Data suddenly lost - how do I recover?

[paulactpro2013]

Using Act Pro 2013 -- I was deleting a single contact and Act froze. Had to terminate program after waiting 10 minutes and when I re-opened Act, I lost 7000 contacts. Is there a way to recover other than from a back-up? I just learned my online backup service (Mozy) does not create a zip file. Thanks!

[wellmet]

I have recovered an ACT! database from a Mozy backup so it can be done if you are backing up the database on Mozy.  If your ACT! database is in your My Documents folder (it usually is) and you are backing up your My Documents folder on Mozy (you usually are) then you can probably get it back.  Recovering it can be a little bit tricky but it isn't too bad.  Basically you will need to shut down your SQL service and then restore the database.  Contact me offline if you want me do do it for you.

Stan

[paulactpro2013]

Thanks for the reply Stan. I just checked my Mozy status and regrettably, it isn't capturing the back-up, a problem I have just fixed going forward. Not sure why ACT froze then lost data -- second time in a month. I'd like to resolve the root cause so if you have suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks.

[Roy_Laudenslager]

I suspect that you chose to delete the lookup rather than the current contact. If your lookup was all contact it was trying to delete the entire database. 

[dshaw111]

Again another case of how vital it is to use an Act! consultant.  The small cost is worth every penny when your business is in the database.

2 basic points we make:

1. Schedule a regular backup (and test it)

2. Read all messages when they appear before proceeding.  When deleting there are at least 2 warnings!

It's about time that SP passed on the importance of implementing Act! (and any application) correctly.  Is your business worth the risk?? I wish we consultants could help such sorry situations such as this.

[paulactpro2013]

I suppose that is a possibility. Strangely, it deleted all records from A to S and left T and beyond.

[dshaw111]

In terminating Act! you probably stopped it deleting beyond S.

[wellmet]

I agree with David.  I suspect that you selected delete lookup. That's most likely what happened.  I've never seen ACT! delete 7000 contacts when the end user didn't tell it to and I've been working with ACT! for 23 years now.  It is theoretically possible if the hard drive failed in a location that contained the ACT! database but I've never seen it happen.  Unfortunately there isn't any way to recover except to restore from a backup.

Stan

[paulactpro2013]

Forgive my ignorance, but just so I don't repeat the problem, can you explain deleting lookups? When I look at the lookup pull-down, there isn't a delete function. Thanks for clarifying.

[wellmet]

To delete contacts you usually choose Contacts from the menu and then Delete Contacts.  Then you have three buttons and you almost never want to click the middle one.  :-)

Stan