Lost an Important Temp File

jazabelle

This evening my mum and I have spent hours working on a really important appeal that's due tomorrow.

I had emailed a very early version to her, and what I hadn't realised is when she opened it she had clicked 'open' rather than save as, and putting it somewhere safe.

We've spent all night working on it, saving it regularly. I then closed it, ready to email it - but couldn't find it. I then realised what had happened.

I've spent hours scouring the temporary files and folders and it's not there. I've opened up hidden folders, searched through every recently modified folder, the protected system folders and searched through, I've done searches for tmp files, files starting with ~ etc. I've gone through all the recent temporary files which just show the file upon opening it - not the saved versions.

I also downloaded Restoration, but that couldn't find it. The problem is it's not a deleted file - it's a temporary file.

My mum's computer is Windows 7 Home and she uses internet explorer.

Is there any hope please? I just can't believe it.

keystone

What software package were you using to write it?

chris-j

2 possibilities. If the email was opened and saved regularly then saved when closed, the changes may have been saved on original email.
Try recent documents list - in windows 7 go to the application used to open the document and latest 4 docs should show (if opened 4 or more while looking it may be gone).
If no joy here then the file might be hidden in the deep of windows, you will want to have hidden files visible (folded options in control panel), then search.

paddyrg

Some of the advanced search options allow you to search the contents of documents, so use a key phrase. Likely to be in the Temporary Internet Files folder as a hidden file maybe, or possibly wherever her IE is set to download to. 80+% chance your file can be revovered at least in part as long as she doesn't overwrite it by trying to retrace her steps...

Do you have someone with a lot of IT savvy who could pop round? Much safer than stabbing away blindly. Alternatively, from experience, redoing lost work is always MUCH faster second time around, we've all been there!

jazabelle

chris-j wrote: »

2 possibilities. If the email was opened and saved regularly then saved when closed, the changes may have been saved on original email.
Try recent documents list - in windows 7 go to the application used to open the document and latest 4 docs should show (if opened 4 or more while looking it may be gone).
If no joy here then the file might be hidden in the deep of windows, you will want to have hidden files visible (folded options in control panel), then search.

It's not on recent documents, sadly - that was my first hint something was wrong.

I don't think you can save onto gmail being a web-based application. I have checked, either way and nothing.

I have made the hidden files visible and carried out a search with no luck.

jazabelle

keystone wrote: »

What software package were you using to write it?

Word 2003.

paddyrg wrote: »

Some of the advanced search options allow you to search the contents of documents, so use a key phrase. Likely to be in the Temporary Internet Files folder as a hidden file maybe, or possibly wherever her IE is set to download to. 80+% chance your file can be revovered at least in part as long as she doesn't overwrite it by trying to retrace her steps...

Do you have someone with a lot of IT savvy who could pop round? Much safer than stabbing away blindly. Alternatively, from experience, redoing lost work is always MUCH faster second time around, we've all been there!

Possibly have written it though by reopening the file from the email. It seemed to give a different file name each time it saved in - so I was hopeful it was saving different documents. But no luck.

Yes, will have to redo it - but it's more problems with ill-health and it's going to be really difficult to do it.

Thanks for suggestions so far.

paddyrg

GMail - edited in google docs maybe? Open that up and have a look!

esuhl

When I lose a file like that, the first thing I do is run a search of ALL files on the system, then sort by last modified date. If you're quick the most recently modified file is often the document you "lost" (although you might need to rename a .tmp file to .doc -- I can't remember).

It might be worth doing a search like that to see if you can identify anything... Windows 7's search feature is horrible compared to XP's -- I think you might need to specifically tell it to search all locations, rather than just in indexed directories.

debitcardmayhem

Is the file still in the sent folder on your email

Cockney_Rebel

Perhaps we could start at the begining, as I am slightly confused (which is actually normal for me lol).

You were using Word 2003 on your pc to write a file that you then sent to your mum via email.

Whose computer did you then do all the updates/changes etc on?

On any computer, it is impossible to exit Word without getting the 'do you want to save' prompt = so, when you closed Word, did you save the final file?

Lets start from here and see where we go

jazabelle

Cockney_Rebel wrote: »

Perhaps we could start at the begining, as I am slightly confused (which is actually normal for me lol).

You were using Word 2003 on your pc to write a file that you then sent to your mum via email.

Whose computer did you then do all the updates/changes etc on?

On any computer, it is impossible to exit Word without getting the 'do you want to save' prompt = so, when you closed Word, did you save the final file?

Lets start from here and see where we go

I used Open Office on my computer to make some notes - which I then emailed to my mum. (saved as a doc file.)

She opened it on her computer, using Word 2003 by clicking 'open'. The changes were made them, and regularly saved - including at the end. However, until I closed it - I hadn't realised that the open button had been used, meaning it went into a temporary folder, rather than a safe location.

To the person above who asked if it was in the sent folder - no - other than the original notes, the final version wasn't emailed, so wouldn't be in the email system. Unless that's not what you meant?