Why can't I find the files on my computer?

Question

I reinstalled Windows XP on my laptop (Dell Inspiron 6000) and now I can only find part of my old files. I had created a new folder prior to all this and had a good chunk of files there, but then I saved a lot of them in Documents and Settings\(my name) which was the default folder it created when I set up the admin password and login when I originally installed Windows. It says the 60 GB of my HD is used up but only 20 GB is accounted for. The rest is in my old "Documents and Settings" folder but it says access is denied when I try to look it up in command prompt and it says "folder is empty" when I right click in Windows. When I use the Windows recovery CD and it has the option that goes to DOS without loading windows, I am able to see all the filed by using the DIR "c:\...." function.

Please, how can I get to these files so I can copy them and reformat. I REALLY don't want to lose them. I had a login and pass originally when I started XP but I changed my username this time.

Answer 1

YOu have a mess on your hands...is sounds as if the extensions of your files have been corrupted...YOU cannot load a new version of XP over an old version simply by changing discs...passwords, disc registration all are different. REinstall the original Win XP again...OR ...see if you can 'go back' to an earlier date than this installation...ALWAYS make a check point for going back to before you ever overlay the OS ! that way, if you have a mess, it can be corrected..if you did not do this, you may have to take the hard drive and have it salvaged...big bucks! My strong advice with all notebooks is to have a big drive as a side car! they run less than 100.00, use a USB connection, and are easy to load and restore with. You may have lost all your info if you have not backed it up and created a "go back to " check point. In DOS (safety mode), you can transfer these files to a side car and perhaps reload after you get done with everything. IF you have all your original programs, then at this point , it may be wiser to format the hard drive and start over doing everythign right. ! IF you get an error message about the os not being registered to this computer, call MS , tell them what happened, they will give you a code to enter and get the OS installed, then reload all programs and go from there.Then reload salvaged files and see if they work. IF not, you have lost your data. ALWAYS set a check point before doing anything to the computer, always back up to side car hard drive before playing serious games like this...avoids much pain in the long run. Good luck, Goldwing

Answer 2

I was mistaken. The English curriculum really needs to be stepped up in this country.



Did you reinstall in a new partition, do an in-place install, or reformat the existing partition? If the latter, all your data is gone. If the first, it should still be accessible either on your original partition or through your original installation. If you did an in place installation to replace damaged system files, things should be accessible under the original username in the Documents and Settings folder.



You've used 20 of 60 GB?



Did you run the dir command for the folder in question, and it listed the files within it?



I'm afraid your prose leaves me too confused. Generally speaking, if you had simply asked, "How do I recover files in a bad windows installation?" I would tell you,



"Get an external hard drive to which you can back up your files, download and burn a knoppix CD. Boot from the CD into Knoppix, mount your Windows partition, and copy the files you wish to keep to the external hard drive. Then, reformat and reinstall Windows.

Answer 3

woah woah woah. You installed another copy of windows XP while keeping the old copy too? Usually when you re-install you obliterate the files on the existing drive. Probably its an owner error. reboot into safemode (google this) and login. Right click on the folder you need and goto security. Browse all the buttons/menus and you'll find somewhere you can take ownership of the files. Do so, reboot and check it.

Answer 4

They are on the computer itself, they are stored in the hard drive. if the problem is the motherboard then you can replace the motherboard and it will solve the problem, or you can just take where the music is stored and then put it on a flash drive and then take the files off the flash drive on to your computer. There also most likely a policy that you can download the songs again since you already paid for them from itunes. I would first look on Itunes to see.