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A 5GB folder has vanished from Explorer

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by kosketus, 2013/03/21.

  1. 2013/03/21
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hello once again:)

    Have just had a (for me) unprecedented happening.

    My first drive, as well as containing both my systems partitions (one each for XP and Win 8, dual-booted) and some unallocated space, also contains a partition I've called 'Video software', divided into three folders.

    The third of these (called 'Video programs') has now just suddenly disappeared from Windows Explorer. Adding-up the size in GiB of the first two (still visible) folders and subtracting this from the total amount of 'used space' displayed on that partition's 'Properties -> General' tab leaves a total of 5.5 GiB unaccounted-for.

    So the folder still physically exists on the drive, but Explorer no longer sees it.

    I've been switching back and forth a lot between XP and Win 8, so whatever caused the disappearance can have happened while I was in either os (the folder doesn't show in Win 8 either). In both mine is the sole user account and is therefore synonymous with 'Administrator'.

    What might I inadvertently have done to cause this glitch, and what can I do to recover my invisible folder?
     
    kosketus,
    #1
  2. 2013/03/21
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Check that you have not inadvertently hidden the folder .....

    Windows Explorer > Tools > Folder Options > View - Show hidden files & folders.

    Alternatively Control Panel > Folder Options
     
    PeteC,
    #2


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  4. 2013/03/21
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi Pete

    The only files and folders I have set to be hidden are "protected operating system files ".
     
    kosketus,
    #3
  5. 2013/03/21
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    That's real mystery - try another approach ....

    Download Treesize (free) and see if the folder shows when you analyse that partition. Click on Scan and select the drive/partition.
     
    PeteC,
    #4
  6. 2013/03/21
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks for the suggestion.

    I followed it, and the missing folder fails to show-up in TreeSize as well.
     
    kosketus,
    #5
  7. 2013/03/21
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    OK - try to recover the folder ....

    Try Recuva Free
     
    PeteC,
    #6
  8. 2013/03/21
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    Tried it. Also freeundelete. - no luck.

    I think I need something that looks at the disk at a deeper level, but that's a bit of a black art, with which I'd need expert help.
     
    kosketus,
    #7
  9. 2013/03/21
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Good chance you are SOL.

    Want to prevent this? Set Windows 8 to shutdown. The 'normal' Windows 8 'shutdown' is actually a hibernate.

    So when you think that when boot up after a Windows 8 "shutdown" you’ll have a 'clean' boot, that's not the case. Windows 8 stores Windows session information (which includes the cache with the current filesystem state of any mounted FAT and NTFS partitions) in the hiberfile that is restored during Fast Startup.

    This can easily cause data loss when other operating systems are used to write to these partitions: after waking up, Windows will resume operation with now obsolete data and file system information.

    Disable Turn on fast startup.

    You can do this by going to the Power Options in Windows 8 Control Panel. Click the link Choose what the power button does. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable; this will make available further options where you can uncheck Turn on fast startup. Without the Fast Startup feature, Windows 8 will require slightly longer to start. You can also run the command control /name microsoft.poweroptions from the Run command (Winkey + R).


    NOTE: I have been researching this, have found that some Linux versions (if they haven't updated their software to be aware of this) are vulnerable, haven't had a chance to see if Windows XP is susceptible to this, but your description makes me suspicious it may be the case.
     
    Arie,
    #8
  10. 2013/03/21
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi Arie

    Thanks for the helping hand.

    I followed your suggestion, though in doing so I wasn't sure what I should expect to be the result. At all events, my missing folder hasn't been caused to magically reappear - was it supposed to?

    If not, where do I go from here please?

    (Am now shutting-down for a long-weekend break, so no more replies before Monday)
     
    Last edited: 2013/03/21
    kosketus,
    #9
  11. 2013/03/22
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    If the folder\files have been overwritten, they're probably gone for good. :(

    You might try booting from a Linux Live CD/USB and see if you can see anything. If not, Ontrack.com may be able to help. They can get expen$ive but, if you "gotta have your data back" ...



    (Tip: If you truly value your data, store a backup copy or two elsewhere).
     
    SpywareDr,
    #10
  12. 2013/03/23
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    No, it would only prevent it from happening again.

    As SpywareDr suggested...
     
    Arie,
    #11
  13. 2013/03/25
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    Well, I've just run Linux from a liveCD, and have been unable to get it to do anything for me (but then I don't really know how to make it...). Linux also fails to see the "missing" folder, so no change there.

    I'm very inexpert in these matters (and don't really understand Arie's explanation about what it was that actually caused the folder's disappearance), but so far as I can understand it's not just a matter of reinstating the contents of the disappeared folder (which I could do quite easily if I had to).

    A partition which actually has all but 2.74 GiB occupied is showing in Explorer as if it only had 5.4 GiB on it. If I were to just reinstate the contents of the missing folder I'd be duplicating what is already there (although not visible). If what is no longer being seen must be written-off as irrecoverable, don't I first of all have to get rid of it and thus make the space it's occupying available again? How would I do that? - format the whole partition, I'd imagine.

    But in any case isn't what's happened in fact recoverable? Hasn't the partition-table become corrupted in some way and, if so, can't that be corrected - given enough expertise?
     
    kosketus,
    #12
  14. 2013/03/26
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    With the right equipment and expertise, probably yes . . unless the head(s) scraped the platter(s) and destroyed the data of course.
     
    SpywareDr,
    #13
  15. 2013/03/26
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    I'll be doing some experimenting, but it'll take a few days at least.
     
    Arie,
    #14
  16. 2013/03/26
    kosketus

    kosketus Inactive Thread Starter

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    I'll continue to hold on for as long as I can.

    @SpywareDr
    well, at least that's something I don't have to worry about - it's an SSD :)
     
    kosketus,
    #15
  17. 2013/03/27
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    That's good ... I think. It may make it harder to get your stuff back.
     
    SpywareDr,
    #16

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