[SOLVED] How to Restore Files & Folders Hidden by Malware?

[mwalgen44]

I took my laptop out to work remotely using my phone as a tether. Though the tether from my phone was working, my laptop could not pick up the signal for some reason. When I got back home, it looked like I lost all of my Word files, downloads, everything. I haven't been able to access these files for over a week now. I think, I hope that it's just a case of malware hiding my files from me. Step by step, can you help me with a reliable, tried and true procedure to recover my files? Thank you.

I had thought that BitDefender protects against all malware. Apparently not. Thank you.

Mike

 

[Ralston18]

Update your post to include laptop hardware specs an OS.

What error messages or pop-up windows do you see when you attempt to access the missing files?

Recuva may prove helpful.

https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva

 

[rgd1101]

where are the file? did you try searching for it?

 

[USAFRet]

Missing, or possibly encrypted from ransomware?

 

[mwalgen44]

Update your post to include laptop hardware specs an OS.

What error messages or pop-up windows do you see when you attempt to access the missing files?

Recuva may prove helpful.

https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva

Thanks, Ralston18.

To access the missing files, I go to the yellow folder titled "My Computer." I open up the Word 2013 files only to find that app 100% empty. No error message.

My OS is Windows 10.

I will give ccleaner a try. What does this cleaner target? Thanks.

Mike

 

[Ralston18]

I will second the question regarding searching for the files first.

And you should also scan for malware, ransomware. If anything is found knowing the possible culprit may help finding a way to recover the files.

It is not uncommon to have software save files to another location (drive, folder, subfolder) than what is expected or intended. There are a couple of reasons for that happening: user error, some default configuration, typos in path names, etc..

Did you really do a "Move" vs "Copy"?

There are other ways to look for the files than just Explorer per se.

Are there any backups of the files?

 

[mwalgen44]

where are the file? did you try searching for it?

Yes. I did search for the files: in this case, the Word 2013 files. All of my saved Word files. They appear to be gone. The current file of Word 2013 is empty except for one document that I am working on now.

 

[rgd1101]

the current file of word 2013 is empty? what is that mean? are you looking at recent open file?