help. restore went back too far

My wireless adapter wsn't being recognized so I thoought I would do a system
restore. it did not ask me to set a restore point. it seems to have gone back
to the original date ( jan, 1 2005). I cannot find most of my documents,
music, photos etc. the system even had me re-name the computer as if I just
took it out of the box and turned it on for the first time.

By the result, I am guessing that you did not use the Windows System

By the result, I am guessing that you did not use the Windows System Restore
(found under Accessories, System Tools, System Restore), but used the
manufacturers restore/setup program. The Windows System Restore would have
shown you a calendar with the restore points indicated and let you choose
the one you wanted.

The manufacturer's (Dell, Sony, HP, etc.) restore program is designed to
return the system to the out of the box state, it usually warns you to back
up any documents or files you wish to save before starting the restore.
Unfortunately, these programs many times wipe the drive clean so anything on
the PC would be wiped out. If that is what happened, you could poke around
in the c:\Documents and Setting\ directory and see if there is an old user
directory with your files still present. You did not say what version of
Media Center you have, but by the date I assume it is MCE 2005.

The only other option would be to use some type of recovery S/W to see if
any files on the hard drive can be salvaged.
--
James
Orlando, FL

Jaime not trueMy HP manufacturers restore/setup programit USE and work the

Jaime not true

My HP manufacturers restore/setup program
it USE and work the Windows System Restore always
But I have Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005  for HP..

looser Run Windows System Restore
And ask A [MS MVP]  to help you

Jaime is a MS-MVP for Media Center.

Jaime is a MS-MVP for Media Center.
I suspect that that the OP was able to disable the setting of Restore points
with the OS version he is running so the only one that was available was the
one from the original installation.
And it appears that the OP selected to use it even thought it is date should
have made it obvious form its date that everything he had done since he got
the system would be deleted and by running it he lost all of his data.

The fact that he was asked to name PC made me suspicious that it

The fact that he was asked to name PC made me suspicious that it was
manufacturer's out-of-box restore that occurred, but until we hear back from
looser and get more details, it is hard to say.

I just had a user at work do the exact same thing with their personal
laptop, they heard something about system restore from a friend or relative
and when they had some hang after an update, they hit the button at the HP
startup to "Resore the System", ignored the warning about backing up the
data, and then brought the system in to work to ask why all the junkware
from HP was back on the system and it was only showing XP with SP2. :o)
--
James
Orlando, FL

Jaime,You probably have the correct description of what happened.

Jaime,
You probably have the correct description of what happened.  In any case it
appears that the OP is back to day one and has lost all of his personnel
content and applications.

So True JaimeAnd Right they ignored the warning To back up system !

So True Jaime
And Right they ignored the warning To back up system !
that why they have no new date to Restore the System back too!
Dam if you do and Dam if you Don't ,, But GD  if you Don't Make it Right!!
Always Backups before you  Restore the System.
and it good too Backups the System 1 to 2 times a mouth. so you will not be
Dam for Not at all !!