.zip file turned 0KB

[Kurtisdede]

When I bought this computer it had 2 partitions on it, a windows and a data one. A year ago I was thinking of installing Linux, so I wanted to re-partition everything (all the data would be gone.) I wanted to back up stuff that was important from the Data partition though. So from the Linux Mint Live CD, I made 2 zip files, one 1 GB and other 11 GB, that contained the data partition's important data. I transferred them to my external hard drive. I also checked these zip files on another computer(connected the external hard drive to another computer), and they seemed fine; I could open them, etc. After I installed windows on my computer, the .zip files stayed on the external hard drive, because I didn't need them at that time.
Fast forward a month or two later, I connected my external hard drive, to take something from the .zip files, only to discover that my zip files (both of them) had turned 0 KB. They will not open at all. I have run diagnostic tests on my external hard drive, and there is no bad sectors or anything like that. After doing a diagnostic test with the built-in windows one, it created a bunch of "found.xxx" folders. I checked them; there were 14 of them. Non of them contained my 12GB of data though, they just had other useless things. Also, it seems like that lost 12 GB is still covering up space in my hard drive, so I don't think they're gone; just inaccessible. I have also tried using a bunch of recovery software like Recuva; didnt help. Please help, thanks in advance.

Also, my main language isn't English, that's why my sentences aren't so good.

 

[RolandJS]

On The 'Net, there is a software company that boasts its program can repair ZIP files; I have never used it, I do not know what it does, how it works. If I or others can think of anything else to try, we'll post.
Going forward, please begin to make and continue making routine full images of your OS and Data partitions onto external media using any free or pay-for 3rd party programs such as Macrium Reflect, EaseUS, AOMEI, Image for Windows, Acronis True Image, and so on.