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Question

Did a System Restore and lost files (but still on computer)

Apr 19, 2011 6:02AM PDT

Last night my computer made a unfamiliar beep, and my virus protection started running. It found a trojan virus and removed it. I restarted my laptop (Toshiba Satellite) and the virus was still there. I restarted my computer in safe mode and then did a system restore from about 2 weeks ago. I am the only user on my computer and I am the admin. After the restore, my computer restarted but I had a message stating the restore was unsuccessful. And now, all the files on my desktop are missing. Even if I click the start button (window icon) and select pictures or music, it states it is empty. All of my vids are gone too. However my c: drive is still at the same capacity. When I open itunes, it shows my music is still there and I can play them. itunes still shows my old location for the particular song as being C:\Users\kev......; however, when I go into windows explorer at look for this location, it does not show my username. It only shows a public folder. I can also go into my VLC player and see in the playlist that my vids are still on my computer, and I can play them to, but I can't get to them through the path stated in the info. Everything is on my laptop but hidden. Strange. I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium.

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Posting this as a clarification, and not an answer
Apr 19, 2011 6:18AM PDT

I'm not answering this yet as that then limits any further posts to just one.

I've seen this before, today.

Was this virus anything like the "Windows Recovery Virus"? If so, see Bob's post in the link below;
http://forums.cnet.com/7726-6142_102-5119315.html?tag=posts;msg5119315

If you need to see the whole of that thread, click on the "Click here to view the full discussion thread and its replies".

Mark
(My first attempt deleted because my brain went on holiday when I typed and didn't bother to spell check!).

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Not quite the same
Apr 19, 2011 11:34AM PDT

It sounds like the similar issue is dealing with somebody not being able to see their programs. I can see all of my programs. I can't see any of my files (vids, music, photos, docs, spreadsheets, pdfs). My user account doesn't show. Only a public folder that doesn't contain my files; however, my itunes can still see my music, athough the path is impossible for me to get to the music. My C: drive still shows it is at the same capacity, but I just can't get to my files.

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Clarification Request
These pests are hiding all sorts of files.
Apr 19, 2011 11:40AM PDT

". I am the only user on my computer and I am the admin. "

That's scary. Have you read prior discussions about folk with only one admin account? Hint: Don't let that happen to you.
Bob