"cloned" folder, files disappeared

[sueppe]

I can not find solution online, even in other languages,
I wrote in different forums ..never seen this problem before!

issue:

folder (D:\folder)
suddenly it "splits" in two folders, like something cloned it
and the two copies are "locked"

on explorer I see:
D:\folder
and
D:\FOLDER

same name, in uppercase and lowercase,
both locked (padlock visible from explorer).

if I try to enter I get "Access Denied."
i tryed to unlock the privileges of the entire HardDisk

Folders are now unlocked
but both contain only one folder
called "new folder" .. that is empty.

Another strange thing:

if I delete the "new folder" from one of the two folders "cloned"
this is automatically deleted from both folders

I've tried to use Recuva, files that were inside are not deleted.
i can't find those files anywere! 50gb or more lost don't know where.
incredible
sorry for my bad english

 

[TrainableMan]

First, I suggest you scan your entire computer for viruses, there are some viruses that hide files. For example the files may still be there but are marked System or Hidden. In Windows Explorer switch View settings to "Show hidden files/folders" and uncheck the box next to "Hide protected Operating System files". If the files are there now then the attributes have been changed to hide them.

As for the two folders, Windows 7 allows for Libraries. Libraries are merely aliases, so one is likely a pointer to the other and changes to either are actually occurring to the same folder. When aliases start cropping up in odd places it can get quite confusing. I believe it is controlled in the registry but I have never tried to fix it because if the registry is that screwed up my solution has always been to back up the data and completely reinstall the OS. If you do decide to reinstall W7 you still need to locate and back up your data first, though.

Registry corruption is often caused by so-called "registry cleaners". Have you run such a product recently? Pretty much the only registry cleaner I trust is CCleaner, and that is from years of experience with it.