I really wish you the best! Something like that would really make my piles throb big time!

Yes, we all know about backups.. Right!!  I'm sure the majority of us have all experienced that stomach pit feeling, just a millisecond after pushing a button! 

I can't believe what I've done!!

As some of you know, I've had a few health issues, and as a result, my head is not exactly 'on track'. Well, it seems things are even worse than I thought...

I've managed to PERMANENTLY destroy almost 20 years worth of flightsim software! ALL my downloaded payware addons have been not just deleted, but overwritten with other backup data! Including all the corresponding text files containing the serials, recepts and passwords etc.

I'll not bore you all with exactly how. Just know that I had my head up my ***** while thinking I knew what I was doing.

Every single payware addon I've purchased since buying FS2002. Plus 5 different FS platforms. Hundreds and hundreds:-/ Ho, hum.....

Looks like I'm going to be downloading stuff for the next month.

Bah effin humbug I say!!!!!!!!

I've been there too. Best way to approach this is one step at a time. Trying to do it in a month even will be too overwhelming. Only install and retrieve serials/downloads for each  new flight you do and eventually you'll build it all up again. Avoid the stress.  The good news is, you only ever make that mistake once. (hopefully)

 

Best of luck

Hi Dougal

Been there

Can be quite a positive thing

We all have huge amounts of fabulous addons that we will never get to fly -no time -other things to do.

Do a clean install and only put on the planes and flights you actually fly.

Enjoy some good flying while you can cos believe me new stuff is always appearing and soon you will be full again of addons you never have time to fly twice after initial install.

xxd09

Thankfully I'm at least able to laugh about it;)

For those stating the importance of backups, you've sort of missed the point..... I backup regularly. Doing some spring cleaning on my drives while not well is what happened. Formatted my data disks expecting to the use my freshly created backups to recover from. Only then, I accidentally copied my music backup drive over to my FS data backup drive before moving it's data:-/

At least I'll have stuff to keep me busy for a while.

I don't delete or format drives. I buy a new drive every three months or so, copy my old drive, then put it into storage (fireproof cabinet at work).

 

Reformated a drive by a mistake years ago, and swore it would never happen again.

I buy a new drive every three months or so, copy my old drive, then put it into storage (fireproof cabinet at work).

 

Wow.  That is a serious regime

Lesson learned: backup your stuff on regular intervalls.

 

God bless you, Captain Hindsight.

 

Dougal, what can I say, that really sucks, man. I really do hope you can recover everything, if not most things. I also hope you have a reasonably fast internet connection that it shouldn't take too long. Most vendors won't charge you any money again, but if you're looking for stuff from 20 years ago, who knows what trouble you might face. I hope your health issues are getting better too.

This is the new real nightmare, that we are facing, for the future and in my opinion this is the next big thing to solve.

Is not only files of our hobby but is also Photo, PDF of bills, word document etc.

Blu-ray disk are not any more useful as you can see that they deteriorate very fast, no mention to the drive to read them.

You need also the serial number or password or to remember which one of plus the patch of this and that or what order.

The method of cloud save is not really so handful you need to pay but then you also need a good connection of internet otherwise download 60 gb or Upload them is no sense and if you have no connection it's no go .

Buying terabyte hard drive  is the only safe method for now and put them in mirror mode, so you have time to replace in case of error,  but you need to buy at list 100-150 € 1T 2T of a good WD RED or Black because the GREEN are deadly for backup, learn the story. so every 2-3 years invest many bucks of hard drive.

I wish new technology could found a solution.

Some vendors are lenient, if you still have your account but lost your key they might issue you with a new one, or contact the developer. Anyway, I feel your pain! Just imagining this makes my toenails curl inwards! Talk about pucker factor!

Think I'll just plump for an alphabetic process of vendors;-)

Here goes nothing...... ;-)

Already run into in my first issue....

There are some addons that give me no clue as to where I purchased them....

First is First Class Simulations Lancaster

There are some addons that give me no clue as to where I purchased them....

First is First Class Simulations Lancaster

 

 

 just visit the online stores that you bought from and look at your purchase history there

 

Just Flight do sell some first class simulations stuff, was it them

 just visit the online stores that you bought from and look at your purchase history there

 

Just Flight do sell some first class simulations stuff, was it them

 Thanks. Just logged into JF and found it.

 

Anyone know if any of Justin's FSGenisis Mesh is still downloadable?  I use to have a Galaxy membership.

Justin is back in business as Toposim and is honoring the old Galaxy Lifetime memberships. You'll need to contact him on his website, toposim.net, with your old account information and he will reactivate it.You won't be able to get your old FSGenesis mesh as he sold that company and files, but you can get his new Toposim Mesh. I believe he has most of the world covered. A donation is suggested to help with costs of download bandwith for the lifetime galaxy members. You'll need your old account information to reactivate it.

 

Ted.

You'll need your old account information to reactivate it.

 

Ted.

mmmmm..... that sort of defeats the object;-)

Glad to hear he's back in business though.

mmmmm..... that sort of defeats the object;-)

Glad to hear he's back in business though.

 

 

Or you can get free mesh here: http://www.avsim.com/topic/467933-freemesh-x-global-10-release-announcement/page-42#entry3495512