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Windows XP stole my folder!


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#1
Louise's Dad

Louise's Dad

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Dear GTG

You are (as usual) my last hope.

A few weeks ago I needed to find a picture for someone so went off to my directory 'Rob's Canon Pics' only to find that it (with about 1000 images) had disappeared. I searched all over the place for it but couldn't find it. Latterly I have found that all my iPOD library got deleted too, although I have been able to restore that (except the DVDs but I can live without that).

The image deletion is curious though and as far as I can see these are the only possibilities:

1) My wife or kids accidentally deleted it (really highly unlikely)
2) There is some malicious virus on the PC (again I don't think so)
3) I had my camera hooked up to the PC. I checked all the files that were on the memory card were on the PC (note the ones I have lost were saved months before and were not on the memory card) and pressed delete all. Again I cannot see how an external drive could delete something from the C drive.
4) One day when clearing my desktop I put everything in the recycle bin thinking they were all short cuts. I think I lost some information and realised my error so then restored the contents and they all came back. Although the folder 'Rob's Canon Pics' was still missing. I have to say that I am not actually sure it was even on the desktop in the first place.
5) XP has a problem on my PC
6) Aliens

I bought a card reader and have managed through PC Inspector to retrieve 708 images off the card which is fantastic. Flushed with success I then used it for the C drive (writing to a Western Digital hardrive I bought as a consequence!!!) but after a week only 3% was done meaning it would take about 9 months to run in total and assuming it was linear would find about 150,000 *.jpg files!!!!!!!!!!!!

So to be honest I have given up, and will just have to visualise in my mind's eye our lovely holiday on safari and in Mauritius for my wife's 40th birthday - a bit sad but too bad...................unless as you have done in the past, you can help me find them?

Not that I know much (whatever gave you that impression) but it would be a whole lot simpler if I could search for the folder rather than individual images, because as you know the .jpgs aren't just from cameras - they're everywhere.

Hope you can help as you usually do.

Regards

Louise's Dad

Edited by Louise's Dad, 23 February 2008 - 05:10 AM.

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#2
hfcg

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Hello, and welcome to Geeks To Go.
Answer #6 is correct.
When doing your search, use the wild card *.
If you use three wild cards ***.jpeg, you will get the search results for all of your jpeg files.
You can then move them to a folder.
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#3
Louise's Dad

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Hi hfcg

Thanks for your reply, I knew it was Aliens but am in denial.

With PC inspector there is no option for that - it is just jpg or bust.

Is there some software which searches for folders rather than files?

Regards

LD
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#4
hfcg

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I am sorry,
I should have specified the search function in Windows XP.
  • Click on the start button.
  • Select Search.
  • Select all folders.
  • Type ***.jpeg.
.
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#5
happyrock

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I'm not sure this will work for you but it can't hurt to try...get picasa here...
after installing it...launch it and it will ask you if you want it to search your computer for ALL your pics...say yes...
its really fast...Rob's Canon Pics may have been renamed but there is also a import tab (top left side)...that when you click on it you can use the drop down menu select folder then search for Rob's Canon Pics...
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#6
Louise's Dad

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Hi hcfg and happyrck

Tried all those options and nothing I am afraid. They find plenty of files but not the ones I want. Not sure if it helps but I do know approximately when they would have been downloaded (within 6 weeks or so).

Something has occurred to me - when you download the pictures from the camera to say the C drive are they stored as jpgs, or are they stored as something else with a different file extension perhaps? I don't think this can make much difference as PC inspector seems to find everything anyway

Thanks and regards

Louise's dad
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#7
Ztruker

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A recent thread here on G2G said Recuva was very successful for them, give it a try. It won't take 9 months to run:

http://www.recuva.com/
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#8
Louise's Dad

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Hi

It certainly is very quick but doesn't find many files and those that it did don't seem to be recoverable.

I think I needed to find the route directory 'Rob's Canon Pics' and the would have them all but I guess that is totally lost now.

Never mind.

Anyone any ideas how it could have happened? Sending it to the recycle bin (I am not sure I even did that) wouldn't automatically delete it would it?

Regards

Louise's Dad
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#9
hfcg

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When you are doing your search, are you changing the search variables?
Try putting in one word of what you are searching for.
Or two words.
Or change the words around.
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#10
happyrock

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Sending it to the recycle bin (I am not sure I even did that) wouldn't automatically delete it would it?

nope...even if you emptied the recycle bin the data is still there...the problem is windows can and will write to those sectors because they have been tagged as empty...
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#11
Louise's Dad

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Hi

Thanks for the replies - if it is looking for a file I can't put in 'Rob's Canon Pictures' because that's a folder name (or will it still find that?)

What is also very odd, and whilst having yet another search this came up. I realised (obviously on 15 August) that I in fact had two folderd which pretty much contained the same pictures all but a few. So I edited these into a folder called 'All up to 15 August' so I knew where I stood. I am pretty sure I have recovered all since 15th August (which makes sens as I think I deleted all off the memory card in the camera that day) but in the 'All up to 15th August' there is nothing at all. I am almost certain that was never on the desk top so could never have been put in the recycle bin even by mistake.

Most odd indeed.

Regards

LD
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#12
Louise's Dad

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Just to update that last post - I see that the PC inspector actually did find some lost files that I didn't notice before - so I have quite a lot back, just the 100 or so from the safari!

Think I'll call it a day but thanks to all for your help

Regards

Rob aka LD
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#13
happyrock

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your welcome...let us know how it goes..
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