Lost files.. but my folder is still full, so it says.

[WiseFailure]

Alright, i have a folder with pictures and text documents in it. I was adding something to one of the folders within this folder, and everything was fine. I wanted to make this folder the destination for a torrent i was going to download. I began downloading the torrent, but it wasn't going where i wanted it to go. It was sending itself to "Libraries>Documents", but when i opened the documents it was nowhere to be found. I stopped the torrent, and deleted all data related to it, Via the torrent utility. I tried it one more time, and the same thing happened. A few days later i went open my folder, that contains 4 folders, and 109MB of data, and there was nothing there! The folder is empty, but when i open the properties it says the data is still there. I created this folder in 2010. Strange thing is though, there was two folders of the same name, but one of them had two dot (..) on the end of the name, and they BOTH said that they were created on the same day at the exact same time. Wednesday January 19Th 2011 1:42:23PM.. But that's in the "properties" of each folder. When i put my mouse over the folders without clicking, they say different times, but one of them still says the date and time i mentioned, and this one also had no data in it. All of the other folders, where the folder in question is located, are unchanged. I tried to download the same torrent into another folder and delete it with all its related data a few moments ago, but the files remained there and unchanged.

I didn't want to ask about possibilities, but has this ever happened to anyone? How can two folders be created at the same time? Its like, the folder cloned itself, renamed itself, and deleted its files. Why does it still say that my folder has data in it though? Did they get moved? If so, where could they have gone? I NEED those files. I also have no money to tinker with fancy recovery programs.

Help is needed. Please and thank you. Sorry for the confusing nature of my post, stuff like this doesn't make sense at all.

Also, i made one copy of each folder and they both say that they are empty, including the one that says it still has files in it.

If there is another forum here that is better suited for this thread, please let me know. thanks.

[Salmon Trout]

You know that Bit Torrent clients work by exchanging wanted "blocks" (parts) of files with other clients? When you have all the blocks it assembles them and you have completed the download. Bit Torrent client programs use two folders during a download. (1) a temporary folder where the downloaded part blocks are stored and (2) a final folder where the completed, assembled download is going to go. You designate these folders in the client program's settings. We cannot tell which one you are talking about, but it sure sounds like you deleted more files and folders than you thought. The subject of Bit Torrent clients and downloads is a tricky one, because this site does not help with illegal downloads or installs and the advice usually given here about visiting torrent sites on the web and downloading stuff via torrents is "Don't do it". Seems like you have found one of the reasons for this.

Have you looked in the Recycle Bin?

One thing I would certainly do is run a malware scan if you have not already, and possibly post in the malware section if you find anything bad.

[WiseFailure]

You know that Bit Torrent clients work by exchanging wanted "blocks" (parts) of files with other clients? When you have all the blocks it assembles them and you have completed the download. Bit Torrent client programs use two folders during a download. (1) a temporary folder where the downloaded part blocks are stored and (2) a final folder where the completed, assembled download is going to go. You designate these folders in the client program's settings. We cannot tell which one you are talking about, but it sure sounds like you deleted more files and folders than you thought. The subject of Bit Torrent clients and downloads is a tricky one, because this site does not help with illegal downloads or installs and the advice usually given here about visiting torrent sites on the web and downloading stuff via torrents is "Don't do it". Seems like you have found one of the reasons for this.

Have you looked in the Recycle Bin?

One thing I would certainly do is run a malware scan if you have not already, and possibly post in the malware section if you find anything bad.

Yeah, i wasn't asking for help about the torrents, i know its technically less than legal. But How is it that a new folder was created, and created at the same time as a folder that i had already existed? Without me knowing of course! I didnt actually delete anything. There is an option in the torrent program, that allows you to highlight a specific torrent and stop it, then it allows you to delete it without actually having to open of the file location. This deletes ALL data related to the torrent as well. I never actually saw the folder that had been affected.

[Salmon Trout]

Maybe you got a trojan.

One thing I would certainly do is run a malware scan if you have not already, and possibly post in the malware section if you find anything bad.

[WiseFailure]

Maybe you got a trojan.

I thought windows7 couldnt get viruses. This isnt the first time i have had a torrent not go to my designated destination, all of which i stop and delete. Never though have my files been deleted without my knowledge. Ill do search anyway though. I just really need to find these files. I know that they are still on here, but if they've been deleted thats fine. I just dont want them in other peoples hands.

[Allan]

I thought windows7 couldnt get viruses.

The OS has nothing to do with virus vulnerability. Do you have an av active at all times?

[WiseFailure]

The OS has nothing to do with virus vulnerability. Do you have an av active at all times?

No, it doesnt seem that i do. Even if i have a virus though, and i may, why would it only delete the contents of this folder, when there were other folders around it?

[Allan]

Please follow the instructions in the following link and post your logs in the thread you create (NOT in this thread):
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

[WiseFailure]

Please follow the instructions in the following link and post your logs in the thread you create (NOT in this thread):
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

Im leaning toward the idea that i dont have a virus, since i downloaded the same torrent to a different folder, then stopped and deleted it. with no loss or creation of folders. Is this whole thing as confusing to you as it is me? Ive never heard of such things happening, as the things ive said in my previous posts. Ill read the stuff in the link, but im not an expert with this stuff. ill do my best. Thanks.

[Allan]

No harm in making sure

[Salmon Trout]

Is this whole thing as confusing to you as it is me?

I wonder if file system corruption is taking place. So I suggest a disk check, using the Windows chkdisk utility. The fact that you have "Libraries\Documents" suggests you are using Windows 7, so read here

http://www.w7forums.com/use-chkdsk-check-disk-t448.html

[WiseFailure]

No harm in making sure

Using "Windows Defender", i found i had a trojan, and some spyware on the harddrive that i have lost data on. Good thing for that scan. Though, after removal of all the threats, my situation remains the same. The data is still missing, and nothing about the altered folders is unchanged.

[WiseFailure]

I wonder if file system corruption is taking place. So I suggest a disk check, using the Windows chkdisk utility. The fact that you have "Libraries\Documents" suggests you are using Windows 7, so read here

http://www.w7forums.com/use-chkdsk-check-disk-t448.html

Should i chksdisk and then defragment too? Do you think this would restore the lost files? Im still hung up on the fact that This was the Only folder visibly affected on the Whole harddrive.

[jason2074]

You could try looking up on the Search Options and choose Advanced search for the JPEG files if files are really downloaded or exist. Otherwise, Follow the previous suggestions by Allan and Salmon.

[patio]

Using "Windows Defender", i found i had a trojan, and some spyware on the harddrive that i have lost data on. Good thing for that scan. Though, after removal of all the threats, my situation remains the same. The data is still missing, and nothing about the altered folders is unchanged.

This is because no 1 tool can clean out all infections....follow the link above.