Windows Vista Files missing, found with search, but inaccessible

I have a bunch of photo/video files that were transferred from my xD memory card through my computer's card slot. They were on my computer in a few folders, and now I can't find any of them.

I can use the Search feature to "find" the files -- they show up in the search with the preview thumbnails showing the image -- but they won't actually open. If I try to open the file, or even click on the "open file location" I get an error message saying "C:\Users\Joe\Desktop\Sort\Camera refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer, or on a network" and then lists a few other troubleshooting ideas like checking to make sure I'm connected to the internet, and then says "If it still cannot be located, the information might have been moved to a different location. "

Now I KNOW that I didn't delete any of these files. I also don't get why it's showing me THESE locations and preview thumbnails of the pictures, if they have been moved to a new location, and if they had been moved, why the scan doesn't show the new location. Even a "Advanced Search - Scan EVERYWHERE" shows the files and folders in the expected location, but still won't let me access them.

I've even gone and downloaded one of those "find and restore deleted files" programs called "Pandora Recovery" and while it did find a bunch of deleted pictures on there (mostly internet .gifs and photos I knew I deleted), it didn't find any trace of any of the pictures or videos.

These pictures and videos were of some of my friends and shows and stuff from when I worked on a cruise line, so they're all kind of once-in-a-lifetime shots that I'd hate to lose, especially when it seems like they're still right there.

 

OH NO! Help!! Now all of a sudden one of my other folders has "become corrupted" and I can't access any of the HUNDREDS of pictures in there!

It was working just yesterday! Now when I click on the file it says "C:\Users\Joe\Desktop\Disney is not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable. "

Does that mean all of the pictures in there are gone? Or is it just the folder, and if so, is it possible to get the pics out of the corrupted folder???

Thanks for any help anyone can give!

~Joe

 

The folders are being stored on the desktop. A rule of thumb I use is not to store large quantities of files/folders on the desktop. Try turning off any desktop functions, like the sidebar, themes, wallpaper, etc. See if you can copy a folder/s across to say, the Pictures folder.

If you use a camera's software to transfer the files onto your computer, that might be causing some problems within the Desktop folder.

You could try logging on as Administrator, locate the folders and try copying from there. (Copy first, rather than "cutting" or "moving" them which could leave them damaged. If they copy successfully, delete the original folders.)

I would move them out of the Desktop folder.

Matt

 

Thanks for the replies...

Arie:
I tried doing that, but the system doesn't run the scan at startup. I've tried running it as you suggested, it didn't do anything. The computer just starts up as normal with no chkdsk. I do run backups of my data regularly, in fact, that's what I was about to do when I discovered these problems. All of my other data is copied safely on my external HD, but these were the newest batch of pictures that I was going to backup. This computer is only about 8 months old as well. It's had a few other minor problems, but nothing this bad. I'm still waiting on a response from their tech-support (Dell XPS).

Mattman:
I actually didn't store the files on the desktop as it shows in those paths, but in a sub folder off of the desktop. I guess that's pretty much the same thing, but none of the other files or folders in there disappeared. It showed them on the desktop in those paths, because I did manage to copy that folder out of it's original folder using the Unlocker program. It won't move from there now, but when I try to copy the files to my external HD, it shows that it's just doesn't do anything. No error message or anything.

It's interesting that if I try to copy a file out of the Vista Search (from the invisible folder I first mentioned, not the corrupt one) it will show the image in the thumbnail, AND it will provide all of the meta-data (f-stop, camera type, etc), but when it copies the file, it creates a FOLDER with the file
s name, but not file, and the folder is empty.

Is there a reason why saving to the desktop causes this? I didn't use any camera software when transferring the files. I just put the xD card into my laptop's card-reader and used Explorer to copy them over.

I tried doing a system restore, just to see if that might help, but it said that system restore couldn't run and that I'd need to run a chkdsk. I tried that, but it wouldn't run.

!! Now I just went in to try to do another System Restore, just to see if I could copy the exact error message for you, but it's now saying that there are no restore points! There were definitely a bunch of them the other day when I checked! I think things are getting worse in here.

The last thing I'm personally going to try while waiting for a response from XPS, is to use the Vista install disc to try to fix whatever may be wrong. I hope that doesn't make it worse.

Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Problem solved

With a combination of using the Vista disc to do a repair install, then using File Scavenger 3.2 to scan the HD for deleted files, I was able to find, repair, and backup my missing pictures and videos. Just in case anyone comes across this same problem and was interested.