How to fix possible corrupt files

[shaner66]

Ok, I already made a post on this a while back, but it is my gf's computer and now that I have had a chance to look at it, I know exactly what the problem is.

Ok, she is running XP Pro with SP1, everything up to date, etc. Hardware is not an issue.

She has a 60GB HD, which I split into two partitions using Partition Magic. Her C: drive is system files, her D: drive is storage.

I split the HD a long time ago, there was never any problems.

Ok, the problem is many of her files and even some folders appear as if they are files with unknown extensions, except they don't even have extensions at all.

I can add an extension to the files, but they still won't open in any program.

Even some of her folders are like that. They appear to be files with no extension and no way to change them back to folders.

System restore is not an option.

I have already reinstalled Windows on the C: drive but did not alter the D: drive.

I also tried resetting all the file associations, that didn't work either.

Anything else I can do to fix those folders and files, as some of them are important?

And please don't ask about back-ups, it's the GF's computer, not mine.

Thanks! Any help is appreciated.

 

[pechenegs]

what are the name of the folders and files?

pech

 

[shaner66]

Does it matter what the name is? The only reason I say that is because there are quite a lot of them.

One of the folders names is "Pics" and there are hundreds of files (pictures) within that folder that she can't even access because the computer thinks the folder is a file with an unknown extension and it can't be opened.

There's so many files that are like that, that it's not practical to list all of them here. Many of them are names of pictures, like someone's name.

 

[baltman]

Are you sure the extensions aren't just hidden?

What does thumbnail view do? Do they open if you drag them into an IE window? An MS Paint Window?

The extension shouldn't stop a drag-into-a-valid-program-window from working regardless.

Have you tried running spyware/virus scanners?

Brian

 

[shaner66]

I have run everything. Virus, spyware, etc.

No, the extensions are not hidden, I have the extensions unhidden in Folder Options.

Even if I drag and drop the pictures into a program such as IE or Photo Editor or even Paint, it says "Unknown Format."

I can add the extension .jpg to one of the pictures, but it still will not open.

Is there anything I can do to get those files back, or are they gone?