PC won't save in My Documents anymore

[struggling]

I had it formatted 2 months ago and didn't notice tech failed to get spyware protection back on. I just downloaded new software and cleaned it up. I'm wondering if it has been messed up by all the junk that managed to get on board.

 

Main Problem: I can no longer save documents and photos to My Documents. No error messages. It just looks like a normal save. But nothing is turning up saved there.

 

Other Problems: "this program is not responding" and the silver screen of death. Lots of hourglasses.:(

 

The problems have remained even after I cleaned off the spyware (there were 114 infections found). I have Win XP, Home Ed.

 

I'd appreciate any input you may have.

[Goku]

Hello Struggling. It seems that your Operating System is heavily infected / corrupted and that is what is causing the error messages. Please try running your computer through our standard Malware Removal procedure and see what results does it yield.

 

Let us know how it goes though. Good Luck. :)

 

-- Goku

[struggling]

Thank you, Goku. I followed your link to the ATF Cleaner and walked through it. Results:

 

Step 3 (Installed and ran SUPERantispyware) It found over 100 threats. I changed screens while going between directions and dowloading and got "this program not responding" once.

 

Step 4 ( Malwarebytes) I did a search on how to find my firewall and followed the prompt to set an exception. I was horrified to find that the firewall was turned off!! Don't know how that happened, because I didn't even know how to find it before. I imagine the disabled firewall could have something to do with the problems I'm having. Scan result: No threats found.

 

Step 5 Scanned with ESET'S. Result: No threats found.

 

I've navigated around a fair bit after follwing all steps and the computer is running faster and has not yet crashed.

 

So it looks like your ATC Cleaner has helped that. However, I am still not able to save documents and photos to My Documents.

 

And the Windows Scanner and Camera Wizard is not running. I found a solution for that at pc-guru.com, through a google search. But it involves messing around with the registry, which scares me. I'm trying to screw up the courage to consider doing that, but thought I should run the idea by you first.

 

I greatly appreciate your help. :) Any other ideas about what happened to My Documents? :confused:

Edited December 16, 2008 by struggling

[BeeCeeBee]

It just looks like a normal save. But nothing is turning up saved there.

 

Can you still get to my documents at all? If so are the files you saved prior to this problem still there? Have you tried a search for the files that you were trying to save?

[Goku]

Hello Struggling. I will research your other problem after a bit but here is what you can do to fix your Windows Scanner and Camera Wizard is not running problem.

 

Please download the attached archive and extract it. If you are unsure on how to open the archive, use the instructions from here and continue. After you have extracted the archive, you should obtain a file labeled Fix Camera Wizard.reg. Double-click on the file and you will be asked whether you want to import the information into the registry or not. Answer Yes to the prompt and sometime later another dialog box will pop up informing you that the operation was successful. After you have done the above, reboot your computer.

 

If the above problem does not resolve your problem, please download this tool from Microsoft and run it. Let it correct any defective settings it may find and reboot your computer again. The problem should hopefully be resolved.

 

Also, this might sound like a long shot but can you try performing the disinfection procedure again, preferably in Safe Mode as I still doubt that you have the remnants of an infection. If not, then please say so in your next post and I will try to look up for an alternate solution.

 

Hope that helps. :)

 

-- Goku

Fix Camera Wizard.zip

[struggling]

Hi beeceebee. Yes, I can get to My Documents. And yes, files that were saved there two months ago are there. I remembered the name I gave to a letter I tried to save a few days ago and did find it with search. There were two places named: My Documents and C:\ Documens and Settings\owner\...

 

I did a search for My Documents and the result contained only saved files from two months ago and earlier. When I go to save something the "Save As" window displays some of the missing files that don't show in My Documents.

[struggling]

Goku, I will follow all the instructions in your last post and get back to you with the results.

[BeeCeeBee]

When you get the "save as" window does tell you where it is saving your files at the top. Usually when you save a file the save-as will try to save it to the same place as the last file of that type was saved. This is easily corrected by simply changing the destination path (for example desktop, or my documents or a folder within my documents.)

[struggling]

Yes, beeceebee, at the top it displays the destination, which is almost always My Documents. I have always double-checked that to make sure it goes where I want it.

[BeeCeeBee]

It appears that your files are somewhere on your PC. Just to be on the safe side do another search for all files and folders but click the more advanced options and make sure search hidden files and folders is ticked.

 

If that does not help you find the files create a shortcut for my documents (Right Click) and then open it and see if it shows the files.

 

From what you have written I suspect that they have been sent to documents and settings and you may have to use windows explorer to find them.

[struggling]

Goku, here are my results:

 

1. I used Fix Camera Wizard and my card reader did not bring up the wizard. I then looked in all programs and add and remove programs and also did a search for the wizard. No where to be found. A thought: the last time the pc was in the shop (2 months ago) they did not put Quicken for 2006 and 2007 back on. So they are lost forever because this hunkajunk won't recognize a blank cd to do backups, and I chose to erase and re-use the thumb drive for Quicken 2008) There were other screw-ups too, which I rushed it back in for them to fix before I left for my 5-month-stay in another state. Looks to me like I just don't have the wizard anymore. What do you think?

 

2. I used the second tool you gave me and I accepted the C:\ default. It said "This drive does not support autopay settings.

 

3. I followed your suggestion to perform the disinfection procedure, in safe mode.

 

A. I ran Malwarebytes and, after over 2 hours, checking over 94000 objects, it said -- objects infected: 0.

B. I couldn't run SUPERantispyware because I couldn't get the shortcut to show up on desktop in safe mode.

[BeeCeeBee]

OK now I'm Struggling!! :)

 

This thread contains two distinct issues that are probably unrelated.

 

A decision has to be made by you as to what is the most important and get that sorted first. It is not your fault that this has gone on but choose please and we will do our best.

[struggling]

beeceebee, I see there's a new post from you, but first I'll answer the last one:

 

Using "show hidden files" I found a total of 8, 1 of which is "MyDocuments"; the other 7 are "Documents & Settings".

 

1. Found in My Documents ( xxxxxx) --ONE of the missing files.

2. This and the following found in Documents & Settings. Here are the rest of the missing files, but not the one found in #1.(xxxxx).

3. Caution! You are attempting to opena file of type 'My Docs Drop Target' (.mydocs) . Drag files onto this icon to store them in My Documents.

4. Caution ! ...

5. xxxxxxx (see #1)

6. Caution! ...

7. Same as #2

8. Caution! ...

 

So, I took #2 and dragged and dropped the missing files into My Documents, which was listed at the top. I then created a desktop shortcut (after deleting the previous one). Am now able to access them all from the desktop icon.

 

'Course, I'm sure this doesn't cure the problem of where things are being stored. Short of finding a permanent cure, guess I'll be in there dragging and dropping on a regular basis. Oh, what fun we novices have !!

[struggling]

beeceebee, I be struggling too!!! Sorry about the confusion. Guess I should not have mentioned the scanner and camera issue early on. Goku helped me greatly with the crashing problem and has been working hard on the camera wizard thing too.

 

Glad somebody finally said something! Whew! I didn't want to be impolite and fail to answer any of the posts. So I've really been hopping to keep up with the 3 issues!

 

Good idea you have. The crashing is solved. The My Documents thing is well along. So we'll continue with the My Documents thing you've been so generous to contribute to, if you don't mind. (If you're not too worn out by now.)

 

Goku, I'm going to start a new thread with regard to the Scanner and Camera Wizard. Hope to see you there. Appreciate your help.

[BeeCeeBee]

I just caught your post after I had written this but glad you see my point it is hard on us all.:eek:

 

Perhaps things are not so bad after all. Now that you have found the files we need to get any new ones into my documents.

 

If you are using XP in its usual settings go to start then right click on My Documents and then open the properties tab. If you are using the classic view (where my documents is on the desktop) then just go to the icon for my docs and right click it there.

 

Once you open properties you will see the target location folder. Mine says C:\Documents and Settings\Barry\My Documents. Yours should say the same using whatever name you call your account.

 

If it does not say that try restore defaults. Click OK and close. Now try creating a file and saving it and see what happens. If that does not work I want you to repeat the process but click on the find target button. Is there a file in that folder named TEMP ?

 

If so look to see if that is where the files have been going and we will deal with that later.

Edited December 17, 2008 by BeeCeeBee

[Goku]

Also, please read the following article and perform the suggested resolution as it concerns your issue.

 

Unable to Locate Files Saved in My Documents or My Pictures

 

Hope that helps. :)

 

-- Goku

[struggling]

beeceebee, Target location says "Documents and Settings\Owner\My Ddocuments.

 

I created another file and saved it. (cccccccccc) When I open My Documents it looks like this:

 

My Documents My Music

My Pictures My Scans

My Videos Quicken

W cccccccccccc

 

Again, I dragged and dropped cccccccccc into my documents as a temporary fix.

 

You then said: "If that does not work I want you to repeat the process but click on the find target button. Is there a file in that folder named TEMP?"

 

I don't seem to be able to find the "find target" button. Where is that?

[BeeCeeBee]

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn266/FPCH/docsbox.png

 

 

Did you reset the default?

Edited December 18, 2008 by BeeCeeBee

[Goku]

Hello Struggling. Please post a screen shot of your My Documents folder so that we can have a better idea of what you are actually trying to say.

 

Hope that helps. :)

 

-- Goku

[struggling]

beeceebee, reason I couldn't find the Find Target button is it doesn't show up when I use the shortcut. I found it by going Start > MyDocuments.

 

My Documents > Properties > Target Location Folder says "Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents" (My name is not in it -- never has been)

 

I tried restore default and the Target Location Folder still displays the same name: ...Owner\My Documents.

 

I created a file and saved it to My Docs and the result was the same.

 

I repeated the process, but clicked on the Find Target button. There is no Temp folder there. The one with the closest wording is Templets. Looked there and found none of the missing files.

[BeeCeeBee]

When you set up your PC were you owner or did you use your name? How many accounts are set up and what are the names?

[struggling]

Goku, I followed the link and read the article about logging on as different users. I'm the only one who uses this computer, so I've never been concerned about different users or "administrator".

 

Got me to thinking, though. Until recently, when booting up the welcome screen always required me to click on "User" before it would let me on in. Now it just lets me on in without showing "User" to click on. Don't know why that changed, and never thought much about it before. Could be somethng significant there.

[struggling]

I never knew anything about setting up the PC. If anything like that was done it would have been the tech who did it when she moved all my stuff over from my old desktop HP.

 

I'm the only one who uses this, so there should not be different accounts.

 

It has always said just "Owner" -- as on the welcome page and "Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents".

[BeeCeeBee]

I think we may be missing something quite simple. There are two things I would like you to do (as well as the screen shot that Goku asked for if you can.)

 

First go to your control panel and then user accounts and see how many accounts it shows. Is there one for "owner" and another for "user"? What do they say (or if one what does it say)?

 

Also please go to start and then log out. Let it log out and then see if there are any choices when you log back in (Owner or User)

[BeeCeeBee]

Got me to thinking, though. Until recently, when booting up the welcome screen always required me to click on "User" before it would let me on in. Now it just lets me on in without showing "User" to click on. Don't know why that changed, and never thought much about it before. Could be somethng significant there.

It seems that something has been changed, perhaps the software you downloaded altered your registry. It is late and I may not be here when you return but it is worth trying to do a system restore prior to when you first noticed this problem. Before you downloaded whatever you downloaded. Go back far enough to be sure that you are selecting a date when everything was saving properly.

 

To do a system restore got to programs then accessories then click system tools and select system restore.

A welcome window will appear tick "restore my computer to an earlier time" and then next. You will get to a calander page.

 

Pick a bold date (you can go back to an earlier calander using the arrows) then click next and complete the restore. Please let us know if it works.

 

If it does not I am sure Goku will be on later and will add his thoughts.

 

Good luck!:)

Edited December 19, 2008 by BeeCeeBee