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General discussion

Missing files after I found WindowsRepair on my computer

by Jess00123 Mar 27, 2011 4:33PM PDT

WindowsRepair showed up on my computer about an hour ago and I went to open a file in My Documents and every single file and folder is GONE! All of them, sub folders included. I did a search and they are still on my computer somewhere because I can open them, but I can't save them and I get weird messages when I try.

I restored my system to its original condition four days ago, which appears to have rid me of the WindowsRepair, but did not restore my files. I am hoping someone can help me with this. I am desperate; I have a HUGE project due tomorrow and can't locate/remember all of the names of the files in order to search for them to print them.

Secondly, how do I verify that WindowsRepair is really gone? I know I didn't download it, but it's possible I opened something I shouldn't have.

Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance!

Discussion is locked

7 Posts
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Bleeping Computer seems to be getting reports on that.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 27, 2011 4:50PM PDT
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I checked out the site...
by Jess00123 Mar 27, 2011 5:18PM PDT

It had information on how to get rid of the program itself, but I couldn't find anything on how to restore those files. This project is due in less than 9 hours so I am starting to freak out a little bit; of course this would happen the night before... I can't fnd them in recent places, or in search (at least not the correct files).

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Ouch.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 27, 2011 5:19PM PDT

Given what malware can do, the moderators can only hope you have backup copies.

These malicious folk do not care about your files.
Bob

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Unhide Them
by Grif Thomas Forum moderator Mar 28, 2011 12:58AM PDT

See the link below and you'll note there are instructions forusing an "unhide.exe" program at the end.. A number of the current malware types are "hiding" your personal files. The unhide.exe program should help.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-windows-recovery

It might be a good idea to follow ALL of the instructions there to make sure all things are clean.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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unhide.exe worked wonders
by yhc263 Jan 20, 2012 12:02PM PST

This was a perfect fix to bring back the files that I thought was lost. Called McAfee first because I was stressing that I had lost all that data that I had not backed up, and the tech at McAfee wanted $129. one time fee or $179. for 1 year to get my files back. I am using Mcafee as virus protection - that stops today. My thanks go to all the folks at cnet and bleeping computer for making this available. Unhide.exe works wonders. Thank you so much. My computer is now working perfectly.

Labella

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Can you share where you are opening them from?
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 27, 2011 5:21PM PDT

And what they are? (Doc files?)

While the simple DIR command could be used, I find most folk don't want to learn the one old command that could save them any more.
Bob

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Back to the basic DIR command.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 27, 2011 5:41PM PDT

In Windows 7, open a CMD window and if these are .DOC files, this will find them all page by page if your machine won't search for them.

DIR \*.DOC /s/a/p

I take it that the standard search is not working.
Bob

Back to Windows 7 forum

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