Help finding lost files please!

macman

OK, what are the four options?
It may also depend on where you stored your pics-the normal default would be within My Docs. If they were elsewhere (say on the Desktop) then any recovery system designed to preserve your data may not do so.

Loopy_Girl

Right...

I went in to the system recovery place...if you hover your mouse over the options it gives a description so these are in brackets

Microsoft Windows Recovery (restores system to a previous date)

Full Factory Recovery (wipes everything, including all files and data and restores to factory settings - proceed with caution)

Recovery with automatic data back up (full factory recovery)

I can't remember the 4th option:o...if v important then I will go back into it and jot it down correctly...

I took the third option.

I've just uploaded some pics to check and I choose the J drive to import and then they defo go to 'pictures' folder.

macman

Rather depends on what the parameters of 'automatic data backup' are, this is a bespoke system and I'm not familiar with it. I wouldn't trust it without doing a manual backup fierst.
I suggest you do a search as above and then if no luck, try something like recuva.
When you import files you are given a choice of where to put them, otherwise they go to the default folder.

Loopy_Girl

Tried the *jpg and no luck

where would I locate the old windows file if there was such a one present?

I'm thinking its v odd as well as one of the pics has just mysteriously turned up in the pictures folder

googler

Download WinDirStat and run it for all drives on your HDD. C:, etc

This will show you where all the .jpgs on your drive are, whether in their original folders or some backup location.