Partition of 80GB hdd, one partition is browse-able other is not.

I have a HDD that has partitioned into 2. One works, you can view files and you can see it consuming space in properties. However the other partition is empty and i cannot browse any of the files i had in it. In propeties it says its using over half of the allocated space and on browsing with hidden files there are only a couple empty folders.

Is there anyway i can recover those files? I have many cherished photos on it

Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Can you post a screen shot of your partition arrangement in Disk Management?

Have you recently made any changes in your partitions?

When was the last time you were able to browse to these files in the "empty" partition and what (of any significance) have you done to your system since that time?

to do the screen shot asked for in the post above type
Disk Management
in the bottom left search box and use this tutorial to upload it to the forum
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html?filter[2]=General%20Tips

Also it would be helpful if you described how the hard drive ended up this way.
Your photos may be recoverable.

Sorry about taking so long, i was formatting the OS of the pc i mentioned. Well it happened a few days ago, i personally wasnt there but my mother tells me it just stopped all of a sudden and it is weird that the other partition is working fine. Checking restore points only important OS updates occured. Nothing new to report on i.e. no new partitions etc etc nothing is new its just the HDD in question playing up. There are some folders in it like RECYCLER and some .sys files but nothing that i want.

The drive in question is Disk1 E:

Maybe start by running a file recovery program - Recuva over the partition.
You can concentrate on image files if that is your main concern.
If a quick scan isn't effective you can try a deep scan but it takes awhile.

Thanks ill give it a go