BleepingComputer.com: Files are gone

Hello all,

First allow me to say i am tech challenged - I know enough to be very dangerous.

Problem - my colleague came in this morning and all his files (both word and excel) in "My Documents" folder are gone.

I check the recycle bin and looked for the temp folder (could not find); nothing.

Can anyone lend me some knowledge to get these files back? I am sure they are "hidden" some place but I can't find them.

Thanks

Good morning Fredrock and welcome to the Bleeping Computer Forums!

Sorry to hear of the problems you are experiencing. Could you please provide some additional information so that our forum members and moderators can better assist you?

1. Your computer's operating system & service pack.
2. What security software does the computer in question have?
3. Have you tried running a scan with your antivirus software and/or antimalware program, such as Malwarebytes to rule out a possible infection?
4. How many persons use the computer in question and how many have access to the files in the My Documents folder?

Thank you!

Not a problem.

1. Your computer's operating system & service pack.
- Windows XP 2002 & Service pack 3
2. What security software does the computer in question have?
- None (yes, I know)
3. Have you tried running a scan with your antivirus software and/or antimalware program, such as Malwarebytes to rule out a possible infection?
- I have not tried running any antivirus or malware programs
4. How many persons use the computer in question and how many have access to the files in the My Documents folder?
- 2 people use the computer and only those 2 access the files.

Hope this helps, any other questions or info please do not hesitate.

apparently; unbeknownst to me - there has been a "fatal error" screen. I am now going to run some malware programs to find out some more info.

Sorry but I was just told this.

Greetings again and thank you for providing the information!

As you noted yourself, the lack of having antivirus protection installed is a significant issue. The very first steps you should take at this time are to acquire an antivirus program AND an antimalware program. There are quite a few of each, both FREE and PAID versions to choose from. I personally use Avast! antivirus (free version), and Malwarebytes Pro (paid version) on my computer.

Malwarebytes also has a FREE version which you can download at Malwarebytes.org. Avast! antivirus (free version) can be downloaded from the Avast.com website. The main difference between the free & paid versions of Malwarebytes is the paid version (Malwarebytes Pro) has real-time scanning. The free version has on-demand scanning.

The main reason I now use Avast! is because it is not a system resource hog like my prior AV software was. Some of the other paid/free AV software out there include, McAfee, Kaspersky, Norton (Symantec), AVG (free), Avira AV, and Microsoft Security Essentials (free).

* I just noticed your other post while I am preparing this response. Please let me know what AV and/or antimalware programs you run and what was found on the scans. I strongly recommend you run both a scan with an antivirus program and with Malwarebytes, since some malware is not always picked up by AV software!

Look forward to hearing back from you!

Fredrock, on 18 August 2011 - 10:45 AM, said:

"fatal error" and malware are not synonymous. While malware may indeed by the issue, you need to find out more about the exact problem and error message.

This post has been edited by Allan: 18 August 2011 - 11:08 AM

Have you check the folder that you looking at on DOS? Are you familiar with DOS?
If DOS cant shown you that folder I think someone has erase it. But you can recover it with using another computer or using Bootable CD and another hardrive / Flashdrive to copy folder that you looking at. Please do not to try Recover it at same Hardrive as it could make something wrong / bad on your hardrive.

I do not know DOS at all - is that when the screen looks like my Commodore 64 did when i was a wee lad?

I installed the malware (filezilla) and are in process of trying to install the AV but now IE is going to random sites. Everything I don't want to see.

BTW - 219 effected files. how do i get rid of them without paying?

<<...how do i get rid of them without paying?>>

What program are you referring to, please? What program did you run that reflects the errors you refer to?

Louis

Sorry. It is Stopzilla; I have used it before and it was free to get rid of the malware.

I suggest that you initiate a new topic in the Am I Infected forum, beginning with all details of your malware situation (symptoms, when you first became aware of the malware, etc.).

Am I Infected, What Do I Do?

The personnel there will assist you in the next logical step .

Once you initiate your new topic in AII, I am closing this thread to prevent possible confusion.

Louis

This post has been edited by hamluis: 18 August 2011 - 02:37 PM