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'Missing' files

cekaceka
edited August 2009 in - Writing Problems
Does anyone know how or why files 'vanish' from a memory-stick or computer? I've just run a search for a published story from 2005 and my computer tells me it doesn't exist ... It only ever had one name and I never delete stories, so ... where can it have gone to? Any ideas gratefully received ...

Comments

  • CarolCarol
    Could it have been written over?
    I'm not sure if that is possible or not...
  • cekaceka
    OMG I've found it ... it's on a FLOPPY DISK!!!
    So now what do I do to retrieve it! There isn't a 'hole' in my computer to take the disk ...
  • CarolCarol
    edited August 2009
    You can get an external floppy drive from PC World for about £10- it has a lead for a USB port; or if you have space in your tower you can still get internal floppy drives.
  • SusieMSusieM
    I have an external floppy drive somewhere. I'll have a look in the garage tomorrow. If I can find it you could always send me the disk and I could get the file for you. I'll let you know if I find it.
  • PiperPiper
    Ceka, my downstairs computer has a slot, so does grandads. If you want to send it to me or something I can convert it for you and email it or something. Or go with Carol or Susie's idea.
  • cekaceka
    Thanks, Carol, no PC world within a million miles of here, might try local Computer Shop, the Wizzkids in there are pretty good
    Thank you, Susie! Please let me know! I can't believe this story didn't transfer with all the others, but it seems to be the only one that hasn't come over onto the new system. Oh no, there's another (checks records, thank goodness she at least keeps those ... that's the same story under another title ... hang on, let me look under this title ...
  • cekaceka
    Nope, not under that title in the transferred stuff. How odd that just this one got lost in the ether! Have you ever had this happen?
  • CarolCarol
    It's possible your local computer shop might be able to transfer all the stuff on the floppy onto a disk for you.
  • Phots MollPhots Moll
    I've done that changing the title thing - very panic inducing later when I'm searching, I've found, so now I always save under the original title with the new one in brackets afterwards.
  • cekaceka
    Yes, that's how I found it, written on the disk label, but I'd forgotten I'd changed it to that. I think I'll try the WizzKids tomorrow and if not, I'll be in touch with One of my TB Advisors! Thanks, everyone.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    My other half was responsible for transferring stuff from one of our older computers to our current one. Every so often, I'll wonder where one of my stories has disappeared to. When I search for other, similar ones I find they're missing, too. Turns out they've been filed (sometimes by him) under a different main file which wasn't copied across.
  • cekaceka
    I thought I'd done them all, don't see how I missed it! The WizzKid will know how to do it for me - he's the equivalent of Probie/Carol/Jenny/everyone else on TB who Gets Me Out of the messes I get into ...
  • SusieMSusieM
    I've found the drive - I can either post the drive to you and you return it when you've finished or you can send the disk - unless you've come up with some other cunning plan :-)
  • cekaceka
    I have! Oh, thank you everyone, but you may all stand down now. I went into town (bit of an overstatement really, but never mind) and the computer shop said they couldn't do it today, so I went next door to the chap who brings the papers round the hospital (delivering to me whichever job I happen to be doing!) and bought my paper and he said ... I can do that for you now.
    And he did! Just like that! My files have been retrieved.
    And the appropriate story duly went on to Australia (my latest fad!) to the Womag markets there.
    I spect you all know this, but I didn't - the floppy disks lose their 'hold' on files after some years so you're supposed to back them up onto new 'storage devices' every 5 years or so. Chris, my paperman, said he had trouble persuading the disk to yield its secrets and he had to turn his computer off and restart before he could get at my stuff and transfer it on to my memory stick. He says even they won't last forever ...
    You Have Been Warned!
    Thank you all for being so willing to help - lots o luv, C
  • CarolCarol
    edited August 2009
    I will make sure I have a look at my old floppies.
    The language on my floppies is not compatible with WORD so I'm not sure if I will ever be able to retrieve them.
    We did have a programme that would eventually convert it but it was not simple to do, and I need to find the box with the floppies in first.
    Does anyone know if there is a simpler way?
    It was TXT and something else that my Brother Word Processor used, but I can't recall what it was called...
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