Lost files following virus...

olias

Got a virus notification on my lappie and long story short, I re started in safe mode and ran full scans with Malwarebytes, Microsoft Security Essentials and Avira. This picked up a number of viruses which were all cleared.

However....

On re starting in normal mode, I had lost:

All the shortcuts from my desktop (not a problem as I just recreated them)

All my files - pictures, vids, music and documents (again, not a major problem as most of them have duplicates on my wifes computer which I can get.)

Is there any way of retrieving these files from my computer? Where could they have gone? They are not in the recycle bin, which still has previously deleted files in it.

Also when I click on the windows start icon, the list of programs has dissappeared, so I have to manually search for any program I need. Also the list of links to my documents, pictures, control panel, my computer etc is also not there under the start icon so I also now have to manually search for these. Is there any way of putting these back?

Thanks for your help.

ps - I am not massively computer savvy, so simple answers or instructions would be appreciated, thanks.

Olias

closed

http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/grinler/unhide.exe


which virus?

Backbiter

Go to My Computer and right click on your hard drive. Select properties and see how much space is showing as used.There is a chance that the recovery process has moved all your files into a hidden folder but has not deleted anything.
Try searching for a file (any file that was previous in 'My Documents') by name and it might reveal the location of this hidden folder. If it does you should then be able to move everything back to the correct place.
This happened to me a couple of years ago after I used a System Restore Disk, and everything ended up in a folder called Erdundocache.

If you google that, you find a few useful pages, such as this:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/XP/Q_21095811.html

but it does ask you to subscribe to read the full advice! The solution does involve getting Windows to 'Show Hidden Files':

Windows XP and Windows 2003

To enable the viewing of Hidden files follow these steps:

1. Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
2. Double-click on the My Computer icon.
3. Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
4. After the new window appears select the View tab.
5. Put a checkmark in the checkbox labeled Display the contents of system folders.
6. Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
7. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide file extensions for known [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]file [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]types[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR].
8. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
9. Press the Apply button and then the OK button and shutdown My Computer.
10. Now your computer is configured to show all hidden files.

Windows [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]Vista[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR]

To enable the viewing of Hidden files follow these steps:

1. Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
2. Click on the Start button. This is the small round button with the Windows flag in the lower left corner.
3. Click on the [COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]Control [/FONT][COLOR=blue ! important][FONT=inherit ! important]Panel[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR] menu option.
4. When the control panel opens you can either be in Classic View or Control Panel Home view:
   
   If you are in the Classic View do the following:
   1. Double-click on the Folder Options icon.
   2. Click on the View tab.
   3. Go to step 5.
   
   If you are in the Control Panel Home view do the following:
   1. Click on the Appearance and Personalization link .
   2. Click on Show Hidden Files or Folders.
   3. Go to step 5.
5. Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
6. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.
7. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
8. Press the Apply button and then the OK button.
9. Now Windows Vista is configured to show all hidden files.

Windows 7

To enable the viewing of Hidden files follow these steps. Please note a guide with images that shows the same steps can be found here:

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

1. Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
2. Click on the Start button. This is the small round button with the Windows flag in the lower left corner.
3. Click on the Control Panel menu option.
4. When the control panel opens click on the Appearance and Personalization link.
5. Under the Folder Options category, click on Show Hidden Files or Folders.
6. Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files, folders, or drives.
7. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.
8. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).
9. Press the Apply button and then the OK button..
10. Now Windows 7 is configured to show all hidden files.

olias

Hi, and thanks!

Not sure I understood most of your post, but I have had a fiddle around following bits of what you have said, and have managed to show hidden files and reveal my missing files:T

However...

The thumbnails are showing as what I can only describe as faded. They still show up correctly in windows photo gallery when the file is opened, but the thumbnails appear as if they are somehow not correctly showing (?)

Oh, and still looking at how to repair the links under the windows start button. Any ideas? Thanks.

closed

did you run unhide?

Backbiter

olias wrote: »

Hi, and thanks!

Not sure I understood most of your post, but I have had a fiddle around following bits of what you have said, and have managed to show hidden files and reveal my missing files:T

However...

The thumbnails are showing as what I can only describe as faded. They still show up correctly in windows photo gallery when the file is opened, but the thumbnails appear as if they are somehow not correctly showing (?)

Oh, and still looking at how to repair the links under the windows start button. Any ideas? Thanks.

Great to hear you've found your files!
You should be able to move them back into a normal folder inside 'My Pictures', when the thumbnails should look normal. Or have you already tried that?

Not sure what to suggest for the 'links under the start button'. Presumably all the programmes are still listed under "All Programs"? In my experience, the most frequently used ones appear on the Start menu as you start to use them.

TakeThis

olias wrote: »

Hi, and thanks!

Not sure I understood most of your post, but I have had a fiddle around following bits of what you have said, and have managed to show hidden files and reveal my missing files:T

However...

The thumbnails are showing as what I can only describe as faded. They still show up correctly in windows photo gallery when the file is opened, but the thumbnails appear as if they are somehow not correctly showing (?)

Oh, and still looking at how to repair the links under the windows start button. Any ideas? Thanks.

That's because they are still marked as 'Hidden'. Running 'unhide' as suggested, may change that status.
If not, you can change the folder status yourself by right clicking on the folder, selecting Properties and then removing the tick from the 'Hidden' box.

olias

Hi, thanks all!

yes Take this, that's what I'm now doing and it seems to be working, thanks!

I didn't feel comfortable running the suggested download as the link immediately started the download process rather than linking to a site to allow me to read it, and not knowing what exactly it was, I didn't feel comfortable (sorry closed!)

Olias

waddler_8

You can read all about Unhide.exe here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic405109.html
(Grinler is the tools developer)

It's designed to reverse exactly the problem you had.