Solved All my files missing after transferring to a new user account

Hankjr

Member
Ok so I have a big problem...
I created a new user account on my PC.
Then I transferred(dragged and dropped) all my files over to the new account, but for some reason now they are all invisiable/missing and cannot be seen or accessed.
I know they have not been deleted because the hard drive has the same amount of data space used and left over as before the transfer. I am using vista (64 bit)

The whole story…
Well it’s a big can of worms – that all started a few weeks back when my usual user account came up with the warning “The User Profile Service service failed the logon”
Researching forums – the easiest solution I could find was to make a new user account and transfer the files over and delete the old account. So I did this no problems and it worked fine.

Then I went away for the weekend and my wife used my computer, did something, and when I returned and logged in it said “data could be corrupt do you want to run a system check”. Of course I said yes.
Then it asked “do I want to revert back to a previous saved point”. I said yes.

Now this is where it gets tricky…
So my computer started up again from the previous start point. BUT this save point was before the actual date I had created the new user account where I had transferred the files. So therefore there was no user account
to login it to.
I STARTED FREAKING OUT! I logged in to the other admin account (I always keep a spare) and found that the new user account was not active, but the folder was there and all its contents. Phew I thought and decided to start the process again and make another new user account and transfer the files like I had done a few weeks before. Did exactly the same steps.
But after transferring the files I opened the folders and there was nothing there?
Checked every folder in the new user account
– nothing there!
But like i said the data usage is the same and the data properties says there is 122 gigs in the user folder?

I don’t know what to do!
PLEASE HELP ME FIND THESE FILES!
Lots of these I have no backups off, also to make matters worse I had only just imported video of my son's sports carnival and had not had the chance to back it up yet.
THANKYOU!

PS before you say it - yes no backups – yes
I am an idiot!
 

My Computer

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
Ok I feel a little dumb admitting this, but I want my mistakes to be helpful to anyone else who did the same.

Ok I clicked folder properties - there is 122 gig in the folder.



When i go inside the user folder and look at each folder size.

The (hidden) AppData folder has 122 gigs??



So I went looking deeper inside the AppData folder... kept doing folder data sizes... and followed the trail to

AppData/Roaming/MIcrosoft/Windows/SendTo



AND I FOUND ALL MY FILES!!

In my folders all waiting for me!!!



Such a simple fix! I dont know why i didnt do that before.

I did look inside the AppData folder last week but didnt look any further. Stupid me!



I have been so worried all week, and now I feel so happy!

icon_bananas.gif


Thankyou to everyone for yor help and advice!
 

My Computer

My Computers

System One System Two

  • Operating System
    Windows 8.1 Industry Pro x64
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion Elite HPE-250f
    CPU
    Intel i7 860 Quad core 2.8 ghz
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5770 1 gb ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Alienware 25 AW2521HF
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 &1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-elite-hpe-250f/
  • Operating System
    Windows 2012 R2 Data center/Linux Mint
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Poweredge T140
    CPU
    i3 9100 3.6GHz, 8M cache, 4C/4T
    Memory
    8GB 2666MT/s DDR4 ECC UDIMM
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    1 TB & 360 GB x2
    Other Info
    https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-t140?~ck=bt
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