Files disappeared on WIndows 10?

[periphery831]

I transferred some family videos from my Android phone using Mixplorer (I've used this method countless times) and played the files back yesterday using Potplayer indicating the files had transferred over but when I came back to my computer the files had disappeared! Stupidly, I cut and pasted, instead of copy and pasted.

I then made a video file the same way I did with the lost video files to check the filename format and used a search app called Everything to search for the files using their dated filenames, nothing.

I checked the recycle bin and I used Recuva to find the files straight away using a deep scan but they couldn't be found.

I then used WinfrGUI, Windows File Recovery and Testdisk but all with no luck.

I then started to think it's a virus however I have a major in computing, computer literate and never download or open suspicious files or emails. I have never had a virus my entire life, no suspicious activity on my computer such as processes that hog my CPU or network, no disappearing files, etc.

I unplugged my computer from my network, ran M$ defender in safe mode and Bitdefender but no suspicious files.

Anything else I need to do? I'm a bit concerned to mess with any other files on this drive if they have been compromised.

[shri]

Does your android backup to google photos / drive?

[chobochobo]

Google drive can be funny if you set it to mirror. I had an issue that if I work on a word doc on my desktop and then save it. Google drive would actually delete it from my desktop. It will also be deleted from google drive but will be found in the recycle bin (of google drive).

[periphery831]

Does your android backup to google photos / drive?

Nope.

I'm gonna reset PC now but the video files were on a separate drive to my OS.

Best option is to move all files on suspicious drive to the cloud (Onedrive) and keep it there and reformat the drive?

Let M$ deal with the virus. (If there actually is one) XD

[shri]

I'd look for windows system logs / error logs .. no clue if they exist or where they are ... not touched windows since W2K

[TheBrit]

I have a major in computing, computer literate

Just restore from your backup then.

[periphery831]

I don't have a backup of recent files as my backup is every night. If I didn't cut and paste the file, I'd still have the original. Stupid. But it doesn't explain the sudden disappearance of the files.

I will be moving everything to the cloud now, I was just lazy to do it before.

[shri]

Just restore from your backup then.

Nice try at attempting to help without being snarky...