Accidentally started a deletion of my desktop folders.

billz · 19 Feb 2017

Some months ago, I accidentally knocked some unknown keys on the upper Left Hand side of my desk keyboard.
Instantly a pop up flashed up with a progress bar saying "Deletion 28% completed" or something very similar. My Desktop short cut to my important folders were disappearing before my eyes. so I immediately pulled the power plug off the computer, and isolated it by pulling all the leads off every connection, The files that were disappearing were more important than the computer.
I eventually found about 40 folders in the recycle bin, and started to restore them at least they disappeared from the bin, or did they? But I was left with One folder and a related document that would not move from the bin so I had thought I had save the day - These documents were somewhere, but had not returned to my desktop screen I had about ten folders undisturbed and since then have added about ten more.
I have been very careful since then not to do anything that may tidy up folders and files or affect the Hard Drive - A few days ago I noticed while trying to deal with the Stuck Folder and file The pathway appeared briefly on hovering the pointer on it, I could see the path linkages. in the Stuck Folder: C:\Users\Name\Desktop\Dec2013\ Vista to Win 7\Transfer\collection\Box1\recent Box -
last modified 11/21/2013 and a similar long path way for the Stuck Document.
and using Cortana I was able to open Recent Box and enclosed a further Folder TGB giving me a document TGB1 which I printed and saved elsewhere as a test or I believed I did, I have repeated this test document save copied to a salvage folder.
My Problem is; I have realised , again by accident, all the "Restored" Folders are still in the recycle folder.

dalchina · 19 Feb 2017

These documents were somewhere, but had not returned to my desktop screen

My Problem is; I have realised , again by accident, all the "Restored" Folders are still in the recycle folder.

1. From this I understand you have folders in the recycle bin that were not recovered.
I presume you still wish to recover them. Am I correct?

2. I also understand that having thought you had restored them from the recycle bin, you find they are still there, and now wish to delete them. Am I correct?

a. I suggest you try to recover any folders you still need. If a normal restore form the recycle bin hasn't worked, you could try freeware like Recuva (easy to find). Recover them to a different disk or partition.

b. If you wish to empty your recycle bin, try right clicking it, click Empty R. Bin.

Comment:
1. You may well have damaged your file system by pulling out the plug- a very dangerous thing to do, especially as the disk was in use.
This may be why actions on the Recycle bin aren't working.

Do this once you have recovered any file you need in case sthg has happened to your file system:

From an admin command prompt
[Windows key + X, click command prompt (admin)]
chkdsk C: /F
Your PC will need to restart.
Make sure the result is clear or fixed- else do not proceed.
Post back the result, which you can get after a restart as follows:
How do I see the results of a CHKDSK that ran on boot? - Ask Leo!

2. It is not good practice- as you have discovered- to keep important material on your desktop.

3. It sounds as if you don't have backups. Remember your disk could fail, your PC become unbootable, or infected by ransomware.
One thing we strongly recommend is disk imaging, which is used to rescue your PC and whole disks or partitions but also acts as a backup. E.g. Macrium Reflect (free).

For particular files and folders you wish to back up more frequently there are plenty of backup tools, free or commercial - and Windows includes File History.

billz · 21 Feb 2017

Hi Dalchina
Q1, I believe I have now managed to move all or delete all Folders and files from the Recycle Bin. I was able to copy the pathway that appeared when the pointer was hovered over them. The Folder had been emptied and the document had been inside it I have copied that elsewhere. I believe it had been retained because the pathway was too long and tortuous. I managed to access the missing part of the Pathway not displayed by entering it half way along then the rest of the pathway was displayed.
Q2, I made a mistake because on the LHS of my Recycle Bin is a down drop list of Quick access items as seems to be the same with any folder. I made the mistake in believing that list could be deleted from the Recycle bin, whereas the Recycle Bin has now been stated empty and the list is still there as a normal folder.
I have got the file that belonged to the I wish to recover as a test into a small 1TB Samsung M3 portable solid state device , when I remove it, shut down , start up reconnect it it’s still there. But try and read it on another computer it vanishes completely, and then cannot be seen on either computer, I did this test twice this is something I will have to study in the manual. To see why it cannot be read on another W10 computer. I am doing something wrong obviously, I shall also try it on my Medion HDD2go disk drive backup, that may be a bit more robust.
At present I can read the pathways on the folders I have restored from the recycle bin that trapped them. even though I seem to have two desktops, one visible in front of me, pathway This PC/desktop and the other being accessed by this PC\Users\Name\desktop so I am being very Carefull and writing down on paper the pathways and aim to follow all the pathways extract the important to a separate device, either on the Samsung or on a Medion 500MB HDD2 or by printer if have to, then when I feel Confident I cannot lose what I need I will do a CHDSK, I will follow your advice and set up a system to use two different stage of backups.
Thank you Dalchina, I will give you a thumbs up if I can and mark it solved if it is not marked.
Bill.

dalchina · 22 Feb 2017

HI, glad you've not lost anything.

The file explorer view simply shows the content in the right pane as you've realised. Just wondering if you've noted rt clicking items there gives you a context menu unique to the recycle bin- and of course you can drag/cut and paste items out of the recycle bin as you know.
Double clicking an item in the recycle bin gives a properties sheet with a Restore button.

At present I can read the pathways on the folders I have restored from the recycle bin that trapped them. even though I seem to have two desktops, one visible in front of me, pathway This PC/desktop and the other being accessed by this PC\Users\Name\desktop

I'm afraid I can't picture that - maybe a screenshot? There should be nothing strange about paths for items restored or moved out of the recycle bin.

I'm wondering if there is some issue that's giving rise to your problem, but can only guess.

As to your file on the external drive, you've shown it is there and retained after a shut down; it may be marked as hidden- check properties (General) for it on your source PC.

If not, on the 2nd PC check its recycle bin; if no luck, run Recuva (free) on the drive and see if it finds it.

billz · 22 Feb 2017

Hi Dalchina,
I have just done a further check I seem to get agreement now with the 39 Folders that show under: This PC/desktop pathway and: This PC /Boot (c:)/Users/Name/desktop pathway again show 39 folders - at one time I have recorded on paper I had a discrepancy of 6 folders not showing up on the This PC/Desktop Pathway, but included the now deleted folder stuck in the recycle bin .
However there are only 21 Folders visible on my "Desktop Screen" The other 18 folders were the ones that disappeared in seconds from my "Desktop Screen" to the recycle bin. They are presumed to have been recovered until I examine them in detail.
I do have a Recover(D

Partition with Folders Drivers, Recover, Report,Tools, plus a PASS.RPT file, A Data .DAT file, and a Text Doc. yet to examine after I have been through all the Folders and where they lead me.
Thank you for your help,
Bill

dalchina · 22 Feb 2017

Hi, your recovery partition may well be the manufacturer's recovery partition, which is used to wipe everything and reset your PC to 'as bought'. If so, you shouldn't be using it. And if you never intend to use it, and your PC came with an older edition of Windows, then you could delete it.

billz · 22 Feb 2017

Hi Dalchina,
My recover (D

has 37%free of a 50GB Space allocated to it. There is 37% Free space. I was under the impression that it served the purpose to collect the links or pathways to whatever I save so that in the catrostrophic event that wipes the lot. or in effect destroys the links created. The data remains in place until witten over and a computer wizard would be able to re-engineer them. I will have to make my enquiries to Medion the PC Manufacturer I have not touched it in 3-4years since purchase from ALDI. Any way thank you for the warning it could literally wipe me out believing it was doing a salvage job.
I still have no idea of why the 18 recovered Folders, did not return to my visible "DeskTop", as I referred to earlier, there appears to two Desktops- My visible Hard screen with ICONS Folders showing, and another looser desktop holding the 18 restored Folders. that may be at risk of being written over.
If this is the case then I am considering Making a copy folder on the Visible desktop cut and paste the potential non visible folder contents to the Visible desktop. That to me seems to be the safest thing I can do at this moment.
Thank you
Bill