Recycle Bin items on HDD in hidden folders but not in Recycle Bin.

axionguy

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Dec 15, 2010
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Hello I need some serious help! I installed a synchronization program to sync my external HDD to a network drive. Unfortunately it deleted thousands of files i need for my business!!!! Thankfully the files are still in the hidden Recycler folder on the externall hdd BUT they directory structure is not correct. It is very very very important that i have each file put back into it's original file location since i have multiple files of the same name but in different customer folders. The recycle bin shows some files in the recycle bin but its files from the C drive, not the external hdd.

Things I've tried:

1. Delete the Desktop.ini file in the recycler folder to try to recreate the recycle bin
2. Change the option of the recycle bin properties so that each drive has its own recycle bin.

So far nothing has worked.

Thanks for any help!
 
The recycle bin should retain the path information.

If the files are hidden, un-hide them:

Open Windows Explorer
Click 'Tools' at top of frame
Click 'Folder Options'
Clcik 'View' tab
Tick 'Show hidden files and folders'
Un-check 'Hide protected operating system files'
Click yes, that you do want to see them too.
Click OK.

Go back and look at the recycle bin, try to restore.
 
I use 'FolderMatch' and if it is not setup to do the thing you want it to do, it does 'match' folders which includes deleting items that don't already appear in both folders/drives it is synchronizing. These are very dangerous programs to use if one doesn't check to see exactly what it will do when the 'continue' button is clicked.

Your program may have deleted, (and not to the recycle bin either!) many files it saw as being orphaned in one drive or the other. Not good.

Try data recovery programs.


Saga Lout has listed a couple free programs that work very well in this thread.( 12-15-2010 at 04:38:35 AM) ----> Click me
 

axionguy

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Dec 15, 2010
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The items are still there in the hidden folders, but the directory structure is what is corrupt. The only thing i can think of to fix it is to get the recycle bin to recognize those files in the recycler folder and then restore them. Thats the hard part though, getting them back in the recycle bin.
 



If you have confidence in Microsoft, or are a gambling man.. run chkdsk /f on the drives. This may repair the directory structure for you.