What a bummer!

I bought a new laptop in November last year and it included some free 30 day trial software. As it had expired and I didn't want to buy the full versions, I decided to remove it via Add/Remove programs. UNFORTUNATELY when doing so, it corrupt the registry! Diligently, I took back ups of all my document, photographs etc onto DVD.

Re-installed Windows XP, Media Centre and my software - took a while but got there eventually. Luckily for me I took the back ups as all my files had been wiped during the installation.

So on Friday night I tried to upload the files etc from my back up discs, only to find that although the discs LOOK like they've been written to, no files can be detected on either disc by either my laptop or my DH's computer. I've lost the lot - hundreds of precious photographs that can't be replaced (I know, I should have done previous back ups), my business accounts have gone for the last 3 years too - I do have these on paper though.

Lesson for you all out there - BACK UP REGULARLY AND MAKE SURE THAT THE FILES ACTUALLY EXIST ON YOUR BACK UP MEDIA BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE TO RECOVER THEM.

If anyone out there knows of how to actually find out whether these discs contain data (the discs LOOK as if they contain data) I would be eternally grateful.