I appreciate

I would personally buy an external hard drive and personally back up my stuff separate.

yup!

 

[jowensphoto]

Matt, they did backup on an external hard drive and the mentioned partition on their computers has My documents and Desktop files.
When I did recovery on one computer, it showed some deleted files but not some of the folders or files she (the user of the computer) remembered by name.
A woman had f.e. folders "2014" and "legal assistance" and they weren't shown either with EasyRecovery or on his external drive. We (I and IT guy who did backup) were speaking on the phone and he was telling me what he has on his drive. Interesting is also that some of the backuped files were shown on her computer but not on his drive.

We have 52 computers now and 4 departments with, of course, different demands.

The link situation... well I suppose I could say something like this...

In one department there are 6 computers with network/connected to the states register/excuse my ignorance... When I called that another IT guy who was doing the job via TeamViewer he said that there aren't supposed to be any troubles and that he doesn't understand why our guy needs whole day ... because all he needs to do is change hssl? file and copy that file on the rest of those computers (if I remember it correctly, he needs to put ip addresses there or something) I know a thing or two about computers but I know nothing about what I'm trying to explain you now so please forgive me

The hardest thing though is dealing with people.

The mentioned woman was a former chief of department and she's just a panic type. The documents that she lost aren't that big of a deal (yes they are but...) because she has all those printed and archived. She needs to type them again and use them as templates. She also mentioned that she has some of the documents on her usb stick drive, but she won't tell how many or what. She called her chief, told him she lost everything, she can't manage even to write a new document because they changed everything. She's claiming she doesn't know how to use new Word... She'll write to our superior and so on... so on.... and i'm really not good with dealing with that kind of people.

The second type is a woman I work with in office. She's rude and doesn't care about her vocabulary (someone might remember her from help I seeked for translating her sentences) . She attacked the guy, who run away from her, looking for me to go back in office (I was on a meeting). She was threatening and calling names.

And the third type is a woman who didn't even tell she lost some documents. I heard that from another woman.

Our IT guy in this whole story is completely lost. I kind of feel sorry for him, but then again I'm also mad at him, which makes my life even harder. I just want him to tell me "I don't know how to do this" and I'll know where we stand. This way he makes everything more complicated!

Oh geeze, doesn't know how to use the new Word? I don't mean to laugh, but I'm laughing... we just went through an MS Office upgrade and it's so crazy how lazy people can be. Sure, it looks different, but it's the same old Word!!!

I will say, however, I really hate that they changed the Outlook icon from yellow to blue. Confuses the hell out of me haha

 

[mmaria]

She's just making a scene, she loves scenes and complains a lot...

Luckily her son came in the office and I asked him politely to show her how to use the new Word. I was just finishing showing her hot to copy and paste in new Word

 

[Msteelio91]

This is the year 2014. Computers have been a core part of business for decades, there is no excuse for not knowing how to use a computer now. The "oh well i'm just not a computer person" line doesn't apply anymore. I can't tell you how many new employees come into my company and have no friggin clue how to use a single MS Office program, and they expect me to teach them.. FAT CHANCE!

Anyway - I know you say you're interested in learning about servers and potentially getting more involved with IT. But please understand that the second you step away from basic desktop support and delve into networking it becomes a massive load of really technical work, and if you mess one thing up you might kill the whole system. From what I gather, you do some IT support in the office because you're one of the more (or only) competent people with computers in your office. This shouldn't mean that you become the actual IT personnel. If you have a job to do already, you are not going to have time to learn what you need in order to develop and deploy a networked solution for a whole new environment. It's nothing against your ability, it's just that it's a full time job for 2 additional people who are already experienced in networking, not a side gig for someone getting started. Don't overload yourself!!

 

[Tailgunner]

I can't tell you how many new employees come into my company and have no friggin clue how to use a single MS Office program, and they expect me to teach them.. FAT CHANCE!

I remember MS Office being a required class back in college when I got into computers. College wasn't the only way to learn MS Office in those days but it was probably the most common. You could get a heavy discount on the software through college for one thing. Fast forward 15 years and our son is being taught MS Office in the 4th grade. All his writing assignments and reports are all done through MS Office, including Powerpoint presentations. Anyhow, it's hard to image people now days who can't even type something up in Word. I mean, I've run across a few but their usually someone like my Father in law who's 80 years old and didn't get his first PC until he was around 76 yrs old.

 

[terri34 6]

I can't tell you how many new employees come into my company and have no friggin clue how to use a single MS Office program, and they expect me to teach them.. FAT CHANCE!

Then perhaps your company should either have a training program, or simply not hire them. Don't be too harsh on those who have managed to live their lives without encountering certain things - it happens. Companies have the option to not hire people who have no computer experience on their resumes; or make certain that they do in fact have a training session (or three) to make certain the people they hire can do their jobs. If companies elect to hire people who can't function and then just let them swing, or think they can just shove them off on their co-workers, that tells you more about the company culture and mindset than it does about the person hired.

Bad management will do companies in on many levels.