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Lost data

716 views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  Bellx15 
#1 ·
My wife's machine had XP with Outlook Express working, and the storage folder for OE was located on the desktop, in Desktop/New Folder/Emails

Anyway, after I tidied up the desktop for her about a week ago and thought I was being very careful only to delete unwanted files and folders, her email in OE has all disappeared up to the date of the 'tidy-up'.

This is extremely puzzling. Please allow me to elaborate:

I performed a search using the hidden/system files options. I checked for *.dbx files over the whole C drive. None of the missing dbx files appeared .

Next, copied the Recuva program on to a stick, and ran it from there. Searched for 'email files'. One old zip file full of dbx files came up. NOTHING else, - not even as overwritten, damaged files. So the implication is that there are no other identifiable deleted dbx files on the drive.

Tried the same thing with PC Inspector. Same result.

So it looks like I have not actually deleted the emails. But if I didn't accidentally delete them during the tidy-up, what else could have happened?

All I can think of is accidental overwriting. But how could that happen?

They should at least appear as damaged lost files, even then, so I am now scanning with PC Inspector for 'lost files'.

Nothing - no lost files either.

So what could it be? I am totally stumped.

PS I have now tried three different recovery tools, and none of them has found a single .dbx file on the drive (of the ones I am looking for).

So they don't appear as 'deleted' or as 'lost'.

There has to be an explanation for this. Could it be something to do with a corrupted NTFS directory, or something?
 
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#3 ·
Thanks - I have been told that chkdsk can actually destroy files. Not sure whether that's true, but I think it does write onto the disk, doesn't it?

No, the recycle bin has not been emptied, but the files are not in there. I might have defragged once - not sure now. Is there any way to check? I use Piriform Defragger.

I need to emphasise that even with three different recovery programs, there is no sign of any of these files.

I've just read somewhere that there is malware now that hides files.
 
#4 ·
Check Disk does not destroy files, if your HDD has bad sectors, and you do a chkdsk /R Check Disk will move data off of the bad sector.
If the backup Email file was too large for the Recycle Bin, and you accidentaly deleted it, it would permanently delete it from the computer.
If, in Windows Explorer you have View Hidden Files and Folders checked you can download and run Unhide.exe to reveal any hidden files
 
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