Crisis!!!!!!

[H2oskiphil]

I'm using Vegas, SF, and Acid...

Here's my crisis...apparently, my studio computer took a power hit, or lightning, or got whacked by an Internet worm, or something. My operating system (Win 98SE) will not start normally. I have tried repeatedly to reload the OS with no success. I can boot the computer in safe mode, though, and see all my .veg files and .wav files in their respective folders. I have been told by 2 different MSCE guys that I have to format the C: drive and start from scratch.

Here's my dilemna...I can copy all the .veg and .wav files from my storage folder on my C: drive to my D: drive (an identical, currently unused 80G HD). In fact, I've already done this. Just to make sure that they transferred OK, I downloaded a trial version of Vegas onto a different PC in my house, then tried to load a .veg file onto a floppy and play it in the good PC....no luck. I got an error message stating that the computer couldn't find the file in the specified location. But, what was interesting was that my other computer was looking for a track .wav file, not the .veg file.

Is a .veg file simply a "road map" to the series of .wav files that make up the individual tracks of a project? If so, where are the individual .wav files that make up the project stored? How can I create a backup system on my D: drive that will protect my current files (including a 16 track CD that is literally 1 week from being ready to send off to the duplicators!!!!!!!) so that the format on my C: drive will not destroy all my current files? Apparently just copying the .veg files isn't enough...do I need to copy everything out of my "Sonic Foundry" folder in the Windows Program Files directory over to the D: drive, then transfer everything back into the "new" Windows Program Files directory?

I'm afraid...very afraid!!!!!!

Thanks in advance for your answers...I want to get this thing back up and running ASAP, but not at the expense of losing my data. Speaking of which...if the .wav files that make up a .veg file are not stored in the same folder as the .veg file, how the hell are you supposed to back them up?

[drstawl]

Don't shit your pants yet!

The .veg file references the same PATH as you originally specified when you hit record.

The actual data is in separate .wav files that were created in the folder you specified when you hit record.

I'd focus on recovering the .wav files. Do a HD search to at least see if they exist on a drive somewhere. Search by date (date of recording) might be the most efficient query.

[H2oskiphil]

Drstawl-

Found the .wav files iassociated with the .veg files in the Vegas folder in the Program Files directory. So, I just dumped the entire Sonic Foundry folder from the Program Files directory onto the D: drive, as well. So, I think everything is saved, in some way, shape, or form.

Now I gotta resurrect the system without trashing the stuff I saved on the D: drive, and be able to make it all work again when I get the computer up and running. I think I'm going to be busy renaming paths for a while...

Win98 sucks.

[elevate]

Originally Posted by H2oskiphil

Now I gotta resurrect the system without trashing the stuff I saved on the D: drive

If you're really concerned about this, just unplug the drive until you've got the OS up and running.

I think I'm going to be busy renaming paths for a while...

No, once Vegas finds one file, it assumes the rest are there too. You should be making seperate folders for all your projects though, just for organization's sake.

Win98 sucks.

This has been common knowledge for about 5 years. I recommend upgrading to XP.

[H2oskiphil]

I would have upgraded to XP a couple of years ago, except I'm not completely comfortable with the stability of my Seasound Solo running XP. It was designed for 98, and the last "official" drivers from Seasound before they went belly up were for 98. A couple of talented techs have kept on the "upgrade the drivers" warpath, so there ARE XP drivers, but the unit loses some functionality in XP, and there seem to be some issues with the drivers.

The thing worked great for 30 months. If I'd used a little common sense and backed everything up regularly, I can live with having to re-install the OS and my programs occasionally...I only run Vegas, SF, and some soft synths from this PC...

[dopey]

yes, this is how sonic foundry does it.

I like to back up each project with it's wavs on a seperate ROM disc, and that way it will automatically look there in the future. Sorry to hear about the damage, but win XP wouldn't matter in that scenario. Always good to use the cds you get at the store heh, glad it got sorted though, wow *phew*