Unusual Problem

[tuky]

Gents,

I run windows XP on my laptop (home edition) and recently I noticed that about half of the photos in my albums have disappeared.

The strangest part is that in most photo albums I have lost some photos/short movies but not all.

How/why would some photos in an album disappear but others remain? If it was a virus or similar wouldn't it delete the whole album or at least the contents?

What are your thoughts?

[cdnvic]

Is it just me, or have there been alot of little things going wrong with XP since MS's deadline for the SP2 upgrade passed?

cv

[Darknight]

have a look in the "documents and settings folder"

maybe you have created a new user profile by accident.

or do a search on a missing picture from your c disk to see if it's still there.

[tuky]

have a look in the "documents and settings folder" 

maybe you have created a new user profile by accident.

or do a search on a missing picture from your c disk to see if it's still there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Done that DK, searched .jpg included hidden files etc etc. I am certain they are gone, real shame too because I had some great memories in there.

However, if I had mistakenly created a new user account and transfered some photos I cannot understand how it would only be a selection rather than a whole album, I am sure to send some photos and not others into a new file/profile it would actually take some work and not be something you could do mistakenly.

It has got my head all messed up trying to work out what heppened.

[waldwolf]

tukyleith - Have you tried taking the WinXP system back to a date when you know the pictures were still in their respective albums?

Do you recall anything you did (ie: defrag'n) just prior to noticing the photos were missing?

You mention "sending" some photos. Did you per chance "send" any photos using the mouses right button "Send To" function? That function will (in most cases) delete the item moved, from its original file.

There are a number of software utilities which will aid in recovery of deleted sectors, provided you haven't written over the older data. Info on request.

[p_brownstone]

Obviously a very basic question but does anyone else have access to your Computer?

Might they have deleted Files, accidentally or otherwise?

Patrick

[tuky]

tukyleith - Have you tried taking the WinXP system back to a date when you know the pictures were still in their respective albums?

Do you recall anything you did (ie: defrag'n) just prior to noticing the photos were missing?

You mention "sending" some photos. Did you per chance "send" any photos using the mouses right button "Send To" function? That function will (in most cases) delete the item moved, from its original file.

There are a number of software utilities which will aid in recovery of deleted sectors, provided you haven't written over the older data. Info on request.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for your help waldwolf, Yes I did take windows back to a previous restore point, but no luck.

No, I have never used the defrag facility, or any other. Logging on to the internet one night would have been the only thing I did as the PC was used solely for media rather than data, as I say I love photography and video imaging.

If I did "send" the photos elsewhere on my PC I do not how I could have done it as the lost photos are from various albums, stored in various locations and probably number at least 1000. To do this it would have taken me quite a while and I am sure I would have remembered and not wondered where they went the very next day.

Might I add that this happened about 12 months ago, I was scared of losing the rest of my photos so I went out and bought a new laptop and transferred all images over to the new one. I have not used the old laptop very much since, except hours of digging, search, unhidding etc etc, I have always meant to go back and see if I can recover them somehow. Now my nephews want to use my home desktop PC which I will not allow, so I thought I might ask here if anyone knew anything and ways I could recover the photos before I clean the laptop up for my nephews use.

Can you PM me wadwolf with the info you suggested?

Many many thanks.

Obviously a very basic question but does anyone else have access to your Computer?

Might they have deleted Files, accidentally or otherwise?

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just to cover this question Patrick, I was overseas when it happened and living alone in an apartment. No maid, nothing else lost/stolen even my camera equipment sitting next to the machine.

Even if it had been someone else, there was that many photos deleted indiscriminately that it would have taken hours to do. I just want to ask so I can make sure it does not happen again...

I now back up regularly

[Thetyim]

OOOH I am so glad you have problems as well, I was begining to think it was just me.

I have a CD that contains data but only on some days.

I guess XP runs according to the book of Obadiah.

Sorry only Michael Palin fans will understand that one.

[Thomas_Merton]

OOOH  I am so glad you  have problems as well,  I was begining to think it was just me.

I have  a CD that contains data but only on some days.

I guess XP runs according to the book of Obadiah.

Sorry only Michael Palin fans will understand that one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I don't know whether Obadiah threw the bath water out with the baby, but I am afraid this is what you are doing with your conclusion here.

Problem solving "a CD that contains data but only on some days" should proceed in this order:

1. Check the quality of your media (many CDs are in such bad condition they are not worth the money you pay for them)

2. Is there a problem with your cd drive (older drives had many problems)?

3. Only as a last resort blame the operative system (IMHO Windows XP is by far the most stable of all the Windows OS's)

[astral]

Just goes to show how important it is to Backup all sensitive files!!

[penzman]

I remember a while ago you bought a thumb drive. Not on there by any chance?

[stumonster]

as an off chance leith , they haven't been quarantined by your antivirus program have they? maybe file extension changed by the AV program.

have you had a search using the generic filename without the file extension.

[Crushdepth]

Is there a problem with your cd drive (older drives had many problems)?

Cheap CD drives also tend to create headaches and should go on The List Of Things Not To Try And Save Money On (I just ditched two crap ones that had problems reading disks that work fine on other machines - for a pair of LGs...what a relief...)

[Thetyim]

I have a LiteOn CDW.

When I run a benchmark (Fresh Diagnostics) it passes with flying colours.