Can´t find a folder in my external drive

[skaenner]

Can´t find a folder in my external drive

Hi

I have an external drive for backups and one of my folders, a huge folder, i'd say, it's around 40 gigs is missing. Well, actually it's not missing, because when i use the "search" option to find files, it shows me the files in there, but i can´t see it in the normal way.

So, it seems to be hidden in some way i just can´t explain. I've already set folder options to show hidden files and folders but it didn't turn out good.

skaenner

 

[mitchell65]

Hi and welcome to the Forum.
Search for one of the files known to be in the folder in question and right click on it. Choose "Properties" and there you will see the path to the file. Look at the name of the folder that contains the file. Perhaps you have been looking for the wrong name. One other point to check is when you first boot up your system before connecting to the internet does your clock show the correct time?

 

[skaenner]

Hi Mitchell and thanks for responding.

No, i've checked all of these but it doesn't seem to be that. It's funny because i can access the files in the folder, i mean, if i search a folder name or a even a file name, i can access them using the search results.

I've already checked the permissions and all that stuff and they seem to be all right.

What could be doing that? Not to mention that it's been a pain in the **s to find files through the search engine rather than the usual way, i mean, opening them as everybody else.

skaenner

 

[mitchell65]

So what do you see when you look at the path in "Properties"? Have you checked the PC time?

 

[skaenner]

Yep. I did. It seems to be OK. I'll post two pictures so that you can see the path. PC time is OK too.
Skaenner

 

[mitchell65]

Thanks for the screenshots but hey still don't show the folder in question unless it is "Jen Baptiste Say". Can you confirm the Folder name please? Have you tried adding the folder as a location in Libraries?

 

[skaenner]

The folder is Universidade de Administração. I mean, J:\Universidade de Administração.

 

[edwar]

Have you tried doing a search for the folder name?

 

[mitchell65]

The folder is Universidade de Administração. I mean, J:\Universidade de Administração.

If you are searching for "Universidade de Administração." then perhaps you are putting a stop(.) in when there isn't one! It shouldn't make any difference but have you tried the folder name in both Capitalisation and all caps mode?
I would ask again "Have you tried making that folder a location in Libraries?"
One extra request:
Can you open WE double click on the J drive and post a screensot of the contents please?

 

[skaenner]

Here comes the screenshot. It's happened when i plug it to my laptop too btw. As you can see, the folder is not even displayed. I don't think it is related to size, because the TI general and Miscelaneous folders are much bigger than the Universidade de Adminstracao folder and they're displayed normally in volume J:\ .

 

[edwar]

That folder is there but it has a 1º E 2º and some text in front of the name. Looks like some kind of hard link. Create a new folder with that name and see if you get a warning about the folder already being there. If you do then make a New folder of some other name, Open that 1º E 2º folder and copy out your docs to that new folder. Once that is done and everything gets copied over Delete that 1º E 2º folder.

 

[mitchell65]

Well I am at a loss now. Just clutching at straws, Have you tried my Libraries suggestion? Also you might find this interesting!
operating system - How many sub-directories should be put into a directory - Stack Overflow

 

[edwar]

That Folder is already there. Although with some characters in front of it and it looks like it is pointing to some other folder on some other drive. Like a Hard Link or Junction point.

Search your complete system for that folder name.

 

[mitchell65]

As Edwar says that folder is showing. But is it? Try just double clicking on it and seeing if you can navigate to the subfolder containing your files!

 

[skaenner]

Well, the folder "1º e 2º período - to be sent to universidade administração" that you marked is not the folder i'm looking for. This folder was created to keep the files i want place in the missing folder as soon as i find it.

Concerning the Library issue, do you think it's going to work all right, because i use this external drive only for backups. anyway, would it be possible to add a folder to a library if i can't find it in the normal way?

 

[mitchell65]

The libraries work perfectly well with an external hard drive. That's what they are for really. It is better (IMHO) to give your external HD's dedicated letters towards the end of the alphabet say, V,W,X etc then the HD letter does not get altered by Windows if a new Removalbe drive gets aloocated a low alphabet letter. When this happens all lHD letters above that new one get upped a letter so Libraries would not recognise them!
Try to make the folder in question a "Location" I still think this is an issue with either folder size or number of files it contains. Split the folder up and i think your problem will be solved!

 

[edwar]

Well, the folder "1º e 2º período - to be sent to universidade administração" that you marked is not the folder i'm looking for. This folder was created to keep the files i want place in the missing folder as soon as i find it.

Concerning the Library issue, do you think it's going to work all right, because i use this external drive only for backups. anyway, would it be possible to add a folder to a library if i can't find it in the normal way?

Do you have that same named folder on your internal drive? If you do then that 1° folder is pointing to it like a Junction point. Making it look like that named folder is on the external, when in fact it is not.

Have you tried to Create a New Folder with that name on the external? If you haven't give that a try. If you do not get a warning about the folder already existing then that folder Does Not exist on the external drive.

You need to start doing some of the Tests that have been suggested.

 

[skaenner]

I tried doing the tests but unless i've done something wrong, nothing happened. For a start, i tried to create another folder with the same name "Universidade de Administração" and as you can see in screenshot-1 i got a window warning me.

I also tried to add the volume (here Novo Volume G:\) to a library and nothing changed as you can see in screenshot-2. I also tried to place a file from the missing folder. it accepted the file, but didn't added the whole folder.

Now concerning the size, as you can see in screenshots 3 and 4, these folders are much bigger than the missing (or hidden, if you prefer) folder, that is around 40 gigs.

One thing is sure. The folder is there and the proof is that i can open some files from there. The files are hidden, by only god knows who or what! The problem is that if i want to move files from that folder, it'll be a helluva job, seeing that i'll have to move one by one using the search engine.

 

[mitchell65]

My only suggestion is to enable the Super Administrator in Windows 7 and see if you can see the folder whilst logged in to that account!