Please pardon my multiple posts. Should have understood the dirctions better and will try to fix.
I tried system restore and it couldn't do it.
This happened in June, I think. My father had just passed away and I'm a little fuzzy on dates.
My son #3 sat down to complete a paper that had been on the desktop and was gone. The desktop had changed from a custom background to the standard. All personal file icons were gone. I think the icons to firefox and internet explorer were gone.
Son #2 said the computer had requested a restart the night before to install an update and that he had complied and walked away. After seeing the desktop was almost empty, he sat down and put firefox back on the desktop and after much searching found the missing personal files, mostly photos, video, and word. He dragged and dropped them onto the desktop.
Two days, while I was on the computer, if I remember correctly, partway through my session, it stopped working and insisted on a restart to continue, which it did. When it came back on, the desktop files were gone again and we haven't been able to locate them.
FYI: It didn't occurred to me immediately to try restore and I just figured with a little searching we would find the files. The kids were just finishing up their school year and then getting ready to go on an international campout so I put it all on hold thinking it would be fine.
When I finally sat down seriously to find the files, they were nowhere. On July 12 I contacted Geekstogo and never received a reply. I looked at someone elses post of a missing desktop and tried desktopfix to no avail. I've been gone most of the summer now and thought I would try again. After posting to the operating system forum no reply after three days, they directed me here first.
I just looked at my add/remove window and asked to show updates
potentials are:
Avanquest update 5/30/08
Apple Software update 6/2/08
Windows IE 7 software update 6?11?08
XP update 5/28/08, 4 on 6/11/08, and 1 on 6/20/08 (the 6/20 is unlikely unless that was when I used it)
It does not show the log of updates for firefox or Norton 360 thought I know they occur. My son actually thought it was a Norton update but didn't remember for sure. I find restart are usually more likely with windows and firefox so I'm leaning toward those.
Edited by MAA58, 24 August 2008 - 12:13 PM.