Bizarre and frustrating computer issue - anyone want to diagnose?

[Mommy_Again]

Laptop crashed so I had all my files backed up to an external hard drive. When I plug the hard drive into THREE different laptops to access my files, the folder where they are housed says "file folder empty" - but if I right click to look at properties, there is data in the folder. When I plug the drive into DH's desktop, I can access the files without a problem. Oh - and I can see other files/folders that have been previously downloaded to the hard drive fine, both on laptops and desktops.

Finally get laptop back from repair today, and as a workaround, I plug the hard drive into DH's desktop, burn all my files to a CD, and double check to make sure they are on the CD - they are. Insert CD into my laptop - and I cannot see any of the freaking files!! When I look at the properties, there is data on the CD.

What the HECK kind of freaking fracking thing is going on here? I have been without my computer for three weeks and am so behind on work. My IT guy had no clue over the phone what the issue was and I'm trying to see him ASAP - but wanted to throw this one out there in the meantime.

[khm]

Is there a difference in operating systems and/or service pack levels? (ie windows XP service pack 3)

Probably not at all related, but might as well throw it out there..... I had an issue with copying my husband's data onto an external drive. Mine data was fine, but his kept failing (not all the files, but a great number). Turns out, he had a lot of files with too many characters in their path name and they wouldn't copy over. I installed a utility to help find and rename the files/folders and rename them. (He had a lot of stuff downloaded from construction project websites and had ridiculous folder names and ridiculous file names.)

[Mommy_Again]

They're all running Vista...I thought of that too.

[khm]

Hmm, I know zilch about Vista. I wonder if you could install ubuntu on the laptop, just to get the files onto the computer? (You can daul-boot with XP at least....)

Maybe search some microsoft forums? If they are all the same Vista (pro vs. home, 64 vs 32 bit, same service pack if they still have service packs....) then I am at a loss why the laptops behave differently.

Can you network to the desktop and get the files that way?

[Penny's Pappa]

Could the files have somehow been made into Hidden Files? If they were, and if your husband's desktop is set to view Hidden Files while your laptop(s) isn't, that may explain why you can see them on one but not the other?

Try this:

--Open a file folder (any file folder)
--Click "Tools", then "Folder Options"
--Click the "View" tab
--Under "Files and Folders" there should be a sub-heading for "Hidden Files and Folders"
--Click "Show hidden files, folders, and drives"
--Click "OK" and then see if you can see your files.

Be careful with this though. Hidden files are typically system files that are kept hidden from you for a reason. Don't mess with any of the files themselves unless you know for sure what they are.

Just a thought, otherwise I think I would chalk your problems up to gremlins.

[Mommy_Again]

Could the files have somehow been made into Hidden Files? If they were, and if your husband's desktop is set to view Hidden Files while your laptop(s) isn't, that may explain why you can see them on one but not the other?


Pappa...you are my hero. That was it - I can see them now!!

But here's a question - Dell told me they re-imaged my hard drive and all my data was gone (not a problem since I had it backed up). But after I changed settings to be able to view hidden files, all my data was visible again - but all file and folder icons looked "ghosted out". I changed properties so they were not classified as "hidden" - and everything looks normal. Do you think this is OK? So basically I didn't copy data over from backed up hard drive, but unhid what Dell told me was gone. I am not the most techy-proficient so I want to make sure I am not going to cause any issues by doing this.

Thank you SO MUCH for your suggestion...this has been driving me batty for weeks.

[Penny's Pappa]

Pappa...you are my hero. That was it - I can see them now!!

But here's a question - Dell told me they re-imaged my hard drive and all my data was gone (not a problem since I had it backed up). But after I changed settings to be able to view hidden files, all my data was visible again - but all file and folder icons looked "ghosted out". I changed properties so they were not classified as "hidden" - and everything looks normal. Do you think this is OK? So basically I didn't copy data over from backed up hard drive, but unhid what Dell told me was gone. I am not the most techy-proficient so I want to make sure I am not going to cause any issues by doing this.

Thank you SO MUCH for your suggestion...this has been driving me batty for weeks.

Glad I could help!

All that sounds normal to me. The "ghosted out" appearance is Windows' way of showing you that that is a hidden file/folder that you have now made visible. Removing the hidden attribute changes the icons back to how they should normally look.

Changing the hidden attribute of a file/folder will not do any damage to the file. Windows just hides many files from you -- typically important system files -- in order to keep you from accidentally moving/renaming/deleting/etc. them. That being said, now that you've un-hidden the files/folders you wanted to see, I suggest turning off the "Show hidden files, folders, and drives."

The big question now, though, is why your files were hidden in the first place. For an answer to that question, refer to my above statement about gremlins.

(As an aside, if you have some files you'd like to keep away from your kids' prying eyes for one reason or another, you could set them as hidden and unless they knew how to view hidden files, they'd never know they were there :D)