• Registered: 2024-05-19
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Serif PPx9 lost documents

Hi to all, I'm a newbie on this forum, and hope you can help.

I have encountered a problem with my Page Plus x9 program. When switching my computer on 7th May and opening-up Page Plus it only depicted two or three of the recent pages of work that I had been working on.  It appeared to be trying to open all the other documents (possibly circa 60 documents or so) - with the usual circular arrow going round and round - but then just went blank.  No matter how hard I have tried to recover the lost documents by applying all the usual methods: search, restore point, recover, etc these documents cannot be found.    I can access documents up to 2019 (would you believe) but I don't need them, I need the ones up to May 2024. I do have up to 2022 on a disc but not anything since (I know stupid of me) I do still have the original x9 installation disc, but am hesitant to re-insert it in case that has a serious knock-on effect to everything else that is stored on the PC?
It only applies to "all my documents' and not "all my photos or pictures" thankfully.  I do have an external hard drive, but oddly that also hasn't recorded anything recent either.
I have been in touch with Serif but as they are now Affinity they don't want to know now!!!
It is not good for my health with high blood pressure and very sleepless nights, also with age related health issues (now I'm 77) this is not something that I need right now.
I have been a loyal customer with Serif since 12th February 1994 (30 years ago) when I bought my first PPx2 and have had different versions ever since up to x9 when I bought that on 3rd December 2015.
I must say that I have enjoyed using it and have created thousands of professional documents, flyers and artworks from it.
I really do hope that someone can help me get my very important missing documents back?
I thank you all in advance of your kind assistance.
E: james[at]1stcardinal[dot]co[dot]uk

  • tomH
  • tomH
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Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

There are many ways to search your computer for the files. I prefer using Voidtools "Everything https://www.voidtools.com/". It's a free program that searches your computer for files you define. I suggest "*.ppp " as it should return every PagePlus file on your computer. If it finds your files, you are given the option to open it, copy the path name to the clipboard, and others.

3 Reply by GB

  • GB
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Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

I haven't tried voidtools. No doubt if Tom recommends it, it is excellent and easier to use, but you can search in File Explorer too. Open FileExplorer, navigate to  This Computer/C:, type *.ppp in the Search slot. and press Enter. The search may take some time to complete, depending how much clutter is on the hard drive.

  • Registered: 2024-05-19
  • Posts: 3

Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

Hi again TomH and GB.

Firstly apologise for the slight delay in responding but it has taken me days in my attempt to achieve anything, BUT.....

Thankyou, thank you, thank you both for your most kind and helpful assistance. Interesting to note that there appeared to be quite a lot of 'views' on the site, but only you two replying with options.

I initially did as Tom recommended, installed 'Everything - Void tools' and after a lot of unbelievable 'mumbo-jumbo' on-screen odd files cropping-up everywhere and text pages of 'machine' programming scrambled letters and Chinese lettering I thought I was getting somewhere, all to no avail. I tried this file and that file then something eventually happened with the missing PagePlus documents: they were there but still couldn't actually open them to view.

This morning I thought "kill it, or cure it" I'll try what GB said to try doing via File Explorer, not realising that upon trying to open it up to do a search - doing a download - it would take 4 hours saying "working on it" over and over again!!!  However upon its completion and by clicking on a selection of random files, which directed me to even more random page files, I eventually managed to find an 'All My Documents" icon which appeared to be a duplicate of what Toms Void tools came up with and discovered there were 275,000 documents hidden way going back years.  All I've got to do now is search for each one I'm missing either by name or by date.

Again I have to repeat a BIG "THANK YOU" for aiming me in the right direction by utilising both options to achieve my goal, especially as I'm not really computer savvy when it came to technical stuff like that, you are both STARS!!
Don't know what I would have done without you both, an excellent and very useful site to be on.

Very best wishes....James 'The Cardinal'

5 Reply by GB (edited by GB 2024-05-28 18:20:53)

  • GB
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Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

Hi James,

Glad to have helped. Yes, it can take a l o n g time for the search!

To help you find the file you want, it is possible to sort the resultant list in various ways in File Explorer. See attached illustration. Click the little arrowhead at Sort By for the drop=down list.

Geoff
https://i.postimg.cc/zbS0kzKV/sort.png

  • tomH
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Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

Glad you found your documents. Thanks for the feedback

7 Reply by Cardinal (edited by Alfred 2024-05-31 19:25:46)

  • Registered: 2024-05-19
  • Posts: 3

Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

Hi again to TomH and GB
Just a (hopefully) final question.  In light of the fact that my 'saving' systems E.G. external hard drive etc didn't do the job in retaining my documents, do have any favourite other sources: the cloud for example: free if possible?
And is it something that's easy to set-up and recover from when required?
As always I thank you in advance for your kind assistance.
Best wishes both, james[at]1stcardinal[dot]co[dot]uk

  • tomH
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Re: Serif PPx9 lost documents

I use two external HDD to save my files with Acronis backup software. My version of Acronis has a perpetual license, while newer versions are subscriptions, which I loathe, so I don't recommend Acronis. It would be best to research backup software, and external hard drives for reliability, ease of use, and cost. Then maintain two backup copies of your files-including the PagePlus program (and other important programs) every week. Most backup software automatically runs the backup at the time you set. Don't forget to create a dummy document that you can delete from your PC, then try and restore it from a backup, to make sure it was saved and can be recovered.

You mentioned Cloud storage. This link https://www.lifewire.com/free-cloud-storage-1356638 has a list of "The best free" Cloud storage sites.