> Sorry if I description is unclear.
>
> My Documents and all the icon shortcuts are on the desktop, shortcut
> icon
> dont matter if they are not on the desktop, my concerns are the missing
> user
> saved files such as word documents, powerpoint presentations, picture
> files,
> excel files etc. The user saved files are saved on the desktop and My
> Documents folder.
>
> It looks like the whole user profile is deleted and recreated new,
> empty
> desktop except for the shortcut icons and empty My Documents, but if
> the user
> profile is new, everything should be empty, but My Recent Documents is
> not
> empty, it contains shortcuts that has been open, up to several months
> ago.
>
> Thanks.






Hi, how are you? I registered on this forum just to see if I could help
a bit.:wink:

Let me see if I understood what you said:
You do still have all your shortcuts on your desktop, but all your
files and folders saved directly to your desktop disappeared. That's
it?
Just yesterday same thing happened to me. I went kinda crazy, my
pictures, folders, mp3, docs, txts, pdfs, all gone!! I tried Google
some help today, that's how I found your question.

You have XP, I have Vista (in japanese... I really suffer to use it)
but I think my clue is valid...
You said you tried to search using Search (I never use it, don't know
why but I never find nothing using this tool). Try this
way:　

My computer ---> Local Disk (or Local directory?) ---> Users ---> find
your user folder ---> and then a folder named Desktop. All your files,
folders and shortcuts should be there. Mine were.

If you find them, maybe it would be better if you create a new folder,
called kinda ''My Desktop Files'' on your Local Disk and create only a
shortcut to it on Desktop. Because maybe you can loose your files
again, and I don't know if they will be on Desktop folder again...


Sorry for the confusing explanation, I'm a dummy and don't even know
the correct terms to use... And my english is basic, so I hope you
understand me...

I'll paste on next message a text I found when looking for help, maybe
it could be useful too...


--
xx.luciana.xx

:ON'T PUT FOLDERS AND FILES ON YOUR DESKTOP::
*::April 26, 2007 - 10:00pm ::*


A few days ago one of my clients called me with some strange problems.
Suddenly many of her files disappeared from her computer. None of the
files seemed to be related. She was missing a few Microsoft Word
documents, some photos and her genealogy.
After looking around and doing several searches she happened to mention
that she used to have a folder on her desktop called "Old Desktop
Files." It was a folder with files that she had on an old computer.
Instantly I figured out what was going on. I looked in her Word and PAF
under the File menu and noticed that all of the missing files had been
in that missing folder.
I had looked in her recycle bin for the missing individual files and
they weren't there, but when I knew to look for the entire folder it
was all there in the recycle bin.
She was relieved that everything could be recovered. I gave her two
short lectures. Lecture 1 was entitiled -Always Backup Your Important
Data on a Flash Drive or CD- and the other was -Never Put Data Files or
Folders on Your Desktop-.
To make a shortcut on the desktop just find any folder, file or
shortcut in My Computer then hold the right mouse button down while
dragging the icon to the desktop. Choose "Create Shortcut."




SOME COMMENTS:

DESKTOP
THREAD (\"HTTP://WWW.YOURPCPARTNER.COM/NODE/1429#COMMENT-2598\")
Submitted by Smart Computer User on April 27, 2007 - 11:42am.
For me, the desktop is to be used only for temporary downloads which
are security updates, zip folders and shortcuts to programs. This
convenience is a great way to get at your most used programs rather
than clicking on START,ALL PROGRAMS and then searching thru the entire
list to find your program. I have 50 icons on my desktop, and most of
these are programs. I usually use no more than 4 or 5 on a daily basis.
This sure makes them easy to find.


BUT...
VULNERABLE
FOR DELETION (\"HTTP://WWW.YOURPCPARTNER.COM/NODE/1429#COMMENT-2600\")
Submitted by Rick on April 27, 2007 - 5:19pm.
I, too, use the desktop to store temporary files that I will use only
for editing my web site or looking at a client's file, but because they
are on the desktop, they can be inadvertantly deleted or misplaced
easier than if they are stored in a folder elsewhere on the hard drive.
My Documents is a natural place for important files to live, but you
can create any folder you want on the C drive. As Adam pointed out in
his article, you can easily create a shortcut to commonly used files or
folders on your desktop. If a shortcut gets lost or misplaced, no damage
is done, it can be recreated without a problem.


WHY? DON'T
PUT FOLDERS AND FILES ON YOUR DESKTOP (\"HTTP://WWW.YOURPCPARTNER.COM/NODE/1429#COMMENT-2589\")
Submitted by Smart Computer User on April 27, 2007 - 5:46am.
I understand about backing up, of course. But why not put files and
folders on your Desktop? What else is your Desktop for?


Entire original topic here:

'Don't put folders and files on your desktop | Castellini on
Computers Radio Show with Rick and Adam'
(http://www.yourpcpartner.com/node/1429)

------------


Ya know, the logical answer for the question is ''vulnerable for
deletion'', but I was wanting some technical complicated explanation,
that I wouldn't understand nothing but would make me sure that my pc
was totally damaged so I would format (or even burn it with fire and
alcohol...) and loose everything at once. Hehehe, just
kidding...:tongue: It was 'cause I first thought it was virus troubles,
even though my McAfee, AVG, Windows Defender and stuff didn't detect
anything...

Oh well talked too much, good luck then!!!:smile::smile::smile:


--
xx.luciana.xx

:ON'T PUT FOLDERS AND FILES ON YOUR DESKTOP::
*::April 26, 2007 - 10:00pm ::*


A few days ago one of my clients called me with some strange problems.
Suddenly many of her files disappeared from her computer. None of the
files seemed to be related. She was missing a few Microsoft Word
documents, some photos and her genealogy.
After looking around and doing several searches she happened to mention
that she used to have a folder on her desktop called "Old Desktop
Files." It was a folder with files that she had on an old computer.
Instantly I figured out what was going on. I looked in her Word and PAF
under the File menu and noticed that all of the missing files had been
in that missing folder.
I had looked in her recycle bin for the missing individual files and
they weren't there, but when I knew to look for the entire folder it
was all there in the recycle bin.
She was relieved that everything could be recovered. I gave her two
short lectures. Lecture 1 was entitiled -Always Backup Your Important
Data on a Flash Drive or CD- and the other was -Never Put Data Files or
Folders on Your Desktop-.
To make a shortcut on the desktop just find any folder, file or
shortcut in My Computer then hold the right mouse button down while
dragging the icon to the desktop. Choose "Create Shortcut."




SOME COMMENTS:

DESKTOP
THREAD (\"HTTP://WWW.YOURPCPARTNER.COM/NODE/1429#COMMENT-2598\")
Submitted by Smart Computer User on April 27, 2007 - 11:42am.
For me, the desktop is to be used only for temporary downloads which
are security updates, zip folders and shortcuts to programs. This
convenience is a great way to get at your most used programs rather
than clicking on START,ALL PROGRAMS and then searching thru the entire
list to find your program. I have 50 icons on my desktop, and most of
these are programs. I usually use no more than 4 or 5 on a daily basis.
This sure makes them easy to find.


BUT...
VULNERABLE
FOR DELETION (\"HTTP://WWW.YOURPCPARTNER.COM/NODE/1429#COMMENT-2600\")
Submitted by Rick on April 27, 2007 - 5:19pm.
I, too, use the desktop to store temporary files that I will use only
for editing my web site or looking at a client's file, but because they
are on the desktop, they can be inadvertantly deleted or misplaced
easier than if they are stored in a folder elsewhere on the hard drive.
My Documents is a natural place for important files to live, but you
can create any folder you want on the C drive. As Adam pointed out in
his article, you can easily create a shortcut to commonly used files or
folders on your desktop. If a shortcut gets lost or misplaced, no damage
is done, it can be recreated without a problem.


WHY? DON'T
PUT FOLDERS AND FILES ON YOUR DESKTOP (\"HTTP://WWW.YOURPCPARTNER.COM/NODE/1429#COMMENT-2589\")
Submitted by Smart Computer User on April 27, 2007 - 5:46am.
I understand about backing up, of course. But why not put files and
folders on your Desktop? What else is your Desktop for?


Entire original topic here:

'Don't put folders and files on your desktop | Castellini on
Computers Radio Show with Rick and Adam'
(http://www.yourpcpartner.com/node/1429)

------------


Ya know, the logical answer for the question is ''vulnerable for
deletion'', but I was wanting some technical complicated explanation,
that I wouldn't understand nothing but would make me sure that my pc
was totally damaged so I would format (or even burn it with fire and
alcohol...) and loose everything at once. Hehehe, just
kidding...:tongue: It was 'cause I first thought it was virus troubles,
even though my McAfee, AVG, Windows Defender and stuff didn't detect
anything...

Oh well talked too much, good luck then!!!:smile::smile::smile:


--
xx.luciana.xx