BleepingComputer.com: Missing Files

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Missing Files

#1 dshambaugh

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Posted 23 August 2010 - 09:29 PM

Yesterday, when our computer was turned on, it had a different desktop than normal with no icons on it. I panicked and copied some previous desktop files and folders to this new desktop. When I later in the day turned on the computer again, the normal desktop reappeared minus the files I copied. I saw the icons of the files I copied momentarily but then they were gone. I cannot find them with any searches.

Any thoughts?

Dennis

#2 Broni

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Posted 23 August 2010 - 11:09 PM

I can't make too much sense from what you're saying, but in any case...
Did you try system restore?

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#3 dshambaugh

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 06:30 AM

Broni, on Aug 24 2010, 12:09 AM, said:

I can't make too much sense from what you're saying, but in any case...
Did you try system restore?

Yes, I have done system restore several times. Again when the desktop appears, all icons are there, but the ones I moved disappear immediately.

#4 Broni

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 12:08 PM

Quote

the ones I moved disappear immediately

You moved them where?
Desktop icons are just shortcuts.
Did you try to create new shortcuts?
Everything else works fine on your computer?

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#5 dshambaugh

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 09:04 PM

I moved the files from the desktop folder in the C drive to the desktop that was visible at that time. Now those are the only icons not visible. When I go back under recent files, those files moved cannot be found. I do not think I created new shortcuts. These lost files and folders were originally saved on the desktop. Everything else seems to be working fine! I hope this is making more sense.. Thanks for trying to sort it out!

#6 Broni

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 09:19 PM

Quote

I moved the files from the desktop folder in the C drive to the desktop

By dragging them, or copy/paste?

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#7 dshambaugh

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 09:36 PM

By dragging them...

#8 Broni

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 09:42 PM

Then, you actually moved them from one location to another.
What happened afterward and why they're not visible, I don't know.

However, as I said before, it's not a big deal. They're just shortcuts.
You can easily recreate them.

Example...
Let's say Internet Explorer icon is missing.
Open Windows Explorer.
Navigate to:
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer
Find:
iexplore.exe
Right click on it, click "Send to", then "Desktop (create shortcut)".

New shortcut for IE will be created on your Desktop.

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#9 dshambaugh

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 09:59 PM

All the files I lost are in a folder and also separate Word and Excel files on my desktop. I can only see them in the recently changed folder and they are all listed as shortcuts there. When I send them to the desktop, the shortcut still does not work.

#10 Broni

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 10:08 PM

Quote

All the files I lost are in a folder

What folder?

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#11 dshambaugh

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 05:52 AM

I can see my files and folders as shortcuts in this folder C:\Users\Shambaugh\Recent.

#12 Broni

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 10:42 AM

Please, re-read my reply #8 and proceed accordingly.

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#13 dshambaugh

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 12:56 PM

I re-read your reply #8 and tried moving them again as per your directions. The files that were of type "shortcut" did not allow me to open them. It said that "the item that this shortcut refers to has been changed or moved, so this shortcut will not work properly." What am I doing wrong?