Lost everything in 'My Pictures' and 'Desktop' ! Please help............

[Simon in Bucks]

Good afternoon all,

My computer went zonk this morning, couldn't start it up to the 'opening screen with all the Desktop' - I have Windows XP.

So when I next fired it up, it went to an option screen of 'Continue Startup', Safe mode', go to 'Previous Saved' (??).

Anyway, I clicked on an option like.........'Last Working Settings' - and the computer then spent nearly 5 hours running through itself - with the %'s and finally it clicked over to the Desktop Screen...............HOWEVER............

The Desktop has lost all of the pics I had on it, and my own folders............also when I go into My Pictures - that is all blank as well - so my photos have gone !

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So my personal Word Documents and also my Photos have all gone.

I'm not in panic mode as yet - as I would imagine that there is some sort of recovery process............they can recover deleted digi camera pics, so hopefully all is not lost.

Before anyone asks, I do have some bits separately backed up, but not many of the photo's.

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Everything else seems to be there - my AntiVirus software, AOL (and all my Fav pages) + all my e-mails.

I do recall that my 'Documents and Settings' couldn't be read while the pc was doing a re-boot session.
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I'm about to pack the pc away to go into storage very soon, so I can send it if required to a company to recover what I've lost.

Any thought people ???

Many thanks indeed.

Simon

[Guest]

if you install Picasa it finds all the photos in you pc you could do that then uninstall it

http://picasa.google.com/

[Somerset Sal]

I don't know if this'll help, but are you logged in to the computer with the same username you've always used? Windows on my PC and my husband's went through a phase where it kept saying that our profiles were corrupted and created new 'identities' for us that, of course, had none of our documents or pictures. (I suspect this was caused by a faulty or incompatible Windows update.)

If you think your PC might have created a new profile for you, your stuff will still be there somewhere. Try looking in C:\Documents and Settings\yourname and see whether you can find your pictures and documents there.

OR: can you remember a unique or unusual word or phrase in a document, or in the name of a picture, try searching for it. It MIGHT find things for you.

It's probably also prudent to check that your anti-virus software is up to date.

Good luck.

[WendyPusey]

Dave says:

On 1st glance it sounds like you may have a malicious program (virus) which may be making it appear that files have disappeared when they really haven't gone. Best thing is to get a professional to look at it, as they may be able to fix it for you.

[Simon in Bucks]

Thank you to you all. I did have a look around the Internet and this is not an uncommon issue - phew ! There is a way of 'getting back' the lost images and video, however this requires me to get the computer into Safe Mode - something it won't do !! Hmmmm. My computer really is sick...........

I'm now fairly confident that the images and video ARE still on my computer hard drive, as there is an awful lot size showing when I do a system check - there isn't much free space.

Before anyone makes the comment.........BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP !!!

I also downloaded a rescue software, and when I ran this, it listed up loads of my 'lost' photos - so I know that they are there.

I have got an IT-whizz friend, I have already sent him a text, so hopefully he can take a look and see what he can do.

So my mind is much happier at present.

Thank you for your comments, any others would be great. Maybe someone has had this happen to them ?

[TrevorFranklin]

It really sounds that your PC has created an alternative profile for you, so your original profile, though still there is not accessable by the current profile that you are using.
(Each user has their own profile, which saves in a folder of their profile name).
Go to My Computer
C:/
Then Documents and Settings

You should see your old folder there with the user name that you had.
If it lets you open it, all you need to do is copy the required files across to your new profile folder.
If it does not, you have a profile without 'Administrator' rights and i advise you to speak to your friend, as it is too difficult to use text instructions.

Also, to get into safe mode, you hold Ctrl while it is just starting to load Windows

[Simon in Bucks]

Thank you very much indeed Trevor...........that sounds spot on. Will speak to my friend.

Thank you to everyone who has advised in the Thread, much appreciated indeed - obviously BACK UP, BACK UP, BACK UP !