[LilSou]

Hello,

I need help in recovering files, if thats possible. Today, the Disk Cleanup ran, and I decided to finally let it free up some space instead of manually deleting big files. So I just let it run, as it was loading, about towards the end I noticed desktop icons disappearing. Then I realised it was deleting practically every file on my C:\ drive. It deleted all documents on desktop, my documents, my pictures, and worse of all, all the programs on START>All Programs> have "(Empty)" on it. Basically all the files in "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs" are gone. I see the folder names there, but there are no files in every folder. I still have some programs left on the other harddrives, but some of them don't run no more because of registry errors I suppose.

Anyways, I can't seem to figure out what to do. I'm missing a lot of the files that came with the PC. I don't know how to retreive them again. Programs such as Windows Media Player, and all the items under "Accessories" are gone!

The question I have is, am I doomed? Is there no way to go back? I can't use the system restore to go back because it has basically deleted all the save points also :*(. I don't want to have to format the PC and reinstalling everything, because I'll still lose tons of files. I've heard that theres a possibility in recovering files with programs such as "File Recover" (http://www.pctools.c.../?ref=google_fr), but I'm not sure if it'll work, and its not free so theres a big risk of buying a program that may not help. Can anyone help me? I just need to know if theres anyway back.

~ Thanks, Sou.

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Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter to replace the system files, you need the XP CD.

Windows File Protection will show an on screen blue progress bar which will simply disappear when the scan is complete, reboot when it does

System File Checker gives an administrator the ability to scan all protected files to verify their versions. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker.

The System File Check is only concerned with replacing missing or corrupt system files, and does not affect installed software or data

If you do not have an XP CD then you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

[Retired Tech]

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter to replace the system files, you need the XP CD.

Windows File Protection will show an on screen blue progress bar which will simply disappear when the scan is complete, reboot when it does

System File Checker gives an administrator the ability to scan all protected files to verify their versions. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker.

The System File Check is only concerned with replacing missing or corrupt system files, and does not affect installed software or data

If you do not have an XP CD then you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

[CrazyFrog]

Hi LilSou

Sounds like you’ve lost a few files...maybe. If you've got the system disk, use the repair windows facility. You don’t say what kind of system, but I assume that its Win XP home/pro

Don’t think you need to reformat. That's a bit drastic. Never heard of disk cleanup deleting everything on the pc. I use it more or less every week..helps keep the pc clean n sweet.

Note: If you reinstall windows, you don't lose any files in My Documents or programs that you've installed in the past. Your just rewritting the windows files.

Once windows is fixed go from there and post back. There’s every chance you haven’t lost any files.



Crazyfrog