files on windows 7 64 bit just vanished ? 3

[Hexes]

Hallo all. I have a somewhat big problem with data on windows 7 64bit ultimate.

This is the problem I was working on some date and files on a 500 GB extra hdd on a windows 64 bit system.
Suddenly poof a bunch of files and folders just disappear. A lot of forums have people suffering this problem but no real answers.

I looked at the fowling :

The files are not hidden or only visible to certain users because Administrator can't see them and view is set to show all files and folders even system protected files.

Also the data that is missing, is missing the hdd had 220 GB free space and now has almost 412 GB of free space.

Not all the files are gone some files and folders remain so 10 % of the files/folders are still there.

Even advanced file recovery software can't see a thing of find a trace of the missing files and folders.

The files disappeared instantly and there were more than 50000 of them it can't be a delete function because that would take a few seconds even on solid state drives and no the 500GB in question is a almost new WD hdd not a solid-state drive.

is there anyone that knows how to recover the files.

Please any advice or help will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[BadBigBen]

take a look under:

C:\Users\< UserName >\AppData\Local\VirtualStore

and see if they are located there...

Windows 7 Security features will move files to that location in order to protect the system, if it thinks they are malware...

The other possibility, that I've found was that the under certain circumstances, the USB hub can get overloaded (e.g. too many devices on the host) and this can cause havoc...

Suggestion:

first make an image of the external drive, in case the following does go wrong...

then run CHKDSK /r on the drive... if checkdisk finds any orphaned files, it will recreate them in new folders and possible new names...

Note: reason for the image, I've seen a HDD partition loose it's file system right after using CHKDSK /F, this was due to the HDD having too many BAD SECTORS...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[Hexes]

Thanks for the advice but no luck and the files are more than 200GB and on the 3 sata hdd in the system and windows is running of the first sata hdd so the fact that the files went poof in an intent leads me to believe that they didn't move. but its kind of freaky when I run software to do file recovery the software can find files deleted long before these files ware created but these files are just gone. I don't understand, the files did sit on that drive I am 100 % sure and as fare as i know even if the files are deleted the recovery software must find at least a trace ? Any ideas ?

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Just a odd thought: Did someone switch External drives without your knowing about it?





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[linney]

Have you tried plugging the external drive in to another computer?

What are the leads and connections like (condition) that connect the drive to a machine?

The hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that is bootable, or that may even run from within Windows, that will thoroughly check the condition of your hard drive.

 

[Hexes]

Hallo everyone, the thing is the drive is internal and I was there 2 hours before it happen working on the drive and all the info was there. I am concerned because I hear more and more reports on this happening to win 7 users from other senior network administrators.

 

[Sympology]

See this thread:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/37b1b24a-016f-41aa-ae77-a90e23acc5b1

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[Sympology]

Sorry, should of added, try creating a new admin account and see if that can see them...

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[linney]

I don't see this as relevant (owing to the free disk space reported) but it easy enough to check.

Sometimes Windows get over protective and dumps files in a super hidden location similar to this.

"C:\Users\usernamexxxx\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Virtualized\C\Users\usernamexxx" typed in Start Run box with the correct username and the whole line includes quotes. Check out the sub-folders in that location. You CANNOT browse to this location you must use the Start Menu/ RUN box (not any Search box).

Just from my Beta testing I know that Microsoft are always interested in file loss bugs, and it does happen from time to time. Perhaps you should see if you can get them involved in the problem. It may be too late for you but could prevent the same happening elsewhere?

 

[Hexes]

thanks for all the feedback on this and I looked at the complete drive and I don't get it how the files are so gone that even a file recovery app cant seem to get them back. Also a complete oudit of the free space on the drives namely (c)windows os drive and (d)data drive shows that no files were moved and the files on d drive have been removed/deleted but why cant ever recovery software find the files ?

 

[linney]

The hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic software that is bootable, or that may even run from within Windows, that will thoroughly check the condition of your hard drive.

What recovery software have you tried?

These two are free to try before any purchase.

GetDataBack

http://www.runtime.org/hints.htm

Data Recovery tools for Windows 98/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista/Windows 7

http://www.restorer-ultimate.com

 

[jsteph]

Hexes,
I'd look at the file security thing--this will hide it from the disk stats.
--jim

 

[dilettante]

Or maybe go hunting with a tool like DiskPie Pro 2

 

[jsteph]

Hexes,
To elaborate...If you say those files "disappeared instantly" (ie, no disk activity, etc) then it's likely that they are simply hidden due to security.

*EVEN* administrator may not have visibility.

If *all* users are removed from the security tab, those files will not show up in a search, their size won't show up when you do the disk properties, and a file-recovery utility won't see them becuase they're not gone and in need of recovery.

It's my guess that something whacked all users from the security tab of the folder or subfolder where they were. You may need to go into Advanced and do 'change owner' or something, but I have personally see this and the files were 'recovered' simply by re-instating Administrator as the owner of the folder\files.
--Jim

 

[BadBigBen]

I also read that a certain SMART Monitoring tool, with certain (not all) drives, can also lead to DATA loss...

if I find an English description of the problem, I will post a link to it...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[BadBigBen]

Here a couple of links:

http://forum.synology.com/enu/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=30838

http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/smartmontools/wiki/SamsungF4EGBadBlocks

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"