Losing files while relocating

[Novistion]

So, I ran into this problem before but it wasn't a big deal, but now the whole drive is doing it. When moving files/folders from a 1TB hard drive to my new NAS, Windows says "this file is no missing or no longer in this location" or whatever that message is, then the files disappear from the source. Anyone have a solution or ideas of what I need to do. About 890 GB of old movies I can't get back.

[Electronics Wizardy]

screenshot?

 

Is the 1tb hdd good?

 

try copying instead of moving.

[Novistion]

9 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

screenshot?

 

Is the 1tb hdd good?

 

try copying instead of moving.

Sorry I typed fast, it is only with some files, some are fine. Smart scan was good, and everything else points that the hard drive isn't failing. I don't want to try another file or folder and have more disappear but I might here in a minute. Copying does that same thing, says it is no longer there or can be found, then disappears from the source folder

[Electronics Wizardy]

4 minutes ago, Novistion said:

Sorry I typed fast, it is only with some files, some are fine. Smart scan was good, and everything else points that the hard drive isn't failing. I don't want to try another file or folder and have more disappear but I might here in a minute. Copying does that same thing, says it is no longer there or can be found, then disappears from the source folder

do you have a backup? If not you can probably get those files back. Make sure you have a backup.

 

Screenshot?

[RuZoG]

If there are many files Windows and other OS' don't actually move everything at one shot but rather queue some of the files to shift their location in the index / journal when the system isn't as high of a load. I've noticed this far more often with physically attached storage rather than network though. Especially with slower connections like USB. Copying while slower is safer as previously suggested, It's a file descripter/iNode kinda thing rather than caching a move in Linux and OS X though.

 

I should have typed "can queue files for the shift" instead of "don't actually". Think of it as being similar to why you need to eject a USB drive before just pulling a cable. If a file is seen by the OS as being open which can be a queue or a file lock even temporarily it "can" act in this manner, OS' though do typically have a max # of files that can be open at a given time. There are temp locks placed on OS' like Linux, Win, etc even when just doing an 'LS' or a 'DIR" command. 

[Novistion]

29 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

do you have a backup? If not you can probably get those files back. Make sure you have a backup.

 

Screenshot?

I can't duplicate it because this was the last of the files. 4 folders, with video files in each. Any recommendations for recovery? And this was the only one I had, I was copying to my NAS for a backup of it ironically 

[Electronics Wizardy]

4 minutes ago, Novistion said:

I can't duplicate it because this was the last of the files. 4 folders, with video files in each. Any recommendations for recovery? And this was the only one I had, I was copying to my NAS for a backup of it ironically 

Id make a image of the drive if you can.

 

What filesystem.

 

ntfsundelte may work, otherwise look up tools like photorec and recuvera.

 

If the data is very important send it to a data recovery service, they have much better tools to do this.

[RuZoG]

3 minutes ago, Novistion said:

I can't duplicate it because this was the last of the files. 4 folders, with video files in each. Any recommendations for recovery? And this was the only one I had, I was copying to my NAS for a backup of it ironically 

Did you try 'disk tools like "scandisk" (Windows) or "fsck" (Nix), etc..? If its just a journal listing issue it may be able to re-index missing files.

[Novistion]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id make a image of the drive if you can.

 

What filesystem.

 

ntfsundelte may work, otherwise look up tools like photorec and recuvera.

 

If the data is very important send it to a data recovery service, they have much better tools to do this.

File system is NTFS. I've made a image, and its just some seasons of a old tv show, and some movies, so not that big of a deal, but I know on of the shows I won't be able to get again.

 

2 minutes ago, RuZoG said:

Did you try 'disk tools like "scandisk" (Windows) or "fsck" (Nix), etc..? If its just a journal listing issue it may be able to re-index missing files.

scan disk goes through and says it fine.

 

[RuZoG]

Which actual File System are you using in Windows for that volume / disk that the missing files should be on?

[TechyBen]

Always "copy" then confirm (file size, comparison software etc) if important data.

If data is lost, stop using the drives (original and copy), and use something like TestDisk, Recurva, etc to get the files (hopefully) back.

 

I also agree that the file system may not have been able to use the file names/folder length or similar? Else the NAS is playing up (is it dropping connection?).

[Novistion]

2 minutes ago, RuZoG said:

Which actual File System are you using in Windows for that volume / disk that the missing files should be on?

The disk is an external USB drive and its using NTFS.

And the location it should be is on a share on my NAS

[Novistion]

1 minute ago, TechyBen said:

Always "copy" then confirm (file size, comparison software etc) if important data.

If data is lost, stop using the drives (original and copy), and use something like TestDisk, Recurva, etc to get the files (hopefully) back.

 

I also agree that the file system may not have been able to use the file names/folder length or similar? Else the NAS is playing up (is it dropping connection?).

All I can say to this is it isn't the NAS, right has it connects for the copy, Windows says the file is missing or cannot be found and stops the connection

[TechyBen]

Ah... is something accessing the files? Like virus scanning/indexing? Could use resource monitor to see.

 

PS, some seem to suggest you can try a command line copy to help rule out Windows GUI bugs. For example, Windows will write 255 character files at times (IIRC when not in explorer, so software can write it), but Explorer cannot *copy* 255 character named files. 

[RuZoG]

Try the NTFS Data Recovery Tool kit -> http://www.ntfs.com/recovery-toolkit.htm or something like recova, etc.  Keep in mind though that committing changes to the file system can be good and bad. I know you were trying to backup but just know that there is always risk.

[TechyBen]

1 minute ago, RuZoG said:

Try the NTFS Data Recovery Tool kit -> http://www.ntfs.com/recovery-toolkit.htm or something like recova, etc. 

Testdisk and "photorec" are free versions if you don't want to pay.

I've used Testdisk for NTFS recovery when the file system has backups internally (NTFS keeps backup file structures etc), or photorec when there is none, but you lose file names if the NTFS file structure is corrupt.