Re: Help - lost all of my Desktop files!

David D wrote:
I tried a SYSTEM RESTORE to earlier point today BUT the missing
desktop .doc's are not still there. The shortcut's came back, but
the .jpgs and .doc's DID NOT.

I went into CCcleaner and found some temp files called a doc.LNK file
in my temp folder, but I am not sure how to locate THIS FILE because
it doesn't come up with windows explorer (yes, I have the explorer
option to show system files turned on.)

I don't want to start up WORD in case in writes over the last temp
files. The last .doc I used was today in Word. Is there a place
where it would keep a backup of the file?
My last backup of the drive was about 1 week ago and I have been
writing this report (doc) since then, I don't want to lose 7 days
worth of work if I can help it.

On Oct 3, 10:10 pm, David D <netr...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I just turned on the computer and all of my desktop files - like .doc
and so forth that resided on my desktop are gone!!! The folders are
there, but the loose files are not! What the heck happened? I did a
search for them, but nothing is coming up! What should I do? Where
could they go to?



1. System Restore does not restore data files (such as jpg's and doc's).

2. *.lnk files are merely shortcuts -- they are not the actual file.

3. Although Word may, if so configured, save a copy of the file while the file is being edited, that copy is deleted when Word is closed.
These "autorecover" files are typically stored in
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\
(this setting is made in Word from Tools | Options | File locations).

4. If -- but only if -- you checked the option to "Always create backup copy," then Word creates a backup copy of a document each time you save the document. Each backup copy replaces the previous backup copy. Word applies the .wbk filename extension to all backup copies, and it saves them in the same folder as your original document. This option is found in Tools > Options > Save.

5. If a search looking in all files and folders, including looking in system folders and hidden files and folders, cannot find these files, you may have inadvertently deleted them, perhaps by using ccleaner. I suggest using a portion of the file name(s) with wildcards as your search criteria. For example, if you are looking for
My Important Document.doc
try searching for *important*.*

6. Although by doing a System Restore and otherwise working on your computer you probably have overwritten any deleted files, you may want to try one of the "undelete" utilities. Your other option is to pay a significant fee to have a professional data recovery outfit get the data back for you. It's not cheap, but it does work: http://www.drivesavers.com/

User "undelete" apps:
http://www.google.com/search?q=xp+undelete&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a


--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
.

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