Unable to see contents of C: drive

[Dukey]

hi i have a problem with one of our computers.

 

The computer boots normally and allows log on. The desktop for every

user is empty. Double clicking on the C drive opens an empty window -

as if the C drive was completely empty, which it can't be as Windows has

loaded. Attempting to open the contents of the C drive using a command

prompt also suggests that the drive is empty. It allows you to navigate

to the drive and even to directories that should exist (such as

documents and settings), but the DIR command (which should display all

the files within the directory) results in an error message (file not

found). At first I thought this might be a drive mounting error, but it

apparently isn't. I can't get onto the Administration Tools in the

control panel to check out the drive assignments, as Windows can't find

the file for opening this. I've tried running a scan disk, which didn't

help, and apparently someone else had attempted to defrag the drive,

which also hasn't helped.

 

It's one of the most peculiar errors I've ever experienced, and I can't

rule out that it's caused by a virus.

 

MEGA thanks will be given for your help.

 

Dukey.

[sted]

might be locked down via a gpo try running rsop see what it says

 

also worth going back to dos and drting dir /ah and/or dir /as

[LeMarchand]

Have you tried booting from something like UBCD or a Linux disk to see if the files are accessible?

[ricki]

Hi

 

I know this will sound silly but someone has not installed windows on another drive have they. You can set gpo so you cannot get at c drive. Are you logged in as a administrator. Try the local administrator as well.

 

Richard

[Ambient]

Any Malware on the PC which might have hidden all the files and folders?

 

I've had a few laptops come to me like this. I opened the C: drive....to find nothing! All that had happened is that the Malware had hidden all the folders. I simply had to un-hide them once the virus was removed.

 

Might not be this though.

[Jawloms]

chkdsk /r?

[BatchFile]

Boot off a PE stick, run diskpart, list volume

 

should shed some light...

[Dukey]

Thanks guys sorry its been a while since i posted this, it was MALWARE! i've thanked all of your posts

[CESIL]

Last time I saw something like this it was a rootkit that had infected the ide driver and then hidden all the drives...the Kaspersky rootkit killer utility cleared it.