Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help

chumpsky · 04-08-2009, 06:45 PM

having some issues with vista
i opened up my dell inspiron notebook and my desktop had changes, background same but no icons on desktop, also the widget's on the side for rss feeds not working but internet was. anyways, since desktop icons gone i replaced by clicking and dragging 110gbs of video out of my folder and onto my desktop, watched an episode of the wire and shut down the computer thinking nothing of it. when i started it back up, it booted me back to my normal screen with my icons on it but without any avi files in the folder, all .avi files had been erased! now here'e the kicker, the video files are still on my harddrive taking up space but i cannot find the stuff anywhere, what happened and how can i recover these files. I am the only person on the computer and have admin privileges. Please help me get acccess to my files.

Commander Data · 04-08-2009, 07:00 PM

Have you done a search for the file type and View > Details? This should show you the location, ie: another profile desktop.

When you look under c:\Users and expand the profiles, do you see the files on any desktop?

.

chumpsky · 04-08-2009, 07:16 PM

thanks for getting back to me so soon, I am definitely a newbie and not quite sure what you mean. I have searched within the search option for the files and nothing is found, not sure how to search within the cmd prompt nor do i know what to look for. how do i so the search and View>details? also how do i expand profiles? my cmd line comes up
c:/users/myname
sorry for the stupid ?'s but i just don't know.
thanks for your help

Commander Data · 04-08-2009, 07:21 PM

No problem.

In Windows Explorer, on the left side where the drive letters are, there's a + sign next to the C drive. Under it will be more folders with + signs. To open them up click the plus sign and do this subsequently. When you actually click on one of the sub folders, on the RIGHT side in the pane, you will see the contents.

Right click the Start button and chose Windows Explorer > click + signs and folders as suggested.

.

chumpsky · 04-08-2009, 07:34 PM

the files are not on any of the user desktops, is there a way to search the hard drive to find where these files are located. I have tried all the standard search options, just not sure how they take up space but are not around? all thoughts appreciated.

Commander Data · 04-08-2009, 07:40 PM

click on My Computer and try searching for *.avi

I think you can still find free versions of TreeSize.exe that will scours your drive and show you whats taking up space and where. 110Gb seem like it would show up there in red as a large folder.

chumpsky · 04-08-2009, 07:44 PM

thanks i will try treesize and let you know

chumpsky · 04-08-2009, 07:58 PM

thanks so much for your help
i have no idea how the files got there but there were in windows>system32>config>systemprofiler>desktop
thanks again

Zappaboss · 04-08-2009, 09:13 PM

Hello chumpsky, Try this as an exercise. On a blank spot on your desktop Right click....Hover your mouse cursor over View....see the drop down menu.....In the menu there is a selection that says Show Desktop Icons. It should have a check mark on it. If you uncheck it you can HIDE your desktop Icons.. pretty cool huh? That may have been your problem at the start. Don't feel bad Vista does some strange things, but on my machine I usually boot up to find windows resized,menu bar missing, status bar gone. This usually happens mysteriously after my 14 year old daughter had been on the night before.

04-08-2009, 06:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
chumpsky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista home	Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help having some issues with vista i opened up my dell inspiron notebook and my desktop had changes, background same but no icons on desktop, also the widget's on the side for rss feeds not working but internet was. anyways, since desktop icons gone i replaced by clicking and dragging 110gbs of video out of my folder and onto my desktop, watched an episode of the wire and shut down the computer thinking nothing of it. when i started it back up, it booted me back to my normal screen with my icons on it but without any avi files in the folder, all .avi files had been erased! now here'e the kicker, the video files are still on my harddrive taking up space but i cannot find the stuff anywhere, what happened and how can i recover these files. I am the only person on the computer and have admin privileges. Please help me get acccess to my files.

04-08-2009, 07:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Commander Data Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 226 OS: Win 7 My System	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help Have you done a search for the file type and View > Details? This should show you the location, ie: another profile desktop. When you look under c:\Users and expand the profiles, do you see the files on any desktop? .

04-08-2009, 07:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
chumpsky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista home	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help thanks for getting back to me so soon, I am definitely a newbie and not quite sure what you mean. I have searched within the search option for the files and nothing is found, not sure how to search within the cmd prompt nor do i know what to look for. how do i so the search and View>details? also how do i expand profiles? my cmd line comes up c:/users/myname sorry for the stupid ?'s but i just don't know. thanks for your help

04-08-2009, 07:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Commander Data Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 226 OS: Win 7 My System	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help No problem. In Windows Explorer, on the left side where the drive letters are, there's a + sign next to the C drive. Under it will be more folders with + signs. To open them up click the plus sign and do this subsequently. When you actually click on one of the sub folders, on the RIGHT side in the pane, you will see the contents. Right click the Start button and chose Windows Explorer > click + signs and folders as suggested. .

04-08-2009, 07:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
chumpsky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista home	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help the files are not on any of the user desktops, is there a way to search the hard drive to find where these files are located. I have tried all the standard search options, just not sure how they take up space but are not around? all thoughts appreciated.

04-08-2009, 07:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Commander Data Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 226 OS: Win 7 My System	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help click on My Computer and try searching for *.avi I think you can still find free versions of TreeSize.exe that will scours your drive and show you whats taking up space and where. 110Gb seem like it would show up there in red as a large folder.

04-08-2009, 07:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
chumpsky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista home	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help thanks i will try treesize and let you know

04-08-2009, 07:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
chumpsky Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 OS: vista home	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help thanks so much for your help i have no idea how the files got there but there were in windows>system32>config>systemprofiler>desktop thanks again

04-08-2009, 09:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
Zappaboss Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 243 OS: Vista Home Basic SP2	Re: Files still on hard drive but inaccessible pls help Hello chumpsky, Try this as an exercise. On a blank spot on your desktop Right click....Hover your mouse cursor over View....see the drop down menu.....In the menu there is a selection that says Show Desktop Icons. It should have a check mark on it. If you uncheck it you can HIDE your desktop Icons.. pretty cool huh? That may have been your problem at the start. Don't feel bad Vista does some strange things, but on my machine I usually boot up to find windows resized,menu bar missing, status bar gone. This usually happens mysteriously after my 14 year old daughter had been on the night before.