Can't see my files in Explorer

[Tony]

I am using Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and I have a partition E with over
80Gb of data on it.

However Explorer suggests that the partition is empty although the partition
properties does show 80Gb of data used. Treesize however shows all the data
& I can actually open files from within Treesize.

A program, Memory Map, on my C drive can open using Maps stored on the E
partition

A Malwarebytes scan confirms I have no malware

What do I need to do please, for Explorer to show my files
again?

Tony

 

[Philip Herlihy]

I am using Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and I have a partition E with over
80Gb of data on it.

However Explorer suggests that the partition is empty although the partition
properties does show 80Gb of data used. Treesize however shows all the data
& I can actually open files from within Treesize.

A program, Memory Map, on my C drive can open using Maps stored on the E
partition

A Malwarebytes scan confirms I have no malware

What do I need to do please, for Explorer to show my files
again?

Tony

You may have been affected by malware which hides your files.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Show-hidden-files

http://
www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html

You can change individual files or folders (optionally applying changes
to contents too) by right-clicking and picking Properties. You can also
use the ATTRIB command-line tool (built-in) to change properties
(consider "hidden" and "system" attributes). And there's this:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/unhide/

Good luck!

 

[Tony]

You may have been affected by malware which hides your files.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Show-hidden-files

http://
www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html

You can change individual files or folders (optionally applying changes
to contents too) by right-clicking and picking Properties. You can also
use the ATTRIB command-line tool (built-in) to change properties
(consider "hidden" and "system" attributes). And there's this:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/unhide/

Good luck!

Thanks Phil, you were right. From Folder Options I ticked "show hidden
files" which confirmed that the missing files were hidden. For the
individual folders I selected properties and for each one unticked the
"hidden" box.

Everything is back as it should be & I've created a restore point should I
need it in the future.

Tony

 

[Philip Herlihy]

Thanks Phil, you were right. From Folder Options I ticked "show hidden
files" which confirmed that the missing files were hidden. For the
individual folders I selected properties and for each one unticked the
"hidden" box.

Everything is back as it should be & I've created a restore point should I
need it in the future.

Tony

A restore point only backs up the Registry, and (as far as I know)
doesn't preserve anything about the file system. For that you'd want a
disk image, using Paragon, Acronis True Image, or Windows Complete
Backup.

 

[Dave-UK]

A restore point only backs up the Registry, and (as far as I know)
doesn't preserve anything about the file system. For that you'd want a
disk image, using Paragon, Acronis True Image, or Windows Complete
Backup.

It does a bit more than just the registry:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

A restore point only backs up the Registry, and (as far as I know)
doesn't preserve anything about the file system. For that you'd want a
disk image, using Paragon, Acronis True Image, or Windows Complete
Backup.

I've gotten files back from Restore, but there are still limitations
there.

It doesn't save everything, and it's not easy to be sure what it will
save.

So if you haven't been using an image or clone program such as Macrium
or EaseUS to save your files, or if you just haven't backed up recently
enough, System Restore is good as a desperation move.

Or download and install Shadow Explorer, which can restore some files
from the SR cache.

http://www.shadowexplorer.com/

Just for fun, I looked at Shadow Explorer's cache. Some of my
directories are empty there, e.g., My Documents. So it too is only
useful when you are grasping at straws.

And y'know what? I think I'll back up now (Macrium is what I will use),
while I'm making and eating lunch

 

[Philip Herlihy]

It does a bit more than just the registry:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions

Thanks for the correction - a senior moment. Didn't "previous
versions" appear in Vista?

 

[Dave-UK]

Thanks for the correction - a senior moment. Didn't "previous
versions" appear in Vista?

I'm not sure about 'previous versions'.
What I find annoying is the vague info that Microsoft puts out about system restore.
I didn't realise until recently that a system restore will reset system file security settings
like ownership and permissions etc. Useful to know if you get too carried away with
taking ownership of Windows files!

 

[Philip Herlihy]

I'm not sure about 'previous versions'.
What I find annoying is the vague info that Microsoft puts out about system restore.
I didn't realise until recently that a system restore will reset system file security settings
like ownership and permissions etc. Useful to know if you get too carried away with
taking ownership of Windows files!

There's a distinction between System Restore and the wider System
Protection, which includes "Previous Versions".

http://
windows.microsoft.com/
en-US/windows7/System-Restore-frequently-asked-questions

http://
windows.microsoft.com/
en-us/windows7/What-is-system-protection

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Or download and install Shadow Explorer, which can restore some files
from the SR cache.

http://www.shadowexplorer.com/

Just for fun, I looked at Shadow Explorer's cache. Some of my
directories are empty there, e.g., My Documents. So it too is only
useful when you are grasping at straws.

And y'know what? I think I'll back up now (Macrium is what I will use),
while I'm making and eating lunch

First I'll take tis opportunity to grumble.

Macrium ran to 95% completion before it decided there was no room on the
drive to complete the backup.

Good grief, Charlie Brown. There are programs that measure the needed
and available space first and let you know immediately if there's a
problem.

Back to Shadow Explorer.

Yes, My Documents is empty, as I said. But -- Documents has all of what
I expected to see in My Documents. So there *is* a lot there if you're
in trouble, and things are less desperate than I thought. I have no
explanation for the variation in names.

I did this check partly because I wanted to see if the backup programs
made extra shadow drives. They didn't - or at least there wasn't
anything there after the backup. But anyway, while I was there I
explored further and made the above discovery.

 

[...winston]

Yes.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/...-versions-of-files-frequently-asked-questions

Shortened urls for the above
http://tinyurl.com/yd23z8g
or
http://goo.gl/cdO0S

--
....winston
msft mvp mail


"Philip Herlihy" wrote in message

Didn't "previous versions" appear in Vista?

 

[Daniel47]

Gene E. Bloch wrote:

First I'll take tis opportunity to grumble.

Macrium ran to 95% completion before it decided there was no room on the
drive to complete the backup.

Good grief, Charlie Brown. There are programs that measure the needed
and available space first and let you know immediately if there's a
problem.

Back to Shadow Explorer.

Yes, My Documents is empty, as I said. But -- Documents has all of what
I expected to see in My Documents. So there *is* a lot there if you're
in trouble, and things are less desperate than I thought. I have no
explanation for the variation in names.

I did this check partly because I wanted to see if the backup programs
made extra shadow drives. They didn't - or at least there wasn't
anything there after the backup. But anyway, while I was there I
explored further and made the above discovery.

I know this is late, Gene, but......

If "Macrium ran to 95% completion before it decided there was no room"
and you already have your Docs backed up by Shadow Explorer, do you need
to include the Shadow Explorer files/directories in the back-up??

Would that have given you enough room?? Also, have you deleted you MSIE
Cache folders??

Daniel

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Gene E. Bloch wrote:



I know this is late, Gene, but......

If "Macrium ran to 95% completion before it decided there was no room"
and you already have your Docs backed up by Shadow Explorer, do you need
to include the Shadow Explorer files/directories in the back-up??

Would that have given you enough room?? Also, have you deleted you MSIE
Cache folders??

Daniel

Not only late, but problematic.

1. Please note that the real issue is that I was not notified *in
advance* that there was a problem. So if I decided the cure was to
eliminate what you refer to as Shadow Explorer files, I still would have
wasted the time.

2. Macrium doesn't offer me the opportunity to exclude files, so your
solution is not even possible. (Macrium has three backup methods; the
one I don't use is the only one that allows exclusion).

3. Shadow Explorer uses the shadow backup, as its name implies. The
folder it uses is the System Restore folder, System Volume Information.
Even if I could do so I don't think I would do a backup without the
System Restore folder. For one thing, System Restore is more diligent
about backing up than I am.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Copy

4. My MSIE temporary files reaches the enormous volume of 13.4MB, but
then I don't use IE. Firebox temp files are only about 1GB, not enough
to matter in this situation, where I needed maybe 15GB to solve the
problem.

5. Oddly enough, I managed to solve the problem myself. Really!

I deleted a redundant ancient mummy of a backup and reran the backup.
Then I went to the kitchen and poured a double shot of Scotch (but I
*am* still grumbling).

Note: I didn't really drink any alcohol at the time, though it might
have helped

 

[Daniel47]

Not only late, but problematic.

1. Please note that the real issue is that I was not notified *in
advance* that there was a problem. So if I decided the cure was to
eliminate what you refer to as Shadow Explorer files, I still would have
wasted the time.

2. Macrium doesn't offer me the opportunity to exclude files, so your
solution is not even possible. (Macrium has three backup methods; the
one I don't use is the only one that allows exclusion).

3. Shadow Explorer uses the shadow backup, as its name implies. The
folder it uses is the System Restore folder, System Volume Information.
Even if I could do so I don't think I would do a backup without the
System Restore folder. For one thing, System Restore is more diligent
about backing up than I am.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Copy

4. My MSIE temporary files reaches the enormous volume of 13.4MB, but
then I don't use IE. Firebox temp files are only about 1GB, not enough
to matter in this situation, where I needed maybe 15GB to solve the
problem.

5. Oddly enough, I managed to solve the problem myself. Really!

I deleted a redundant ancient mummy of a backup and reran the backup.
Then I went to the kitchen and poured a double shot of Scotch (but I
*am* still grumbling).

Note: I didn't really drink any alcohol at the time, though it might
have helped

OK, just suggesting, as long as you got your back-up done!!

Daniel

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

OK, just suggesting, as long as you got your back-up done!!

Daniel

And remember, I am still allowed to grumble!

 

[Daniel47]

And remember, I am still allowed to grumble!

....but only if you do it nicely!!!

Daniel