SSD file transfer - files missing but disk size is correct

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canadiantree

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Sep 11, 2015
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Long story short I transferred files from 1 SSD to another via a USB dock. Upon completion I disconnected the USB drive (which had my OS for another computer):

Upon restarting that machine Windows failed to start and on top of it my files are missing from it although when I survey the disk space it shows that they should be there, or at least the space for them is.

What can I do? Is it due to me removing the hard disk without the safe eject method?

Many thanks, I have 300 GB of data at stake here...
 
Solution
The_Tester
Sounds like you may have answered your own question. I'm not exactly savvy on operating systems as a whole, but I know that used space=something is occupying that space. It could have been something as simple as administrative access permissions got messed up like you alluded too. I've seen something similar to this happen from time to time on networked drives where info you're not supposed to have access get's put on your machine. The data is in fact there but you need some sort of elevated admin status to do anything with it or even know it's there. Anywho, glad you found it.

Also, always do external backups first! 😀
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Dude..

You can't just drag files from one hard drive to another and expect it to boot.

You need to use an imaging tool like Acronis.
 
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OK let me give a few more details, didn't expect so many responses quickly:

I have a Samsung EVO 850 1TB with a stable Win 10 Pro 64 OS

I have a Samsung EVO 840 500 GB which had 300 GB of data on it I wanted to transfer to the 1 TB (pics, videos, word documents etc.)

I dismounted the 1TB from my PC (after shutting it down completely) and connected it via a USB dock to the laptop where my 500GB SSD is in, transferred the files to the 1 TB drive waited for it to complete, checked the files were there via file explorer, when I was happy I disconnected the drive (without the safe remove option because I'm lazy 🙁 )

Upon reconnecting the 1TB to my Desktop PC Windows 10 started and upon reaching the desktop I got an error about some file path missing, I didn't think it was a big deal, I restarted and that's when Windows failed to boot, I then inserted my USB boot of Win 10 to repair the startup process.

In the end I got into Windows but the folders where I saved the data aren't showing. However when I go into This PC and survey the disk space of the drive there is the 300GB extra, it's just the folders are nowhere to be found ( When I go to C: and select all and properties, here the 300GB extra are not accounted for (but they are in the 'This PC' window.

I don't think this helps but I'm running a Skylake i5 6600k on an Asus Z170m mobo.
 
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http://www.digitalcitizen.life/command-prompt-fix-issues-your-boot-records

This should do the trick.

FIXBOOT
FIXMBR
 
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k let's recap...

1TB EVO 840 = current OS disk for desktop VIA SATA interface / files transferred to this disk

.5TB EVO 840 = current OS disk for laptop VIA SATA interface (Yes?|No?|Never had and OS on it, just the now missing files) / files transferred from

The missing files in question were never on the 1TB EVO 840 before the transfer (yes?|no?)

This is sounding like the files did infact transfer but not to the place you thought they were going. If not done so already change the folder options for the OS to show hidden folders and known file extensions (control panel > File explorer options > view tab). After that look around in the "C:" drive as well as "This PC" area. The files could be in a hidden folder possibly. Also, try searching for the name of a folder or file that you know was in the file transfer and see if it leads to the rest of them.

Do you have file history turned on in WIN 10? (probably not helpful to mention considering the amount of data...)

Lastly did you copy or cut/paste the now missing files? if it's showing the amount of data you transferred as an increase in used space on disk it (or something) is taken up space somewhere on the drive I would hope.
 
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Hi

1TB EVO 850 = current OS disk for desktop VIA SATA interface / files transferred to this disk: correct

.5TB EVO 840 = current OS disk for laptop VIA SATA interface (Yes?|No?|Never had and OS on it, just the now missing files) / files transferred from Yes this disk is the OS disk for laptop and where the missing files for the 1TB disk originated from. Files transferred from this disk to the 1TB disk via a USB docking station

The missing files in question were never on the 1TB EVO 850 before the transfer (yes?|no?) Correct they were never on that disk.

I copied (no cutting) the files and pasted them into C:/user/me/desktop on the 1 TB disk. Both the laptop and my desktop are running Windows 10 (home on laptop, pro on desktop)

I've tried everything from showing hidden files and folders to running the indexation again, but nothing is showing up. Windows sees for instance that there's 250 GB of videos when I go to Settings/System/Storage/C drive but when I enter that drive, select all and go to properties, the 250 GB are not listed.

Not sure about file history, never used it.

I tried file recovery software on the origin disk and it does find alot of them but upon recovering them none are usable sadly 🙁

I really am at loss of thought as to what happened. I disconnected the 1 TB disk from the USB dock once the laptop had shut down so I can't imagine a RAW partition could have been created.

What's most puzzling is that Windows shows the disk space as taken but I still can't find these files 🙁 55 years of photos and videos of my wedding, kids etc so yeah not too happy (at the same time kicking myself for not having a second backup)
 
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So I have a small update. Alittle bit of searching led me to a program called WinDirStat I ran it and it found my files on the disk under a weird folder name called found.000 as per the ss below
http://imgur.com/i4Ekau9

This file path is inaccessible in explorer and when I try to open it from WinDirStart it says access denied, so I am completely puzzled. Is it because I copied the files from another windows install with a different user account name (the laptop was under my sister's name)

The files are there though... I just can't access them 🙁

Any help appreciated as always.

UPDATE: I found a way to access them again, I do not understand how I managed, I basically clicked on properties, sharing, share folder, and that created a link I could click on and I am now copying the files onto a new HDD. I am relieved obviously but boy was this stressful... If anyone knows why this happened to my files, I would love to know!


 
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Sounds like you may have answered your own question. I'm not exactly savvy on operating systems as a whole, but I know that used space=something is occupying that space. It could have been something as simple as administrative access permissions got messed up like you alluded too. I've seen something similar to this happen from time to time on networked drives where info you're not supposed to have access get's put on your machine. The data is in fact there but you need some sort of elevated admin status to do anything with it or even know it's there. Anywho, glad you found it.

Also, always do external backups first! 😀
 
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Solution
WinDirStat is great! I haven't needed to use it to find missing files, but rather to find out why my HDD was filling itself up with useless files (some temp files related to viewing webcams). But as the Tester said above, always have one or more external backups of important data, hopefully stored in different physical locations (home, office, relative's house, etc.)
 
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