finding *lost* pics in my computer? Please help, I'm just SICK. WONDERFUL UPDATE!!!!

[mafibisha]

I sure hope one of you amazing people can help me.

My camera keeps and downloads pictures in *folders* (for lack of a better word). I've never had a problem downloading or saving pics on our old desk top or old laptop.

So I tried downloading them on our newest computer, a laptop, and something went terribly wrong. About 150 of them are gone, the entire folder. I'm praying, literally praying, they're just lost in my computer somewhere but honestly, I've opened every file and looked everywhere. I'm looking for a miracle here, that maybe they're still there but really hiding in a place I haven't looked.

So without seeing my computer, do any of you have any advice? Should I take it to a *Geek Squad*? Where else could I look that I might have missed?

Some of these pics can't be replaced (mini vacation and family reunion with precious out of town grandparents, and more...). I am just sick about this and could cry.

Would greatly appreciate any ideas, thanks.

 

[kim929]

When I uploaded my pictures to my new laptop, I could never find them again. My dh took a few pictures then uploaded them to see where they were being stored... it took a little bit but he found them. Have you tried this?

 

[NotUrsula]

Have you tried searching your hard drive for them? First look at the photos you do have and see what the extension is; it will probably be .jpg.
Then you can right-click on the windows START button, click on SEARCH, and then in the blank to look for "all or part of a filename" enter "*.jpg" (or whatever extension it is. Have it search your entire hard drives or hard drives for any files with that extension, even the hidden ones.

 

[mafibisha]

When I uploaded my pictures to my new laptop, I could never find them again. My dh took a few pictures then uploaded them to see where they were being stored... it took a little bit but he found them. Have you tried this?

Yes we did. And the other pictures went right where they were supposed to be, in the photo file. Thats why I'm so afraid they're really gone. And its weird because sometimes stuff I don't want to save somehow IS saved.
Thanks for the idea though, any others? I appreciate any and all suggestions.

 

[Tinkerbelle9980]

Try clicking your start menu and then searching for "JPG". If they are saved as JPG's then they should show up. This will tell you where they are and then you can relocate them. Hopefully this will work because it is the easiest way I can think of to find them. Good luck!

 

[MomToOne]

Did you load some sort of application to manage the offloading/storing of images? If so, open that application and look for the configuration options (often on the menu under Options or Settings or something like that). Look to see if there is a default folder set up somewhere in those options.

 

[mafibisha]

Did you load some sort of application to manage the offloading/storing of images? If so, open that application and look for the configuration options (often on the menu under Options or Settings or something like that). Look to see if there is a default folder set up somewhere in those options.

We didn't use an application, unless this has a name ---
We put the SC card (from the camera) right into the side of the laptop, and downloaded. Some sort of window came up that said "Try Again?" (I think?) so kept clicking yes, and then poof, they were gone.
Does that have a name?

What I don't understand is, WHY were the rest of the pictures saved, and not that *folder*? Thats why I'm hoping they're really here somewhere....

Thats never happened on our older laptop. I really appreciate your ideas everyone. I just can't believe this has happened.

 

[zachsmomie]

Try putting the card back into your camera and see if the pictures are still on it. If they are, try copying them by plugging the whole camera in via the USB port.

THe only other thing I can think of is to check and make sure the camera card isn't locked and unable to be read.

I agree with the search all files for jpg files.

Good luck.

 

[MomToOne]

Since it sounds like some of your pictures downloaded OK, are you sure the missing pictures were actually on the SD card and not in the memory on the camera?

 

[mafibisha]

Try putting the card back into your camera and see if the pictures are still on it. If they are, try copying them by plugging the whole camera in via the USB port.

THe only other thing I can think of is to check and make sure the camera card isn't locked and unable to be read.

I agree with the search all files for jpg files.

Good luck.

Can you explain what you mean by that? There have been times when the camera says something like that! Is that something someone, maybe a camera guru can fix?

But I did put the card back into the camera and they're not there. I also took the SD card to a CVS photo kiiosk and they're not there. Does that mean they're gone? (weeping here )

 

[mafibisha]

Since it sounds like some of your pictures downloaded OK, are you sure the missing pictures were actually on the SD card and not in the memory on the camera?

OMG, I'm not sure but that gives me hope! Where or how do I find out?

 

[dawson5]

Sometimes there is a slider on the side that locks it.

There is a free recovery program called Recuva. I would download that and see if it can recover your photos from your SD card. This has happened to my son a few times, he's lost mp3's. They just disappear. We've used this and it's worked every time. It's easy to use.

 

[MomToOne]

Some sort of window came up that said "Try Again?" (I think?) so kept clicking yes, and then poof, they were gone.

So do you remember anything else this popup window said? Was it saying it couldn't open a file, couldn't delete a file, didn't know what application to open a file with, something else? Any word you can remember could help...

 

[MomToOne]

OMG, I'm not sure but that gives me hope! Where or how do I find out?

There should be some setting on your camera that allows you to switch from savings images on the SD card to saving on the memory in the camera. If you still have the manual for the camera, I'd check that. If you don't, you'll have to dig through the setup on the camera to see if you can find it.

What kind of camera is it? (An exact model number would be great, if not that just give me whatever words are on the front of the camera.)

 

[mafibisha]

Sometimes there is a slider on the side that locks it.

There is a free recovery program called Recuva. I would download that and see if it can recover your photos from your SD card. This has happened to my son a few times, he's lost mp3's. They just disappear. We've used this and it's worked every time. It's easy to use.

Ok, I will try that, thanks so much.

So do you remember anything else this popup window said? Was it saying it couldn't open a file, couldn't delete a file, didn't know what application to open a file with, something else? Any word you can remember could help...

A box with a picture of a camera kept popping up, saying "are you trying to download pictures?" Kept clicking try again, until poof , they were gone.

I just can't begin to explain how upsetting this is to our entire family..

 

[mafibisha]

Sometimes there is a slider on the side that locks it..

I don't see one, but would that mean they're locked onto the memory? DH says they're not in memory... but would he really know that? (don't like doubting but am desperate...)

 

[Pastamom]

Do you have a program that you use to organize/save your pictures? We use Picasa - you can download it through google for free. You can set it to get all pictures on your computer. Last week DH scanned some pictures in on a different computer (on the same network) and it grabbed them without me having to do anything

Good luck

 

[dawson5]

Even if you don't see them on the card, that recovery program will find them--provided you haven't taken pictures after you thought you transferred to the pc. It still might recover some of them if you have, they might not look as good.

This is an enlarged SD card:

Do you see the slider on there? That is the locking mechanism.

As for if they might be on your camera still, I believe you need a usb or firewire to transfer things that are stored on the hard drive of the camera.


(ETA: you can use Recuva to find lost pictures on your computer hard drive also.)

 

[mafibisha]

Sometimes there is a slider on the side that locks it.

There is a free recovery program called Recuva. I would download that and see if it can recover your photos from your SD card. This has happened to my son a few times, he's lost mp3's. They just disappear. We've used this and it's worked every time. It's easy to use.

Trying to download it now - which should I use? Should I wait for DH or more techy teens before I attempt this?
- Download from FileHippo.com
- Download from Piriform.com

There should be some setting on your camera that allows you to switch from savings images on the SD card to saving on the memory in the camera. If you still have the manual for the camera, I'd check that. If you don't, you'll have to dig through the setup on the camera to see if you can find it.

What kind of camera is it? (An exact model number would be great, if not that just give me whatever words are on the front of the camera.)

Don't have the manual but its a Nikon CoolPix ( S1, I think?) 5.1 megapix,3Xzoom
It takes great pictures.

 

[dawson5]

I've used filehippo before. I would think either would be good.