Files suddenly dissapeared?!?

[Silvex]

So upsetting.. I was working on mp3 voice over recordings that Ive done in Audacity and since Im a beginner at it I tend to spend a lot of time with it so things sounds upbeat and natural. As I was dragging all the recordings into audacity to be edited into one file, in the process I lost half of what I worked on. A few of the files somehow MAGICALLY DISAPPEARED... -____- I don't understand how this could even happen. I tried searching for the files on my computer and they still show, but are shortcuts (with a blank icon) and when I click on them windows says it cant find the file and wants me to browse for them..

Is there anything I can do..? Im pretty sure I dont have a virus. I always have avast antivirus running. Unless somehow a virus made it through? I did a scan as well and nothing came up..

Ive also tried a file recovery software (recuva) but yet again nothing came up. The only thing I havent tried yet was the deep scan option.

 

[mikeymikec]

Once you've tried the recovery stuff, you could do a full filesystem check on the partition in question, e.g.:

chkdsk C: /f /v /r

If the files turn up, I'd expect them to turn up at the source, not the destination.

 

[JeffMD]

...or use scan tool, same thing, it will recover any lost file links that may have happened. Also if your drive is pretty messy and file search takes for ever, enlist the help of https://www.jam-software.com/ultrasearch/

 

[Silvex]

Well, just did a complete scan and repair. None of the files were fixed. Think Im just going to toss this incident in the trash and call it a day.

Still have no idea how it happened, but I'm going to assume there was some type of data failure. Lesson learned I guess, always backup anything you might need later.

 

[mikeymikec]

Was this a one-off incident or does this computer have a history of oddness?

 

[Silvex]

Was this a one-off incident or does this computer have a history of oddness?

From what I can remember, I think I might've had incidents like these before but on very very rare occasions. Ive had quite a few moments where I could of sworn I had the file I was looking for, but it was missing. This would I think happen whenever I dragged a file somewhere or downloaded one off the internet.

This is the first time though that I can actually fully confirm that the files disappeared.

 

[C1]

re: "As I was dragging all the recordings into audacity to be edited into one file"

Remember that "Ctrl" copies and "Shift" moves.

A guess is that when you "dragged" the recordings into Audacity, you actually moved them. When something went wrong using the Audacity app, then you lost your files.

When doing a project, particularly if large files are involved, it is a good practise to create a temp folder into which everything is copied then do your work in there (eg, in case you damage or accidentally overwrite an original file).

 

[Nashemon]

I know it sounds simple, but have you checked the Recycle Bin? I know it's contents won't show up in a search.

I had a similar issue just last week where Plex was deleting files from my computer. I was deleting them in the app thinking I was just removing them from whatever playlist/category they were a part of, but I'd later find out that it had actually been removing them from my hard drive. After running a full scan on the drive (which took 5 days on the 8TB drive) I located the files, which were actually only being moved to the Recycle Bin that's hidden on the hard drive. I had to unhide the Recycle Bin through the Folder and Search Options menu to show hidden AND protected system files, then just restore them. Took seconds to recover them.

 

[Silvex]

re: "As I was dragging all the recordings into audacity to be edited into one file"

Remember that "Ctrl" copies and "Shift" moves.

A guess is that when you "dragged" the recordings into Audacity, you actually moved them. When something went wrong using the Audacity app, then you lost your files.

When doing a project, particularly if large files are involved, it is a good practise to create a temp folder into which everything is copied then do your work in there (eg, in case you damage or accidentally overwrite an original file).

What do you mean "Ctrl" copies and "shift" moves them?

To clarify a bit, I was dragging my mp3s from a folder onto audacity, then "Ctrl + C" and then "Ctrl + V" onto the end of track number 1, deleting the copy afterwards. Eventually I noticed the mp3s were missing from the folder. So then, I was like "Oh okay well thats weird... No problem I'll just export each file all over again" So I did that, but realized I overrid the undo history before I could get to the rest of them, so I was only able to save a couple.

But yeah, Ive been trying to recreate what mightve happened but none of the files are going missing.. Could the files just have been damaged/corrupted when I was dragging them onto audacity?

I know it sounds simple, but have you checked the Recycle Bin? I know it's contents won't show up in a search.

I had a similar issue just last week where Plex was deleting files from my computer. I was deleting them in the app thinking I was just removing them from whatever playlist/category they were a part of, but I'd later find out that it had actually been removing them from my hard drive. After running a full scan on the drive (which took 5 days on the 8TB drive) I located the files, which were actually only being moved to the Recycle Bin that's hidden on the hard drive. I had to unhide the Recycle Bin through the Folder and Search Options menu to show hidden AND protected system files, then just restore them. Took seconds to recover them.

Definitely the first thing I checked but they werent there. I also already have "Show hidden files and folder" on. And I did a full file system scan as suggested, as well as a deep scan using a recovery program.

Edit: Bit off topic, but I really wish someone told me that mp4 files can easily corrupt. I just lost 30mins of footage today using OBS, sigh. Oh well, least I know now.

 

[mikeymikec]

Dragging and dropping a file into an app does not move or copy it, it sends an instruction to that app to open the file.

 

[Ketchup]

So, it sounds like you "cut" the files, thinking you were actually moving them. As mikeymikec pointed out, Audacity is only opening the file, not "taking" it. Since the file was stuck on your clipboard, it would automatically be cleared the next time you rebooted the computer.

 

[corkyg]

I had a similar incident yesterday - I was dragging and dropping a downloaded PDF file into my PDF storage folder. I accidentally "flicked" my finger on the mouse and the file disappeared.

I knew it was somewhere, so I manually searched all nearby folders and there it was in one of them. Easily fixed from there. Sometimes a search will find the file if it has been accidentally misplaced.

 

[Squeetard]

I don't ever use the drag and drop feature for just this reason keyboard ctrl+c and ctrl+V for this guy.

 

[mikeymikec]

I had a similar incident yesterday - I was dragging and dropping a downloaded PDF file into my PDF storage folder. I accidentally "flicked" my finger on the mouse and the file disappeared.

I knew it was somewhere, so I manually searched all nearby folders and there it was in one of them. Easily fixed from there. Sometimes a search will find the file if it has been accidentally misplaced.

Ctrl+Z is your friend.

 

[corkyg]

I like the right click drag with the resulting choice of two modes of drop - copy or move.