Where are my pictures

[g48dd]

I am using windows XP Home, recently while on vacation, I came back to my laptop and started it up but after typing in my password what came up was the original Windows XP wallpaper you see when you first install it. Gone was my wallpaper and all my icons. I new this was bad but was in a hurry and connected my camera anyway and down loaded the pictures in to MY Pictures. It appeared to me that Windows had lost my settings because I was logged in with my password. I turned off the laptop, figured I will fix it all later. Returning later that night I sat down and started my laptop put in my password and wow,"were back" the correct wallpaper and all Icons, but going to my pictures everything is there that is suppose to be but my last down loaded pictures and if I remember correctly when I transferred those pictures, all of my folders were missing but now all the folders are back except the folder of my last transfer so where do I look for my pictures, I tried search *.*.jpg but they don't show up... are they lost?

Thanks Ken

[jdeb]

something is strange... something missing from story? If not, pull the hard drive and hot plug it to a computer and run malwarebytes and MSE on the drive.

[rwest]

I've seen this before. I think it had something to do with the origianl install, I ended up reformatting.

Under 'My Computer/C drive/Documents and settings

Is there a listing with your user name and a listing with your username.old?

ie. Documents and settings/Robert and
Document and Settings/Robert.old

I'm not sure why windows does this or how it happens but that's what caused mine I think. I think windows gets confused with the old version of the user and the newer one.

I formatted and reinstalled because I was confused.

You may have to set folder options to view hidden folders to see the old file. I personally set this automatically. I'm not sure if it's hidden or not.

[Nuclear Krusader]

How many items do you have under "Documents and Settings"? It's possible that your pictures are in one of those other accounts' "My Documents\My Pictures".

Do you still have the pictures on the flash card?

[rwest]

Oh yeh, and it wouldn't hurt to look under My Computer/C drive for new folders. Some times this is default.

I also just noted, you said you 'connected your camera' was this with a usb cable? Do you have the manufacturer's software installed?
If so try looking here:
1.Documents and Setings/username/app data
application data is a hidden folder
2.also in C/program files/manufacturer's software/my pictures
look for the manufacturer's software in program files. Look for new listings, or ones you may not recognize, some times the manufacturer program is under a name that's not normally recognized.