Help! My Documents folder has been deleted!

[haych83]

I've just logged on to my computer and my entire 'My Documents' folder has been deleted - my music, my pictures, my videos, everything. Yet, everything saved elsewhere is fine. I've tried restoring my computer to an earlier date, but this hasn't done anything.

Any ideas?? Help!!!!

[anotheoldgit]

Have you tried conducting a search of your C drive with names of some of the lost documents. Sorry not an expert, only a suggestion.

[haych83]

I have yes, but as yet nothing has come up. I'm still searching though - it has to be there somewhere!

It can't have just vanished, surely???

[gen2]

Are you sure it has been deleted? or do you mean the icon is missing from your desktop?

If you are using Windows XP, Follow these instructions:

Go to My Computer / C: drive / Documents and Settings / Owner

Do you see a folder called 'My Documents' there?
Drag it onto the desktop and it should regreate the link. I don't know why it happens but I have seen it disappear from the desktop on some Dell machines.

[rojash]

Have you looked in the recycle bin?

[haych83]

gen2, I tried that, but it wasn't where you described it.

However, when I was trying to save a word document, it automatically opened another (seemingly random) folder which thankfully had My Documents in! So I've moved all of it back to where it should be.

One thing that puzzles me though - if it was all still on my hard drive, why didn't it show up when I searched for it?

[vehelpfulguy]

Had you deleted any folders from your hard disk before you lost My Documents ?

Windows has a fairly complex directory structure for My Documents and you may have deleted yours without realising it.

When you say it had been deleted do you mean from your dekstop ? If so it may be that the folder was deleted from the desktop but not from the actual hard disk.

[RATTER15]

Are you sure its not hiding behind another icon on your desktop, I know it sounds silly but it happens.