Chris981 Loc: Pacific Palisades

So, one thing that maybe happening to Bob is confusion on how files are handled. I first started using a computer in '82 and writing little programs in VisiCalc and then over the years other programs with other software. When I retired and went to a community college photography school, I started to use external drives for class work. I also started using LR&PS. I soon became all screwed up by "losing" assigned projects. One of my teachers realized that I: 1. was not filing files in a consistent way. 2. had a foggy understanding of how drives are assigned, what catalogs, collections and folders are and how to search for files. I stayed after class two times until I understood how photo filing works. I developed a system of assigning drives, folders, files, catalogs and collections. I also created a hierarchy system (map) from drive to individual file. No troubles since. When some of my good photography friends "lose" a file, I find that the problem is, usually, based on not fully understanding the file structure and having a consistent process of filing.
Stay well, all!

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

A spoof on Kipling's poem "If": If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs -- maybe you just don't understand the situation."

grichie5

Your reply reminded me of an incident from years ago. My computer Power Supply went bad and it fried the internal hard drive. Now I keep all of my backups on external drives to avoid a failure like that.
Just something else for you to worry about.

jpgto Loc: North East Tennessee

vanbr

So glad you found them. I hate that feeling. If you are using MS Windows ,may I suggest to anywone who has ever experienced this temporary loss ... download a free program called "Everything" from voidtools.com. It is the fastest and most efficient filename search program I have encountered. It can search for a specific name or all files with the extension jpg (*.jpg) and then sort by name or by location on the disk. It can index whatever drives on your system you specify and retain the index for immediate searching.

Dallas P

I suggest you find a freelance IT person in your area, expect to pay a few hundred perhaps, and they should be able to get at your files. Meanwhile, don't use the computer, so that you don't write over those places on your disks accidentally. Don't touch a thing until a pro takes a look.

Salomj9850

I have Carbonite to automatically back up all my files. I learned about this the hard way when my hard drive gave up the ghost. It also helped when my computer was infected with a virus that completely destroyed all the info on my computer. The service is cheap and you will never have to worry about losing anything.

Gilkar

Educate us. Where did you find them? How did you find them? please share. I can't tell you how often I lose files only to find them months later.

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

Even if they had accidently been deleted, they still would be available in your trash file. I don't panic anymore, had too much experience with this.

Retina Loc: Near Charleston,SC

Glad to hear that!

Base_fiddle

Bob, I have an annual contract with Best Buy Geek Squad - primarily because it gives me virus protect...past all of that, I've used the Geek Squad for any number of issues. They are very good - either on the phone or in the store. If you get to a deadend, you might give them a shout.

Rae Zimmerman Loc: Pine Island, FL

If you found them, where were they?

Toment Loc: FL, IL

I knew u could do it...😀👍

Kalina54 Loc: Flagstaff, AZ

I knew that you would find them. Unless you delete them and write over them, they are there somewhere.