# Files disappeared from hdd, but still shows full capacity...



## t77snapshot (Aug 15, 2011)

*this questions is regarding my friends hard drive so I may not have all the info needed to resolve this issue. 

So my buddy has two drives, the 320gb wd has Win 7 installed and a 1.5 tb Seagate for media (music/ movies). He reiinstalled the os on the same 320 hdd and now all the files on the 1.5tb are missing! The strange thing is that it still shows that 289gb of used storage in properties. 

I have never experienced this before, so I am asking you guys. Is this a driver issue? Did the reinstall some format the other drive? Both hdd's were connected when he reinstalled the OS and there were know partitions created or deleted. 

Thanks 

T77


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## Red_Machine (Aug 15, 2011)

Virus?  At work, we often come across one that hides users files, then claims to be a repair program that will "fix" them for a fee.

Try right-clicking on the partition in My Computer and un-checking the "hidden" box. (if it's not checked, just check it, hit apply, then un-check it again and hit apply.  Make sure to "apply to folders, subfolders and files).


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## Widjaja (Aug 15, 2011)

I don't know why Installing Win7 would affect the 1.5TB hdd when you installed it on the 320GB hdd.

If worst comes to worst, recuva should recognized the missing files and recover them.


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## qubit (Aug 15, 2011)

That is indeed quite strange.

Try Red_Machine's suggestion and also do a checkdisc on it - right click the drive, click Properties, click Tools tab, click Check now... button.


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## t77snapshot (Aug 15, 2011)

Ok, I will try both. This could be the sign of a virus, but why would it take effect directly after a reinstinall of the OS on a seporate drive? I also tried hooking the drive up to another computer and still shows the same missing file problem. 

I will let ya know what happens...


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## qubit (Aug 15, 2011)

I don't think it's a virus in this case, more like a glitch, but I wouldn't rule it out. Was the HD formatted and/or partitioned before Windows went on? If it was, then no virus can survive that.

It's possible of course, that there's a virus on the data disc, which could conceivably infect Windows when it tries to mount it. I don't know how likely that is, though.


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## xBruce88x (Aug 15, 2011)

i'm just curious, did he have is My Documents and such folders re-directed to that hard drive before re-install? and also, did he set his account "private"? I think they would be "hidden" from other users (and his new user acc on this new install)... is is set to show all hidden files? try and set it to show hidden files and then see if there's anything there. if they do show and you can't access them you may have to "take ownership" of the files.

i've ran into a similar issue with xp, but i'm not sure how win7 does it.


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## Sir B. Fannybottom (Aug 15, 2011)

It's the cat. It's getting back at him for all that shitty cat food.


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## OneMoar (Aug 15, 2011)

heh I bet he attempted to format the wrong drive > aborted it > now the file-system is borked


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## Hockster (Aug 15, 2011)

He needs to take ownership of the storage drive. Right click the drive> Properties> Security> Advanced> Owner> Change owner to> select his user name> Apply. Or he might need to assign Full control permissions to SYSTEM. Properties> Security> Edit> Add> System> and give it full control.


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## OneMoar (Aug 15, 2011)

Hockster said:


> He needs to take ownership of the storage drive. Right click the drive> Properties> Security> Advanced> Owner> Change owner to> select his user name> Apply. Or he might need to assign Full control permissions to SYSTEM. Properties> Security> Edit> Add> System> and give it full control.



derp why didn't I think of that 
I really do need sleep ...


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## xBruce88x (Aug 15, 2011)

Hockster said:


> He needs to take ownership of the storage drive. Right click the drive> Properties> Security> Advanced> Owner> Change owner to> select his user name> Apply. Or he might need to assign Full control permissions to SYSTEM. Properties> Security> Edit> Add> System> and give it full control.



yea.. that's what i was trying to say lol


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## NashOwens (Aug 15, 2011)

Hey guy,you may try a data recovery program to recover your missing files in the HD. I have succeed to recover lost files from external HD with Tenorshare Data Recovery. If needed, you can google to get it.


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## twilyth (Aug 16, 2011)

so was that the problem?


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## Widjaja (Aug 16, 2011)

Hockster said:


> He needs to take ownership of the storage drive. Right click the drive> Properties> Security> Advanced> Owner> Change owner to> select his user name> Apply. Or he might need to assign Full control permissions to SYSTEM. Properties> Security> Edit> Add> System> and give it full control.



New to me.

Whenever I have had a storage drive installed on windows 7, the folders still showed up so I could click on them so the pop asking me to take ownership of them would appear which then will go through the process of doing so.

Wonder whats the difference here?


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## twilyth (Aug 16, 2011)

It was probably because of this part.


xBruce88x said:


> did he have is My Documents and such folders re-directed to that hard drive before re-install? and also, did he set his account "private"? I think they would be "hidden" from other users (and his new user acc on this new install)


I don't think NTFS just hides the files.  I think it makes them inaccessible unless you have the right authorities.  That would explain why you have to take ownership.


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## xBruce88x (Aug 16, 2011)

yea NTFS was originally used in servers, hence its, at the time (windows NT), hardcore security. Either way, you'll need to take ownership. oh, and when you do chances are you'll have rights issues or w/e with certain programs. for example, when i recovered my files from my xp install, they were set to private. I recovered just fine, but i had to add a new permission setting for the "everyone" user so i could stream it to my xbox360 (movies). otherwise they just refused to show on the xbox. also, after recovery, i think by default everything is set to read only. you'll have to undo that as well. the easiest way to do this would be to change the setting at the root, or folder containing everything. when you select the options there should be a spot for "apply changes to all subfolders and files". it could take a while.


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## micropage7 (Aug 16, 2011)

or check using command prompt use dir or attrib too


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