What just happened? My computer just acted like it was booting up for the first time.

So I turn on my G1S-A1 laptop and the first thing I get is an error screen. It says I had shutdown my laptop incorrectly and gave me a few options on how to start up Vista. The first three were variants on safe-mode while the fourth was just starting Windows normally. I tried each of the safe-modes but each time it gave me an error message saying I would need to restart my computer. I finally choose to boot up normally at which point I was given a bunch of options exactly like the first time I had started up my computer. It asked for my name, time zone, name of the pc, and all kinds of junk that I thought I had already entered. I finally got to the desktop afraid that all my data had been erased but all the stuff I installed is still here for some reason. The only difference is that a folder I had saved on the desktop full of shortcuts is gone as well as the gadgets I had chosen for the sidebar. It also appears that all my firefox options have been reset. One of my addons is even missing...

Does anyone know what happened? I'm pretty sure I didn't shut down the laptop improperly and I'm utterly confused as to why it deleted my folder on the desktop but left all my programs intact.

 

That sounds really bizarre. Could it be a Vista issue losing all account information? (SID)?

You need to go to the Windows OS forum rather than here, since it's probably not an ASUS problem.

 

Seems to be that your system has just created new user account.

Look at "C:\Documents and Settings" (this is for XP, i don't know Vista) for the folder with your previous user accout. It still holds all your data.

PS: these files and folders are usually hidden.