help c: drive found but empty

Mike_oz · Oct 16, 2004

hi

i have recently lost c: to some bug or windows error and had to reinstall xp

after i "chkdsk" in xp repair

it found an error and was able to reinstall xp

but now ive lost everything in "c:\program files" dir

the thing is that it is saying ive used 26gb of the 30gb partition which is wrong cause xp is like 500mb

so what im saying is that the old "program files" is invisible or somthing

i have checked "show hidden files" and it still isnt there

Mike_oz · Oct 16, 2004

ok

alright ive found the files in found.000

but there all over the place

is there somthing that will put them back in order while overwriting the xp i just reinstalled

RealBlackStuff · Oct 17, 2004

Welcome to TechSpot

Looks like your installation did not work properly. If all your files have already disappeared after the first CHKDSK (which put them in FOUND.000 because you said to save the files during CHKDSK), then there is possibly a hardware problem on your harddisk.
Check in the "Sticky" at the top of this forum, to run the appropriate HD-test program on your HD. Then report back.

Mike_oz · Oct 20, 2004

what should i be looking for in this diagnostic

this is all i could save but it doesnt say much

Drive Info
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Model : ST3120026A
Capacity : 120.03 GB
Cache size : 8192 KB
ATA Compliance : ATA-6

Ultra DMA
Highest mode : 5
Active mode : 5

Settings
Write cache : Enabled
Read look-ahead : Enabled
S.M.A.R.T. operations : Enabled
S.M.A.R.T. status : Good
Security feature : Supported
Password : Not Set

Mictlantecuhtli · Oct 20, 2004

As far as I know, there's no automated way to restore those FOUND.xxx filenames to their original names. You'd need to rename them manually if you remember the sizes of the original files.

To my logic chkdsk's way is quite stupid, considering the filenames are nearly always still in those directories and could be restored (or the other way around, wouldn't need to be renamed).

Rick · Oct 21, 2004

Mictlantecuhtli said:

As far as I know, there's no automated way to restore those FOUND.xxx filenames to their original names. You'd need to rename them manually if you remember the sizes of the original files.

To my logic chkdsk's way is quite stupid, considering the filenames are nearly always still in those directories and could be restored (or the other way around, wouldn't need to be renamed).

chkdsk is a great example of 'dumb' program. It takes what could be a very complex and important task and accomplishes it using the least possible effort and intelligence. I hope chkdsk has a suitable replacement in Longhorn.

From I've read here, it looks like you'll just have to delete those files and start over again. Perhaps search on www.google.com or somewhere else on restoring chkdsk chk files. I'd be curious to see what you find, if anything.

You should run a drive diagnostic on your hard drive. Since your data is probably gone, I would shift you worries over to WHY this happened. A bad hard drive, funny memory problems or Windows itself can cause some odd probelms simliar to what you have experienced.

Mike_oz · Oct 22, 2004

thanks,

yeah i have alread started to get some of the important stuff that is in there (just takes awhile because there is 407 folders)

ive been looking for some thing that would restore the files but haven't had any luck.

thanks for your help

TechSpot

help c: drive found but empty

Mike_oz Newcomer, in training

Mike_oz Newcomer, in training

RealBlackStuff Newcomer, in training

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Rick TechSpot Staff

Mike_oz Newcomer, in training