Folder containing Hundreds of "Snapshot" XML Files from 2014

[Arandas]

Please, in the PCDr folder, I found hundreds of these snapshot .xml files. I don't really understand what they're supposed to be used for, what exactly do they "snapshot"? What exactly are they used for?

Also, I am asking this because I currently have an issue with my computer, when I rebooted it, one of my files seemed to be corrupt, and I was wondering if there was any way to retrieve an older version of this file using these snapshot files or not.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Kris_PCD]

Hello Arandas,

The snapshots that are created by our software a simply a report of your system's configuration, and are used to keep track of changes that are made over time. Unfortunately, they cannot be used to recover any lost or corrupted files.

While I can't recommend any specific tools, a quick search for "file recovery" and "file repair" revealed several tools that may be able to help you recover the file that is giving you trouble. Please be careful when looking for one, there is always the possibility of malicious files on some sites.

Please let me know if you have any other PC-Doctor related questions or issues, and good luck with your file.

Thank you,
Kris

[Arandas]

Do you know if it is possible to somehow retrieve data from overwritten / replaced files using these programs? I shut down my laptop during a state of apparently low memory, and when I restarted it, the contents of one of my documents were replaced by page after page of question marks. The file properties also indicated that it was apparently recreated somehow by the system, though I had been editing the document for at least a week.

Thank you again for your help.

P.S. How is it possible to access or view these snapshot files? Do you have any suggestions?

[Kris_PCD]

Unfortunately, I don't know of any ways to recover a corrupted file other than by using a utility. I am sorry that I can't recommend any solutions, but if you search online for similar issues I am sure you will find several recommendations. However, if any forum members have a suggestion, they are welcome to share it. If you find a solution to your issue, we would appreciate you telling us as well.

As for accessing the snapshots, you can use either of the following methods to view the contents:

• Internet Explorer - will open a webpage so you can view the information.
• Notepad - can be a little hard to read, but it will work.

There are other options that can be used to view the snapshots, but both of these options should already be on you computer. However, you should be aware that the information contained in the snapshots are simply a record of your system's hardware configuration at that point in time, and it will not show you any software changes that occurred.

Good luck, and I hope you are able to find a solution to your issues.

Kris