Files Erases, mystery

I was using my laptop and shut it off, and when I turned it back on (30 minutes later) the desktop was different and many files (most of my life) was gone and no where to be found. I have used "File Rescue Plus" to get some of the files back, but many are not there. I have no idea what happened. I have and hp zx5000 w/ XP home. Windows is running fine, but some files and icons/programs were gone. I've tried to restor to a previous state, but that just brought back some programs to the desktop, but nothing else.
Thoughts??????

 

Data shouldn't just disappear. I thought that the only way to truly erase data on that medium is to overwrite it. However, maybe there are some bad sectors, and some of the data was corrupted. I wish you luck in finding those files.

 

Could also be a virus, I'd say. Try running a full scan with your local AV, and possibly use additional online scanners (like TrendMicro's HouseCall) to make sure.

 

Data recovery tools are you best chance. Recently, an old GMAT program vaniched 7GB of my Program Files while uninstalling. I know how you feel.
Try a few data recovery programs because some are better. Generally, paid programs restore more data ( I used SmartUndelete).

 

I never had any good experience with data recovery software, so I just live with it if I lose data, which rarely happens.

I bet it was a virus. Grrrrrrr I hate viruses. Only reason I would move to a mac, less or no viruses, I dunno which.

Your files may have been moved somewhere and file extensions might have been changed somehow. I'd say manually look around your temp folders and stuff like that for traces of these files.

Cheers,
Mike

 

Does anyone know what are the better undelete programs?

 

Before you try that, is there any chance that you somehow switched Login IDs?

The desktop icons, did they maybe just get moved to the 'unused icons' folder?

 

All is well, I bought Active@UNDELTE and it saved it all. It was only $40 or so. Not too bad. I think I am going to get an external hard drive to back it all up and then reinstall Windows. Any thoughts on cheap USB Hard drive and where to get it?

 

Good for you. I haven't used this program but as I said, non-free programs tend to be better and especially in these situations they are worth buying.
What kind of external HDD? Check newegg.com if you're not sure. You can also create an image of your HDD but again the better programs (those that would not require an external HDD) are not free

 

it's great to have regular backup systems in place, but there's something else going on here. you shouldn't just lose files and have your desktop switched around just from powering off/on.

you'd be best served by trying to figure out WHY that happened instead of dropping $ for bandaid fixes along the way.

 

drumfu's right, but to answer your question on USB drives:

If you don't mind using a 3.5" drive (which would require a seperate power adapater for the enclosure), I would just grab a desktop drive that's on sale (200GB Seagate this week at CompUSA for $60 after rebates) and a drive enclosure ($20-30 at CompUSA). If you're not into the DIY, iOmega Silver 250GB external USB drive is $99 after rebates as well.

If you want something 'portable' or something that can run off the USB port's power, you'll want an extra notebook (2.5") drive and the appropriate enclosure. The drive will be a few bucks more (~$75 for a 60GB), but the enclosure would still be about the same price (maybe cheaper, since there's no power supply).