My data is gone. What happened?

[zestygirl]

All my data has completely disappeared in the main and back up db! What happened?

I have a database that is on a server, populated with a bunch of data. There is a security file associated with it that has 10 different logons, each with special accesses, as well as an administrator password. There are 10 users.

Each user has the shortcut to the Dbase on their desktop, pointing to the server.

There is a 'back up' copy of the dbase on the same server right next to the original, that even points to the same security file. (not my idea, but, oh well. I would've put the back up far away somewhere with a separate copy of the security file where users couldn't touch it).

The users arrived to find all of their shortcuts missing from their desktops, the security file no longer associated with the database, and all the hard data gone from the database AND the "Back Up" (if we want to even call it a back up).

I had the user re-associate the database with a back up of the security file. The user was able to open it, but, the data remains MIA.

My suspicion? Antivirus/spam software has gobbled up the shortcuts, data and corrupted the connection between dbase and security file?

Any other ideas? Do you think the data might have been zapped via some other method? If antivirus software has gotten it, could it be recovered?

Ideas, suggestions, sympathy welcome.

 

[PaulO]

hmmm ... I'd be looking for a human, rather than a viral, fault I'm afraid

 

[rodmc]

I would agree with Paul, seems to me like a case of PEBKAC Im afraid

AV tools only delete when commanded to be the user (they may quarantine files but they dont automatically delete stuff)

One would imagine your IT dept would do backups every night, maybe give them a call and ask them to restore the last known good copy?

 

[smig]

you have my simpathy

I'll suspect a bad connection that killed the db.
an automatic backup will replae the older good one with the bad one, so you end up with dead backup.
Hope your system admin can get a good backup copy.

though I'm not in favour of doing any advertising here I'm using iDrive as backum system. it will hold up to last 30 versions.

also from your description it seems your db is not split. you should split it so only the back end (data) is shered and each user has it's oun copy of the front end (The application)