Oh, bless your heart. Take it to a computer store and have a specialist look at it. I'll say a little prayer for you and trust that you will get your files back.

My son took his somewhere and they retrieved all his wedding picture???

So sorry to hear this Michelle...but if they are on an external hard drive, they might be able to be recovered...same with a USB stick...what device are the files on?

So sorry about your designs I backed up last week, but do take it to a specialist they may be able to retrieve them.

I am so sorry Michelle. I know how important your embroidery is for you. I agree with Kim. Perhaps you can also go to sites that will have all your designs and you can download again.

Oh! I'm so sorry for your misery! Please don't give up on getting them restored. There is often a way. Get several opinions and google for lots of possibilities!

I thought I had lost everything on my laptop that had everything from my 4 previous laptops, a few years back. Refusing to give up all hope even after being given the news several times that it was a lost cause. I continued to hold onto the laptop and occasionally coming across a person that may have better skills at saving files from a dead computer. We would try again, more bad news. I tried to put the loss behind me and had worked to rebuild my files, gathering the freebies I was still interested in and redownloading purchased designs from sites who provide that service to their customers. The more time passed the more unlikely it seemed I would ever have any of those files restored. It held so much more than just my embroidery designs, which was why I could not bear to throw out the laptop as I would almost get a sick stomach every time I thought or looked at it and would then put it out of sight. Finally we met a persistent tech savvy computer geek who thankfully was able to save most everything. He said it was extremely difficult challenge for him and could see why others had not been successful in their attempts. I am still so very grateful for what he was able to do for me. I am also still sorting and refiling designs and clearing out the doubles sometimes even triples of the files I now have. I have been at it for several months now but the alternative, I shutter and know the feelings Michelle is likely going through.

I too will be praying that your files will also be able to be saved and you will be able to accomplish what you are needing to do for your up coming craft shows. "Back up your files" I think should be our motto to all embroidery enthusiasts, that we each know. We need to do a back up regularly and not just say the words to each other. Learn from those who know the heart ache and financial costs involved or you may be the next one telling us the sad tale of loss that has been repeated on all embroidery sites far too often. I am sure moderators almost scream "Not another!!" when they hear the news...far far too often, from people who had heard the warnings, but life goes on and time seems short and the planned back up gets pushed back, due to life's demands, life finally catches up in some cases. Oh how I hope that these files can be saved and hope even more that these warnings will not fall on deaf ears, so maybe just maybe we can be hearing more stories about the relief people had that their files had been backed up, they were saved from the grief and financial loss over and above the machine itself. The loss of a computer or laptop was a financial cost and an inconvenience but nothing like what Michelle is fearing today. Hugs to all those who have learned this most difficult lesson the hard way already. Pam

I'm so sorry you are living the nightmare we all dread. I know your heart is broken. Like everyone else I hope you find someone who can restore most of not all of what you have lost. And please, use more than 1 back up system. External hard drive, flash drives and back up systems like Carbonite are all great back ups. But we need more than 1 for safety sake. And no, Moderators are not tired of hearing this. We grieve with you and keep on advocating back ups upon back ups.

I am so sorry Michelle, this is dreadful news. if as previously mentioned you can take it somewhere to be retrieved of course I know that you will be doing or have done this already. I will also say a prayer for you that someone will be able to help you with this. I can only imagine how many countless hours you have put into creating your "stitching scenes" I hope that all is not lost. My best Loralye

Oh honey. I feel so sad for you.

Oh, Michelle! We all feel your pain!!! Was it your external hard drive that went down? Or computer? I save to an external hard drive and a flash drive. I don't really trust the flash drive, but it's a back up for my others! Pray you can find someone who can retrieve it all!

Oh My Gosh ... I'm so sad for you ..

Oh Michelle I am so sorry fo you. If any of the designs were digitised by me, I will gladly replace them. As for others purchased, a lot if sites keep a record of your purchases so you should be able to go to your account and download them again.
Do you not keep copies of emails/receipts as proof of purchase?
I can't think what else to suggest. I do hope you can recover your design files, you must be so gutted. Will pray for some help for you. Hugs n blessings, meg

Oh! Dear Michelle I pray that all your lost embroideries can be found. Praying for a good outcome. Luv Chris

Bummer! I use Carbonite which does it automatically for me. The cost is $5 per month.

I think you need a hug. Hope you will find a way to get them back

How awful & inconvenient.
I have had this happen to me twice,time seems to fly & we don't realize that it has been ages since our embroidery files have been backed up.
I keep my embroidery files on a USB stick but as soon as it shows any signs of playing up I promptly transfer them on to a new stick.Also I try to back them up on a external hard drive every month but this often gets forgotten .
Why hasn't anyone developed a program which would automatically add any new designs to your embroidery back up folder ,as they are purchased or digitized by you

I am so sorry this has happened to you! You have gotten great advice, don't give up. Hoping there is a way for you to recover all of those wonderful design files. I am sending you a hug, Cece

Happened to me twice. Second time I got a nasty ransom virus and it actually killed my computer and reformatted everything. My computer tech has still been unable to figure it out. I ended up buying a new computer and am startiing from scratch. At the time I had my external HD connected and it reformatted that too so nothing was safe. I'm working on rebuilding. There are some designers that keep records of your purchases and if so, you can re-download. e.g. Sue Box, Sonia Showalter, Embroidery Library, just to name a few. Check out the sites you have made purchases from. The freebies? I'm afraid they are lost. I'm watching what comes up on the daily freebies here and then have to save again! My computer tech said that you should have your designs in two places...1 is on your computer and 2 on some external drive...maybe USB sticks can work if you categorize them so that you can find them easily. Good luck! Will be thinking of you as I work on my retrieval bit by bit. Avis