Turned off offline files, lost all of my documents

[nsg1000]

I am running a laptop with Windows XP. A year ago I set it up to join my cousins windows 2000 domain while I was living at his house. I had mapped a z drive and enabled offline files syncronization. Then I changed my my documents target path to z:. So it backed up all of my documents to the server, and enabled syncronization. I did this just to mess around and to backup my files.

Now the problem is is that I have not been living at my cousins house for a year, and hence my laptop never syncronized, however I have been constantly adding and changing files in the my documents folder. Yesterday I decided to disable it, and I assumed that it would copy all of the documents back. So I changed the target of my documents to its default, and clicked on the offline files icon in my system tray, went to settings and turned off offline files. Well then it turned it off and now my my documents folder is empty, and none of my files are in there. My z: drive is gone also, and I cant find any of the documents. However my drive space is the same, so I am guessing that my files are still there. IF anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it. I have a lot of personal family pictures that are going to be lost if I cant get them back.

Thanks

 

[jsundin3]

do a search (all files) and whatever the document u are looking for. Meaning *.doc or *.txt will find all files that are docs and txt - good luck JeffS

 

[nsg1000]

I have tried that, unfortunately it doesnt find those documents.

 

[wizzofid]

How about trying system restore?

 

[Marcs41]

System restore does not restore data, so if you deleted the content, it's, sorry to say, gone!
You're only hope is that if you did not use the pc too long since the delete (read: create or install things), to use a disk recovery tool. It will look on the harddisk for deleted data and try to recover.
I am not a Norton fan, but they have the tools for it. [sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, excpect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC! - Marc[/sub]

 

[Marcs41]

Maybe you can check if they are still there with this free tool, take a BACKUP first!

http://www.execsoft.com/freeware/undelete/download.asp

[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, excpect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC! - Marc[/sub]

 

[nsg1000]

Ok so when i turned the offline files settings off, it deleted all of my files that were offline for z:? Ok I will try running that program. But the thing is is that I never deleted anything, does it auto delete when u turn offline files off?

 

[Marcs41]

As far as I know it is not supposed to delete local files, synchronised or not, unless the folder was deleted.
Not sure what happened here, but try to get them back first.
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, excpect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC! - Marc[/sub]

 

[IFRs]

Is it possible that you have changed users? If so, your files are saved under the other user's folders which may be "invisible" because you have not chosen to make hidden folders visible in the control panel / folder settings / view. IN any case, I would make hidden folders visible and make system files visible and then try searching using a DOS window and "DIR *.doc /s/p".

 

[fuunstatic]

is there not a "shortcut to offline files and folders" icon on your desktop for you to use and get back to your files

this is the alternate way that using the usual mapped drives (which of course were ofline)

in folder options
select "offline files"
tick the "create an offline file shortcut ...etc" box "Work to live, don't live to work"

"The problem with troubleshooting is that sometimes it shoots back"