2 XP's, no old 'My Documents'

[Guest]

I had a problem with Windows XP Pro, so I reinstalled it. I figured since I wasn't reformatting my drive, all of my old files would still be fine. However, when I was finished with the installation I was missing a lot of files that had been on my desktop and in My Documents. I know they aren't completely gone since many of these files were large media files and my 40GB hard drive is still almost full, which it wouldn't be without said media files. However, they are nowhere in "Documents and Settings" and a search of the whole hard drive turns up nothing. Is there something I'm missing, somewhere Windows caches these files? If my hard drive is still full, the files must be somewhere, correct? Or is this a lost cause

Thanks
Nate

 

[Tim]

Nate,

Open up my computer, C:\ then Document and Settings and you will see there
the directories for each user's private stuff EG desktop, registry, start
menu and so on.

Have a look around and you may find that your current documents folder is in
say NATE.001 (or NATE~1 or some other wierd name) and the original was in
NATE.

If so, the just cut and paste the files you *do* need across. I would
recommend using cut and paste as there will also be an old user registry
which if you copied across could stuff things up grandly.

You may need to "Take Ownership" to gain access to the files. You will know
to do this if when you try to open a folder, the system tells you do not
have permission to do so.

You can only take owner if you are an Administrator. Do this by right
clicking on the folder concerned, properties, security, advanced, owner tab.
Click the Replace owner on subcontainers... and select the new owner, click
Apply.

HTH
- Tim