Windows 7: Saved document lost

I hope I can explain this adequately. I use a website (Ancestry.com) from which you can save an image on your harddrive. I went to save and the usual window opened up which was "documents library" though basically "my documents" folder - I saved to a folder within this location. When exiting the website and going to "my documents" folder, it was not there. I realized at this time, actually, that I've had this problem before. Though the file was definitely saved, it does not show up even in a search of the entire C drive. Returning to Ancestry, this time, instead of saving to the default folder, I went to C - users - my user name. This time there was a "Documents" folder in the list. Not "My Documents" - just plain "Documents." THAT was where the previously saved file was. I still cannot find it anywhere on my harddrive with a search, nor is there any plain "Documents." folder when I try to access it outside the saving process. I read this discussion on the difference between "documents" and "my documents" and it seems as if there's not really supposed to be a difference. My experience doesn't jive with that, but I have NO idea what the answer is. If it was just an Ancestry document, it would be annoying rather than important. However, my son also lost a work-related document he thought he saved in somewhat the same situation. Can someone please explain this (in somewhat simple terms) so I can avoid the problem? Thank you!

Hello Clairespin, welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

In Windows 7, the Documents feature is actually a virtual library (which is why you couldn't see it when you searched for it) where you can link to files from different locations on your computer.

For example, I have a data folder on a separate partition where I keep all my personal data. If I then right-click this folder and select Include in Library it will appear in the library I choose even though it hasn't been moved to the library.

Libraries just make it a lot easier to keep tabs on your personal files by allowing you to look in one location for them rather than several locations on your hard drive.

By default, the Documents library includes your My Documents or Documents folder and the Public Documents folder, but you can add any other folders you want.

You might like to read this Microsoft article: How to organize computer files and folders: 9 file management tips

Thank you for your reply!
I understand what you're saying and I understand the concept of "Library." What I DON'T understand is why a file I saved is not in the folder I saved it in and why doesn't it show up in ANY search. I know it's there, because if I try to resave it, I'm asked whether I want to replace it.

Although not a solution , you haven't mentioned which browser you use , i reccomend firefox ,with firefox there is a download manager it collates your downloads and the locations of them ,mine is set to ask where i want to download to,if for some reason i forget or save to a location i didnt want to save to i can right click the file i downloaded in the downloads manager and select open containing folder . this opens the location of the file .i never lose a file.
depending which browser you use there may be a setting that will open your download history and be able to locate the file precisely.

So why not save a copy of it on the desktop?
Or when the save dialog box pops up, copy the filename in the save as field and search your pc for it. it should show up...

It could have been saved (doubtful) as a hidden file and your setup has hidden files/folders invisible.

With all due respect allend66, that would only work for saving an occasional file. If the OP has, like many of us, hundreds or thousands of files that we're saving, we can't possibly save them to the Desktop. And can you imagine how cumbersome it would be, if you had to copy the filename of every single one of these 100s to 1,000s of files to search for every one of them. Wow! What a time consuming unnecessary effort that would be!

No, to me there are only two reasonable choices: One is to be able to set up a default location for all files of a certain type to be saved, for example, in my case, I save all of my work documents to my "Documents" folder, but in the music and video catagories, I have default locations pre-set so that each type of music or video file is saved to the specific location of my choice.

The other option would be to just not use Libraries at all --- problem solved!

Clairespin, here's some help for you:
Working with libraries
Library Guide: http://www.winsupersite.com/Windows 7/ff_libraries.asp
Inside Windows 7:Introducing Libraries - from MSDN Magazine at Microsoft
Customize a library

You can also DELETE or REMOVE your Libraries Folder.
NOTE: There's a big distinction between DELETING a folder location from a Library and REMOVING the folder from the Library. DELETING from Libraries does delete from the true location of the file! "REMOVING a location" from the library, is entirely different and is not considered "deleting." It simply means that that location is no longer part of the Library.

DELETE ‘LIBRARY’ or ‘FOLDERS within Library’
Libraries Folder - Add or Remove from Navigation Pane – Delete Library
How To Disable and Remove Libraries from Windows 7 Explorer « My Digital Life

You can delete the Library itself and/or any folder within a Library. Here's what Microsoft says (at Windows 7 Libraries: Frequently Asked Questions):


REMOVE LIBRARY
When you “remove” a folder location from a Library, you remove only the Library view of that folder. Removing a folder location from a Library doesn’t actually delete the folder or its files.

How to Remove a Included Folder from a Library in Windows 7
How to Add or Remove the Windows 7 Libraries Folder FROM THE NAVIGATION PANE

ooops, silly me!

If you right click on an image there will be an option to save as, the default location is the image library, however if you navigate to another folder, that will become the default for future images with the same extension.

I appreciate the input, but I can actually work around the problem by saving to a flash drive first. Saving to the desktop as a test didn't work either. It would save and then disappear. Saving the file isn't really the issue, though. I want to know WHERE the file disappeared to. I am super organized. I have a very specific system of folders and file naming. I only save files to Documents, Dropbox, and Evernote. There must be a bug in a system that can save a file to a very specific folder and then lose it, and I want to know why. By the way, it also happens on my netbook, so it's not a PC problem. Perhaps I'm asking a question that, if answered, I wouldn't understand anyway.

what browser are you using?