Beware ... 1.185 update

[chevytrucking]

I just updated and everything is gone! All my mpcs, patterns, vector art, everything I've done for the past 3 years is gone! I updated just as every other time, save it in the same location, etc. This update, replaced the entire Carvewright folder I had with a new version, evidently erasing everything I had. I tried a System Restore, and it only brought back the folders, all empty.

I've been frustrated with the machine before, but if I've really lost everything from the software, this may be the last straw. I'm waiting on customer support to open this morning, depending on what they say, I don't know if I want to continue with this system any longer.

[DickB]

I hope that you have a backup copy. I keep three.

[mtylerfl]

I just updated and everything is gone! All my mpcs, patterns, vector art, everything I've done for the past 3 years is gone! I updated just as every other time, save it in the same location, etc. This update, replaced the entire Carvewright folder I had with a new version, evidently erasing everything I had. I tried a System Restore, and it only brought back the folders, all empty.

I've been frustrated with the machine before, but if I've really lost everything from the software, this may be the last straw. I'm waiting on customer support to open this morning, depending on what they say, I don't know if I want to continue with this system any longer.

That's very odd...I have installed seven Beta versions of the 1.185 version, as well as installing the public release version just yesterday. All of my folders, patterns and mpc's, etc. have remained intact - no problems at all.

Hopefully, Tech Support can help you get everything restored and shed some light on what may have happened at your end. As mentioned in the post above, you can always restore everything from your backup files, as a last resort. At the moment, I don't see how the update could have "erased" your files, though.

[TerryT]

The only problem I have noticed so far is that it deleted my default wood, changing it from cherry to just plain white. It deleted the cherry and I had to restore it from backups. I haven't noticed anything else so far. I do not use the Carvewright folder to store mpc's or ptn's so I haven't had a problem there.

[henry1]

My problem is I updated to 185 had to register again was ok,, today had redownload again the new software again an registered again seem ok now hope it can stay that way hope there no glich in it

[chevytrucking]

I talked to tech support. Basically, they say it's all my fault and yes it's all lost. I had everything saved in the Carvewright folder, the actual program, my personal stuff, my backups, etc. and the update this time replaced the entire folder. They say, you have to keep pattern files, mpcs, backups, etc. somewhere separate, like in your documents and settings profile. Funny, never mattered on previous updates, I've updated the exact same way every time. I'm just about done with this thing, I've lost hundreds of patterns, hundreds of mpc's, even hundreds of just plain pictures I'd saved for ideas on future projects. When it's this much hassle, it takes the fun out of it.

[RMarkey]

As a last resort, you can always try a recovery (undelete) tool. I've used "recuva" sometimes.

http://www.piriform.com/recuva/download

(http://www.piriform.com/recuva/download)

[SteveNelson46]

Me too Michael! I've had no problems at all.

[k9smith]

Lost all mine as well ugh

[Jeff_Birt]

It is generally never a good idea to keep your data mixed in with a programs data. Not only does the programs installer/updater not know that it is there but it is also much harder to back up. If you keep all of your data under 'My Documents' then you only have to backup your 'My Documents' folder and all of your stuff is safe.

For the past few years I have been using Windows Home Server. All of my PCs are automatically backed up to the server and I have a program running on the server that automatically backs up the important things off-site. This off site backup is only about $60/year for 150GB. If you mainly use one PC than you could just have the off-site backup of that PC. I use IDrive for this but there are several other alternatives.

One other idea to recover your lost data. If you are using a newer operating system a restore point will have been created before the new software was installed. You may be able to roll back to that restore point and have all of your data back.

[chevytrucking]

I'm running Windows XP professional, it's a company issued computer and I have work related software that will not function correctly with Windows Vista or 7. The reason I had everything in one folder, was also because this is a work computer. I had the CW program, files, etc. all under a personal data folder so I can keep personal and work stuff separate. It wasn't installed under the Programs folder. The XP restore, only recovered the folders, not the data. I guess what makes me so mad is that I've never had an issue before. Heck, I just updated to 1.184 about a month ago, same way.

If you haven't upgraded yet, MAKE SURE all your stuff is backup'd completly separate from anything Carvewright related. I did a document backup about a year ago on a flash drive, it's in the shop at home, maybe some of my stuff is still there.

[wlkjr]

I feel for you. Had I known 2 months ago what I know now, I wouldn't have bought one of these. I've had serious buyers remorse the last two weeks.

[liquidguitars]

we test a lot of builds for Carveright and i have all my data intact. I would try a OS restore back a few day if you can and then copy the old directory to a new location with a build number like " Carvewright 1.181" then do the upgrade to the normal install directory, works well without loss the plus is you can use the older version and the new version this way. good luck!

I am thinking do you not have any new backups of the directory? as the projects can live in the same location. the files you need to check are *.mpn

[brdad]

I didn't really check when I upgraded other than to make sure it opened. I did notice right off that choosing the option not to create shortcuts will delete any existing shortcuts you have. That seems non-standard to say the least, but it is a minor issue.

So I just opened Designer again to see what my status was. To my surprise, I have more patterns in my library now, many of which have no names beside them. I'm not sure where they came from, I am guessing from forum posts but I never added most of them to my library. Some I don't recall ever seeing before. Do newer Designer versions have additional patterns on them?

[liquidguitars]

Designer versions have additional patterns on them?

If like the one we tested yes some of the older patterns are included now...

[badbert]

Everything worked fine for me!

[chevytrucking]

I've had serious buyers remorse the last two weeks.

It funny, this machine/software can amaze me one day and have me looking for a sledge hammer the next. I was ready to trash it all this morning, now, I don't know. I haven't put down the sledge just yet, going to wait and see what's left on that old flash drive when I get home tonight.

As the day has went on, I realize that not only all my patterns and projects are gone, so to are about 20+ tutorials, all the tips & tricks articles, every manual CW has available, pages of maintenance documents I've collected, etc. I have to keep all that stuff on my computer becuase I don't have an internet connection over at my shop. Rebuild or sledge? I'm teetering....

You know, one time I bought this high tech, expensive battery charger and after only 1 use, it quit. Store wouldn't take it back, manufacturer wouldn't answer phone calls, etc. I took it out back and put a box of 30-06 into it, man that sure felt good....

[TerryT]

I've had days like that! LOL I don't have a 30.06 but I think my XD-40 would work just fine.

[DickB]

I have a similar system with multiple PCs and automatic off-site backup for the master. When you think of all the time and energy that you put into CW designs, and in my case electronic designs, software development, documents, and photos, there is too much at stake not to consider off-site backup. At $60 a year, it's inexpensive insurance against a flood, tornado, or fire.

chevytrucking, I'm sorry for your loss of data. If you do decide to rebuild, please include some kind of data backup plan for your computer.

[liquidguitars]

Sun spots at work...

[skeeterman]

Chevytrucking, before you take that sledgehammer or 30-06 to it i may be ready to up my count of machines .
steve

[earlyrider]

This happened to me also; but left two icons on the desktop, and the program loaded was 1.182, which has never been on this computer before! I ended up doing a system restore, which gave me new problems. Spent all day trying to fix this thing (wish it were as easy to repair as the CW) and tomorrow looks like another computer wrestling day. Didn't loose much in patterns, tho. Most of my good stuff (that I hadn't backed up well enough) disappeared when the other computer passed away in May.
I redownloaded the 1.185 this afternoon, and its functioning well now.
Next, I hope to get the email straightened out.
Ron

[chevytrucking]

ended up doing a system restore, which gave me new problems. Spent all day trying to fix this thing

Same thing here, the system restore I tried didn't help a thing with the CW problem, but corrupted my profile on the computer. So, not only did I lose all my CW stuff, I lost all of my internet favorites, my desktop settings and icons, and my email. Took about 4 hours yesterday morning to get it sort of back to normal. Unfortunately, I can't use an offsite backup like some of you guys do, this is a company owned computer with their data on it too, when I asked, they said no.

I found a flash drive backup that was from June 2011. So, I at least recovered back to about a year ago, but there's still a ton of stuff gone. I'm really ticked about losing the project I'd been working on for past few days. I'm still disgusted. I tried the recovery link below, but it only recovered about 8 files out of hundreds.

Liquidguitars said there were some older patterns included on the release, which I guess I also didn't get. I moved my backup fav file over and just replaced the new one, not realizing there were patterns in it. What am I missing?

[Jeff_Birt]

To the OP. This has been a hard lesson for sure. It seems the largest source of the problem was the non-standard installation path and mixing your data in with the program installation files. As I mentioned before these are things that a program installer will be ignorant of and the reason that it is standard practice to keep data in a different place. While loosing data always stinks it does bring to light that need to backup your data. What if your hard drive crashed, you would have lost everything as well, who would you be mad at then? Rather than finding someone to be mad at it might be more productive and bring your blood pressure down to come up with a back up plan for the future. I've been in the place where I lost data before and did not like it any more than you so now I automatically back things up.

You may still be able to recover more of your data with a data recovery program like Atuar recommended.

[lynnfrwd]

IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT WILL SAVE A LOT OF YOU FRUSTRATION, TIME & TROUBLE (and us a few less phone calls).


IF YOU ARE RUNNING PROJECT DESIGNER VERSION 1.182 OR EARLIER...

You must follow the special one-time installation instructions that tell you to REMOVE THE OLD PROJECT DESIGNER VERSION from your control panel.
Install latest version 1.185 (with Run As Administrator, if you are Windows 7 or Vista).

Go to www.carvewright.com/update to access the instructions and latest version.





(This has been a public service announcement. We now continue our regularly scheduled programming.)

[chevytrucking]

...who would you be mad at then? Rather than finding someone to be mad at it might be more productive......You may still be able to recover more of your data with a data recovery program like Atuar recommended.

I guess what makes me mad on this one, is that I've never installed an update of any software, CW or otherwise, that totally deleted all data in an existing folder that was located in my documents. The install wizard asks for directory to install "in". I click browse and selected the folder that I've always used. But instead of installing "in", it just replaced the entire folder, even though there were a dozen others contained within it that were not part of the install. The previous updates didn't delete anything except CW software components. As far as a hard drive failure, I do not worry about it. I use a Panasonic Toughbook that is about the most durable, rugged pc ever made. I've never even heard of a hard drive failure in one of these and I've been around tons of them in the past 10 years.

As of today, all my CW stuff is stored in a folder called "US Marine Corps History". That should surely keep it safe.

[CNC Carver]

Toughbooks are nice but they also have drive failures. We replace on the 1,000 we use in the field at my work. Always a good idea to have a backup. Better safe than sorry.

[MORMONFLY]

I lost everything when I updated to 1.184, but just now noticed it. took three nites to load it and restore my licences.

[lynnfrwd]

It shouldn't have.

What did u lose and why did it take so long?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rcdages]

I had good luck.

1.185 loaded well in both the laptop and the desk top.

A BIG BIG thank you to all at LHR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!