Desktop not working: I need my hard drive back!

Yep, I deleted two posts of mine that I deemed a waste of time. You proved that - Windows only gave you 16 MB of shrink space.

You can do your plan and move the data from one machine to another, not a bad idea.

The only way to make your new machine new again is to do a Reset, not a refresh.

I've offered everything I can think of to help you solve the issue. You recovered the data. Something along the way caused another issue. I offered a way to resolve that.

Your copy to the laptop idea preserves your data, so you don't have to use Lucid Puppy and the old HD.
The Reset restores your new machine to factory condition.

I'm not going to chase this issue any further. The next steps are up to you.

Good luck,

Bill
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STATUS 6/8/14

Okay, I first did the file transfer from my computer to my laptop, and that was successful. While I was doing that, I was able to finally see the found folders that I either couldn't find or thought I deleted. I did delete them while transferring the files, making it go from 79-80GB to 88GB.

Then I went to the reset and reinstalled Windows, and that was successful too. There is 1-2 changes here and there compared to what it was like before, such as during the start page, search and power are not next to my screen name so I have to go to touch the right side for one thing to appear, and click settings to do the other. I also got back Firefox, filehippo, and flash, so you know.

As for the GBs left on my hard drive: I have 193GB left of 465GB. I would have to classify this as failure because, a) when I got this computer, 20GB were used already because of things already inside/installed. And b) the files I transferred; the ones that were still on my computer after the transfer and before the reset are gone because of the reset, and I haven't transfer them all back. But I did some math, and when I do get them back on here, they were be 98GB total. Subtracted from the 193GB remaining, and you have 95GB remaining, which is 7GB more than the 88 I had before this started.

So I'm still dealing with this problem.

One last thing: I highlighted the folders inside C:, and its 10.2GB right now as of this posting.

EDIT: I transferred the files from my laptop back to my computer. 90GB remaining currently.

Here's the thing Nate, a reset would have made your machine like brand new. I don't know what you did or how much disk space was available after the reset because you didn't say.

You do say that there is 193 GB on you machine - I'm guessing that is after the reset.

There seems to be something wrong with the options you selected for the reset. I don't think filehippo is part of the Win8 reset set, I could be wrong.
I also got back Firefox, filehippo, and flash, so you know.

See: Reset Windows 8
Make sure that you select
Remove everything and reinstall Windows
and
Fully clean the drive

You might want to open a thread on eightforums.com asking for help with a Reset. Forget about the data recovery part, just ask for help on the Reset.

Your machine should have been just as it was when you took it out of the box two weeks ago if you did the reset correctly.

Don't transfer the old files around until you get the Win8 machine back to factory condition.

Good luck.

Thanks for the updated information. That's what I thought might have happened.

Before you put your recovered data back on the machine, I suggest that you isolate it from your OS volume.

This should be an easy task and take very little time since your disk is GPT.

Post after the Reset but BEFORE transferring the data back. It's worth the effort to separate the OS and user data.
There are some features that make accessing the data really easy.

Great news Nate.

That would be great, follow this tutorial:
See: Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

Having this information makes it easier to a discuss the course of action.

Thanks

Nate,

I really don't understand the iBUYPOWER instructions.
HLGT DVD ??
setup: next then install now ??
custom installation ??
delete each partition ??

A Reset should do all of that automatically. I could be wrong tough.
Reset Windows 8

The tutorial above basically shows the steps I think you should be taking, after the machine is Reset, you go into personalization.

It sounds as though iBUYPOWER is directing you more in a clean install fashion. That would work too, I think.
Here's the eightforums tutorial on a clean install:
Clean Install - Windows 8

A reset is "better" and slightly faster than a clean install.

The objective of this exercise is to make the machine exactly as it was when it left the iBUYPOWER warehouse. For that, you use the RESET feature.

You posted an image a long time ago showing the RESET option, I don't understand your reluctance to a RESET.
It might be unfamiliar, but it's an easy thing to do. You can't hurt the machine, you have the disk.

I think you should wait and take advantage of iBUYPOWER support, but make it clear to iBUYPOWER that you want to RESET the machine.