[Fragrag]

Am I the only one that read 'My flies!' instead of 'My files'?

[Scuddie]

Try chkdsk c: /f /r

[Descenterace]

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Tim>chkdsk c:
The type of the file system is NTFS.

WARNING!  F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)...
[A metric assload of disk errors]

Ye gods, that's a lot of breakage. Last time I saw an NTFS disk with that many errors we lost 80% of the stuff. Thankfully the data was neither important nor mine...

[Carl]

well, all of my stuff is still there, i can access it, but it isn't listed, and i'll never remember what all of the filenames are.

[Flipside]

If you can get to DOS and you have access to 2 drives, try

COPY /V C:*.* D:

That 'should' move all the files from C onto D nad verify them. This will include making a copy of your system files, but you can clean it up later. That drive is dying.

NOTE : Try Copy /? and make sure I'm right about the format of that command.

[vyper]

Yeah but surely the copy command relies on the FAT to know what files to actully copy?

[Flipside]

If Carl can open the ones he knows the name of, then there must references still in place somewhere, all you can really do is try it and hope. Simply doing a disc-copy will copy the errors

[Scuddie]

If you try to do chkdsk c: /f /r, it will attempt sector recovery and mark invalid clusters.  But until you do, don't be hopeful of ANY solution.  While you're doing this, you should make dinner, write a novel, conquer the world, witness the next big shrink, etc...  This will take a while.

Once the recovery is made, some sectors will still likely be bad.  You can try to use R-Studio NTFS and see if it sees the files.  I am unsure of corrupt file index properties work with R-Studio.  If you still have problems, taking the machine to a professional may be the best option.

[Flipside]

I have concerns that in trying to fix it using chkdsk, you may lose good data along with the bad. the files are accessible, if invisible at the moment, and I'm not quite sure why that is.

CHKDSK might rewrite those filenames, but I can't say for certainty it won't get things the other way round, and assume those references to files are invalid, and erase Carl's only chance of accessing them, if you see what I mean?

[Flipside]

Just try one thing for me Carl....

Go into your folder options and as well as showing hidden files etc, uncheck the 'Hide protected System Files' option as well, this is just considered as any file with both the System and the Hidden tag set. I've no idea how that could be happening, it may be something to do with the corruption, but maybe the filenames are there, and somehow the flags have got corrupted? It's not very likely, but it's worth a shot.

[Stealth]

Am I the only one that read 'My flies!' instead of 'My files'?

wow. i was just thinking the same thing.

also, chkdsk /f will not delete or otherwise fubar any of your files.

[Nix]

Swap out your data cable for another one ASAP, I strongly reccomend this.  If that cable is nicked, bent, shorted out in any fashion, it's definitely going to cause data corruption. 

[Carl]

Try chkdsk c: /f /r

YAY! That did it. all my files are listed! thank you so much!

[Gortef]

w00t! Good to hear that.

Cheers to Scuddie who saved our friendly shivan from despair ^^

[Scuddie]

In return, you can stop eating my lunch.

[Grug]

*Awaits "victory but wisdom gained" speech from Spock or nearest local Vulcan*