Vanished!

[witch]

A teacher has complained that all his work has disappeared off his computer, which was logged on locally - i.e. not on the network but with internet access. His wallpaper etc had also gone, and also some programs.

My immediate thought was that a pupil had got at it, but when I went to look, it was basically set to default, with some programs vanished and all desktop shortcuts gone as well (other than the basic ones).

All his files had indeed gone - which upset him as it was photos of all the kids art work.

I system restored it which brought back his destop and programs, but not, of course, his data.

I virus checked it as well (he said that MUST be the problem!!) but nothing found.

Any ideas what might have done this? I'm still leaning towards children, but it does seem a bit elaborate for them. (oldest are only 12)

 

I did point out the dangers of leaving machines logged on (mind you, the keyboard is covered in coffee and the adjacent printer covered in thick red paint, so -does he care?) and also pointed out that important stuff should be on the server.

Any ideas welcome

[Dos_Box]

Corrupt profile?

[Pete10141748]

try using a recovery program on the recycle bin, at least it'll show up if anything was deleted and maybe get them back too?

 

Recuva - Undelete, Unerase, File Recovery - Home

 

Recuva is a good one, posted here the other day, free at the moment so get it while it is!

 

 

Also, the way that only the non-basic icons were missing from the dekstop and his wallpaper being gone sounds a bit like a temporary profile was loaded instead of his own?

happens to the pupils here with the laptops quite a bit, they only get the default windows background and the icons in the "all users" desktop folder, and of course no network drives or work.

 

worth a check in the documents and settings (if you havent already) to see if the work is in any of the folders in his own profile there (and if there is any evidence of a temp. profile there too)

[CHR1S]

I say its a profile problem too, dig in to the Docs and Settings and see how many versions of profiles he has.

Also if the PC was fully networked at some point or accidently joined to the domain (lol) there could be a local/network profile confusion but its a long shot.

[StewartKnight]

it's his own fault for not backing up

 

I know it might be too late now, but, a fools learns from his mistakes, as he will be taught my no other method!

[witch]

No, not a profile problem I don't think- and I have searched the machine for any of his work and it isn't anywhere. No 'extra' profiles in Docs and Settings. When I logged on as him before I Syst Recovered, it pointed at his docs as required and there were no extra ones or anything.

Have run recovery software on his recycle bin and only found 'normal' stuff - none of his work was there.

The machine can be logged on to the domain as well but that seems to be all OK.

 

It's a mystery!

[witch]

Got it!!

Tried several recovery programs and then found one that worked, (recova) but only if the computer was in safe mode.

Dunno why

Don't care anyway- it's back and currently I am a goddess!!

Thanks for your help guys:)