Missing programs/data

[mmike99]

Hi there, up to recently my laptop ran ok. Than I logged on, even without a password, and all my data, and programs were missing. no desktop theme no folders, no programs, and no data. Can anyone help exlain what might have happen, and how /were to look for the missing data. can tell you i ran a virus and malware scan and nothing.!!!! tyvm in advance

 

[cmichael138]

Does Windows 7 have a "System Restore"?

Do you have that problem when you log on WITH your password?

 

[mmike99]

hi Cm, yeah it has a restore, but was unable to go back with it. as for the password, i didnt have to use it to log on..just clicked on it..

 

[chriscornell]

Are you logging on with your regular user? Sounds like you're logging on with a different user, which would explain both the password problem and the missing programs.

 

[nikorr]

mmike99, do u have additional user accounts on the PC? A good one ChrisCornell^

Try to run #1 and #2 @ http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/8263-63-simple-free-guide-removing-malware

 

[mmike99]

no, there just the two accounts. mine user account was password protected, but no longer is, which is a surprise, the daughters is. is there a way, a program that can monitor the pc activity for say the last month...? smelling either something fishy(done manually), or theres something wrong with unit

ps, im currently running a data recovery on it, hoping this will help retreive data lost... Is there software that will tell the present state of all the hardware and o.s ? id sure like that bit of gold.

 

[mmike99]

mmike99, do u have additional user accounts on the PC? A good one ChrisCornell^

Try to run #1 and #2 @ http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/8263-63-simple-free-guide-removing-malware

Hi Nik, yeah there mine, and my daughters, and like i said mine was password protected. will try those malware

 

[CaedenV]

It would be so much simpler to save your data to a different computer, reformat, and start over. Then you would be much more positive that you destroyed what did this if it was a virus.

 

[mmike99]

its coming to that point, was just hoping to figure out what the culprit is

 

[cmichael138]

Do you have your daughter's password? If not, have her log in under her password and see if the files and data you're looking show up.

 

[mmike99]

yeah have access to her account, theres no files there either.

 

[cmichael138]

Ouch. Hope the data recovery program works for you.

 

[mmike99]

ran that program, however the report makes no sense to me. i also ran a data recovery, however i woke yup this morning to see a blank screen, with a little scare blink on top left side......dunno what happened? are you not suppose to run data recovery on the same drive as the one your trying to recover data from on laptops??