I think a virus cleaned my external drives

[fotol8y]

when I started up my computer it would only start in safe mode. I can't do a system restore because it says the disk has been disabled or something. Up to this point I wasn't too worried because I have everything double and triple backed up on my externals. In fact my back up is on one so I clicked on it but it said the file was empty. With hopes that it was reading this because of safe mode I plugged 2 of the externals into a different computer that is working fine. Still they both say the file is empty.
I am so sick about this, all of my business files and nearly 500gb of photos were on these drives. Is there any hope?

 

[swifty_morgan]

should always burn valuable data to a disc.

 

[fotol8y]

thanks johan I will try... I used to swifty until I was spending days backing up my huge images (raw image files and photoshopped images). What I should have done, and will from now on, is unplug the externals from the computer. I just never dreamed that they could be hacked but I know now... Someone broke in my home and studio a couple of years ago and stole more than $10k worth of photog equipment, last night I felt like I was robbed again 🙁

 

[fotol8y]

Best answer selected by fotol8y.