Search isn't finding some existing files

I have a program called BigJig, which has jigsaw files (.jg6) and my saved completed/part-done jigsaws (.sv8) files. When I had XP I always saved the .sv8 to the same folder the .jg6 was in.. Then Vista started dumping them somewhere else, despite the fact that I would tell BigJig to save to the folder I wanted them in. I finally found them.. I think they were in some user profile in application data or something. Should have moved them then, but I didn't. Well, now that I've upgraded to 7, they re back to sving where I want them, but I cannot find the ones Vista dumped in the wrong place anywhere.. search does not find any of the files, neither the .jg6 nor the .sv8, even though they are there, I can see them inBigJig, open them, mess with them etc. But some of them are in the wrong folders, and so, because I can't find them, I can't move them to where I want them to be.. if that makes sense. BigJig doesn't have a 'save as' option, so I can't save them to the right place and delete the wrong one.. I need to move them in windows explorer or my computer, but until i can find them I can't fix their locations. How can I find the actual location of these files?

Hello andiekat and welcome to the Forum.

Have you tried using a wild card in the Start search box? For example, type in *.jg6 or *.sv8 and see if you can locate them. Another possibility is to use the registry editor as a search tool.

Again in the start search box type in regedit then open the utility. You'll get a registry editor dialog box. Highlight "My Computer" in the left panel. Click Ctrl+F to open a "Find" dialog box. In the "Find What" box type in BigJig and then click the "Find Next" button. Regedit will start to search for all locations containing BigJig. When it finds a location it will stop searching. Look at the bottom of your screen in the status bar to see the path of the found file. Make note of it. Click the F3 key (top of keyboard) to resume the search. Keep track of any other locations.

Hopefully the regedit search will pinpoint where the files are saved. You could also search for .jg6 or .sv8 and see if you get different results. Only caution is to NOT delete anything while in regedit.

And, of course, try doing an Advanced Search, searching NOT just the indexed files/folders but search your whole Computer + be sure to check: "Include non-indexed, hidden and system files."

Thank you Peter, that is where they were.. in the virtual store :) Thank you also Dzomlija and
Imperfect1 - I had tried searching for *.sv8 and searching non-indexed, searching entire computer, so if they weren't in the virtual store then searching wiht regedit would be the next step - but thank heavens the lost is found, and I don't needd to :)