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What happened:
So I had loads of files on my desktop, scattered all around. So I thought let's clean it up.
I saw this nameless folder that had exactly the same files that were on my desktop. So I thought: "Oh, this is just a desktop shortcut folder." I was so wrong...
Turns out, when I deleted the folder, all the files on my desktop got removed with it. They contained some really important work files.
What I tried to solve this problem:
Ctrl + z didn't bring them back, and neither does the "Restore" feature in the recyclye bin. When I try to restore that folder, it says: "The file name you specified is not valid or too long"
I also tried looking at the File History feature in the control panel, but that feature was off so that didn't help.
Why was that folder there? How can I get my files back?
1
Are you able to just drag that folder out of the recycle bin into another folder, not your Desktop?
2
If not, click your Start Button, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Click View and make sure 'Address Bar' is turned on.
Paste this into the Address Bar at the top and hit Enter.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Please provide a screenshot of that Registry Editor page.
When I try that I get this error:
Here is the Registry screenshot
Thank you for the screenshot, if you open File Explorer, then go to C:\Users, in there go into your user account folder, do you see a Desktop folder in there, and if so are all your files in that folder?
They are not in that folder unfortunately.
I think the only option now will be to run check disk on your C drive to see if that may resolve the problem, if not, it will not be possible to restore that folder from the recycle bin and if that folder is corrupt, check disk may delete that folder.
Click the power button on your Start Menu
Press the Shift Key and click Restart
Your PC will boot into the Windows Recovery Environment
Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Options - Command Prompt
Type this command and press Enter:
chkdsk C: /f /r
Wait for that process to complete, then restart your system into Windows.
I did it and booted up my laptop again, now what?
Hey Dave, are you still there?
