ENTIRE FOLDER...VANISHED!!!! Windows 10

JoeStrike · 1 Week Ago

I created a folder for an upcoming convention - "Anthrocon_2024" because it looked like I hadn't done so already.

However, it turned out I already had - somehow it wound up as a subfolder in "Anthrocon_2023." (This is has happened to me before, accidentally moving a folder into an adjacent one, but they usually eventually turn up)

I renamed the folder that wound up inside the 2023 folder as "Anthrocon_2024A" and moved it into the 2024 folder I'd just created.

There were at least 5 files in there, important information about attending the convention.

THEN MY FINGER SLIPPED ON THE KEYBOARD, AND HIT A/SOME KEY(S) SOMEWHERE IN THE LOWER LEFT...

AND THE FOLDER ENTIRELY VANISHED!!!

Just finished searching the ENTIRE computer without finding it.

How could a slip of a finger obliterate a folder?!?!?This is really killing me because I found missing information I needed...and then it vanished on me like a minute later!

There doesn't seem to be emojis here - if there were, I'd add a hundred crying ones to this message :-((

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO "ANTHROCON_2024A" OR OTHER WAYS TO LOOK FOR IT? Is there a Trash or Recycle folder it might be hiding in? I'll be super-grateful for ANY advice/suggestions anyone can offer. Thanx much!

Pentagon · 1 Week Ago

run cmd
C:\Windows\System32>dir /?
and configure accordingly

JoeStrike · 1 Week Ago

Pentagon said:

run cmd
C:\Windows\System32>dir /?
and configure accordingly

Okay, because I'm a total end user, just want to make sure I do this right:
In the "Type here to search" window next to the Windows logo at the at the bottom left of the screen, enter the following -
C:\Windows\System 32>dir /?
- including the empty space between "dir" and "/?" ?
What should I do once I've entered that?
(I'm not sure what you mean by "configure accordingly" - sounds like it might be a bit more technical than I'm familiar with)

davexnet · 1 Week Ago

If you accidentally deleted it, is it in the recycle bin?

Pentagon · 1 Week Ago

In the search box type cmd
then select "Run as admin"
you get this:
C:\Windows\System32>
then you copy & paste
dir /?

C:\Windows\System 32>dir /?

dalchina · 1 Week Ago

What Pentagon has given you is a command prompt command to list the parameters of the DIR command.
Not sure how that's going to help you...

Open your Recycle bin and see if it's there... usually there's a Recycle bin icon on your desktop... is there? If so, double click that.

Just finished searching the ENTIRE computer without finding it.

- depends on
- what happened to your folder/files- if renamed or deleted your search may not be appropriate.

If they were NOT deleted, then you can search for any of the file names or part file names, for example, rather than the folder name, as you seem to have issues with its name.

In this case you should use a 3rd party search tool: if you're using Windows search, it may be configured not to search in O/S folders.

Try the popular 'Everything' by voidtools or perhaps Agent Ransack. I use Locate32.

These free tools need to index everything once before you search- quite fast- then you can look anywhere.

spunk · 1 Week Ago

When your finger accidentally slips, it can move a file into another nearby folder, it has not vanished. this is Human Error.
As stated, if you accidentally deleted it, it would be in the Recycle Bin.

If you know the name of one of the 5 files in the ANTHROCON folder, you can press the Windows key +S to Search and type in the name of that specific file. If found, you will find the other files and folder in that same location.
If the search comes up empty and the folder isn't in the Recycle Bin
You can download the free version Recuva and do a Deep search for accidentally deleted files and folders.

davexnet · 1 Week Ago

Could have accidentally hit Shift + delete, causing the file to be deleted and bypass the recycle bin ...

dalchina · 1 Week Ago

And if you HAVE done that.. then probability is the files have been overwritten.

However, chances are you didn't - why? Because by default (unless you changed it at some point) there's a confirmation prompt you'd have to acknowledge.

Callender · 1 Week Ago

Right click the folder that it was in. Choose "Properties"

Restore Previous Versions of Files, Folders, and Drives in Windows 10

Then "Restore previous versions" > "Open" and have a look there.