Ccleaner erased everything in MY Documents folder

[Scooter B]

I have been using Ccleaner for around a year and have had great results with no problems whats so ever.

 

My PC has been running sluggish and freezing up in EI7 online but McCafee is up to date and can find no malware, no spyware is coming up either.

 

I have spend two months working on medical research for my disability appeal and had a couple hundred articles many of which had to be accessed from a hospital or university network PC for institurional access.

 

My daughter turned the PC on to go to Webkinz and some hostsvc.exe error was on the desk top start up screen.

 

I decided to run Ccleaner (Windows, Applications and Registry) and I noticed an abnormally high number of Word documents on the list classified as "Temp" files so I cleaned as usual. I had opened up fifty or so documents last up time searching for a document I had saved but could not find so I thought that explained it.

 

Next thing I know ALL my documents are gone and there's nothing in the recycle bin. I tried a system restore to before my documents disappeared but no luck.

 

There are some how some previous versions of the My Documents and sub file headings showing up but only 10-20 files and lke seven folders.

 

My hard drive has plenty of space and the HD monitor indicates no errors.

 

What the heck happened and is there any hope for recovering my files?

 

I think I will have a complete break down if I can't recover my files.

[Nergal]

System restore will not restore files (it even says so when you run it "system restore will not effect your files" or something to that effect.

 

I see know reason why CCleaner would remove your my documents (unless it was added to your include section in options)

You're sure that the Actual files are gone? (Your not just checking the start menu under documents but are actually going to x:\documents and settings\USERNAME\My Documents

or

where X is your system drive and Username is your username?

 

Try recuva and see if you can restore them.

[DennisD]

Hi Scooter, and welcome to the forum.

 

I'm sorry to hear of your problems, but unless it has been directed to by a user, CCleaner does not touch a PC's "My Documents" folder, specifically because it is the default location of personal data, music, photographs etc.

 

What concerns me is the hostsvc.exe error you describe in your post. It comes up on every search I've just carried out as Malware. Whether this has anything to do with your predicament I can't tell you, but our Malware experts could.

 

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/h...c.exe-6454.html

 

http://www.systemlookup.com/search.php?typ...svc.exe+&s=

 

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/startup/hostsvc.exe.php

 

I'm not aware of any legitimate file by that name, so I would strongly recommend visiting this link to have our Malware experts check over your PC, and help if necessary. Go to this link first:

 

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=20120

 

With regard to your files, you could try recovering them with Piriforms free application "Recuva".

 

Available here:

 

Guide here:

[Scooter B]

I'm not familiar with Recuva but I noticed the forum for it so I will check into it.

 

Last night I searched the svchost.exe through the HP Website and it directed me to a MS site explaining what it was used for.

 

From what I read and if you look under task manager you will see a number of svchost.exe instances running.

 

paraphrasing from memory.....;

 

The windows operating system uses these to space out a controlled sequence of application opening so they all don't open at once. Kind of a a sequenced time delay of applications organized into groups that open together in groups.

 

I will go check out recuva

[Nergal]

Scooter, I'm confused (and maybe it was a Translate error or mistype) but is it Svchost (which is a normal MS Process) or the hostsvc (as dennis said) which is evil killer software?

[Scooter B]

Scooter, I'm confused (and maybe it was a Translate error or mistype) but is it Svchost (which is a normal MS Process) or the hostsvc (as dennis said) which is evil killer software?

 

My bad it was an svchost.exe error.

 

I was diagnosed with a rare sleep disorder called Idiopathic Hypersomnia and without going too deep I sleep 10-12 hours a day but still feel as if I have not slept in three days at best.

 

Essentually never ending symptoms of sleep deprivation with no cure. Stimulants help maintain some level of wakefullness but that is kind of like tanking up a drunk driver with caffiene and/or Red Bull.

 

The files were listed as recent temporary files and my Ccleaner settings indicate there is a 48 hour protection feature for temp files...I know I definitely saw a long list of my documents on the post analyze screen that I thought were temp files. I know I did not change any settings in Ccleaner and this has never happend before.

 

I was able to find a list of short cuts to all the missing documents and folder headings I will try to attach but "the short cut refers to a file that is either missing or has been moved".

 

So far the quick Recuva found nothing so I am going to run the deep scan. I can not tell you how many hundreds of hours of research and typing I will lose and I am getting a migraine just trying to imagine having to start over. I also legal case work and half of my appeal letter typed after two stimulant fueled all nighters.......

[DennisD]

I'm pleased it was a typo, and not the other. Good luck with finding your files.

[hazelnut]

You have got 'show hidden files and folders' turned on?

[Augeas]

I get the feeling that you are still using your pc, to browse and post here and whatever else. Every time you access a web page, or post something, or email, or touch your pc it is making your chances of recovery more remote, as more files are being downloaded/created on top of what you are trying to recover. If this is your only available pc you must do as little on it as possible.

 

If a deep scan finds anything then recover it/them to a flash drive. If there's no luck there then it might be worth asking locally if there is anyone experienced enough to help you recover your data. Just don't let any amateur play with it, find a specialist and beg. It may cost, but it may well be worth it.

 

Unfortunately this is a prime example of the old rule, if you have anything you value on your pc then back it up occasionally. Even I dump my worthless user data once a month to a cdr. Just copying your data folder to a flash drive every week would have been something that now you would give a great deal for. With a shared pc this is even more important. I know this isn't much help to you, but it might jolt some other reader to backup now. Most of the problems with lost data come from users who thought their pc would last forever. Good luck.

[Nergal]

See what's wierd is CCLeaner is setup to delete the things that your image shows and leave the actual files alone.

 

Please Note Augueas MAKES a VERY GOOD POINT the more you putz with the computer the Less likely it will be to retrieve the Documents ESP with Recuva-type software

[Scooter B]

See what's wierd is CCLeaner is setup to delete the things that your image shows and leave the actual files alone.

 

Please Note Augueas MAKES a VERY GOOD POINT the more you putz with the computer the Less likely it will be to retrieve the Documents ESP with Recuva-type software

 

I understand the concept and yes it is my only PC and only source of obtaining assistance. No PC use = no progress period. Mimimal use is my optimal solution.

 

FWIW my C drive is the FSCT (something like that not the FAT 32) format and I noticed the reference that Recuva can only recover non fragmented files.

 

With the do as possible credo I am assuming running Defraggler at this point would be bad?

 

If I have recovered and moved everything found to the flash drive would running Defraggler

1. Possibly make some corrupted files readable or

2. Would it help find more files that have not been found

 

I am asuming the most literally translation that fragmented files can be found just not recovered.

 

BTW I thought I had three back up systems in place a USB back up drive that lost power or unknowingly was turned off and the PC does not even recognize that it is attached, and a Norton back up utility at one time. I had so much problems with Norton and Symantic customer service plus read all the bad reviews so I tried to clean each and every reference to Symantic or Norton from my PC forgetting I had it set to back up document files.

 

I have tried to avoid burning CD's or DVD data back ups due to the hassle of storing, organizing and creating landfill waste due to the transient nature induced by needing to constantly burn more to stay up to date. I suppose there is no reliable alternative without backing it up free of software dependancies that can let you down.

[Augeas]

If you have recovered as much as you can, and accepted that there is nothing else you can get off the drive, then you may wish to run defraggler or some other defragmentation application. Before then, don't even think about it. Defragmenting will certainly overwrite some or many deleted files on the drive that may at the moment be recoverable.

 

I would not think that defragmenting will make corrupted files readable. I certainly don't think that it will find any more files than are already available on your drive.

 

I imagine your drive is NTFS. I think that NTFS is better at managing fragmented files than FAT32, but only if the files are valid entries in the MFT.

 

What happened to the deep scan? Have you recovered any files? If so, put them on a flash drive, in a new folder, somewhere safe.

 

Yes, all those cds go to landfill. Look at all those 'free' cds/dvds included with national newspapers and weep. I live a few miles away from a recycling plant that accepts cds, but only new overruns, etc. I don't know why old cds aren't recycled, they are clean.

[Buzzzzzby]

Scooter B,

 

I haven't seen any reference to your Windows type, but if it's Vista have a look at my post here.

 

Regards,

[Rockfella]

Dear OP,

Your PC prolly has a virus. Whatever happened in ur PC i am sure Ccleaner is not the culprit.

For god's and your own sake stop using MaCafe, un-install and use AVAST or AVIRA Free editions. Best anti-virus i know till date.

Cheers.

[emm]

Dear OP,

Your PC prolly has a virus. Whatever happened in ur PC i am sure Ccleaner is not the culprit.

For god's and your own sake stop using MaCafe, un-install and use AVAST or AVIRA Free editions. Best anti-virus i know till date.

Cheers.

 

 

 

Scooter B, have you tried going to Start/Search and see if maybe your files are hiding somewhere in your PC?

edith