How to back My folders have changed to file types

WM

Winston M

Hi,

It looks like there could be some corrupted files and folder in the memory card. It could also be a virus infection.

Please answer few questions to narrow down the issue.

Is this issue confined with these files? Do you face any issues with the folders in the hard drive?

Method 1:

Run a virus scan on your computer.

www.microsoft.com/security/scanner

Note: If any infections are detected during the scan, there might be a chance of data

loss as the infected files will be deleted.

Method 2:

There are different third party programs to retrieve or restore the files or folders from the hard drive or memory card. You may search in your favorite search engine and try to recover the folders.

Note: This response contains a reference to a third party World Wide Web site. Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. Microsoft does not control these sites and has not tested any software or information found on these sites; therefore, Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. There are inherent dangers in the use of any software found on the Internet, and Microsoft cautions you to make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any software from the Internet.

Hope this information helps.

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asiongmovie

1st thanks for your reply.. yes i try to scan my computer but no virus found no infected files

in my memory card i got 4 folders in my memory card images, video clips , song, and movies nothing wrong in 2 of my folders are still in the folder format like my movies folder and songs folder

and i can play all the music in my songs folder but my problem only is my 2 folder name Images and Video clips before that 2 is in folder format but after i put my card reader in my computer to copy all my pictures in Images folder and i try to restart my computer but i forgot to click safely remove hardware so i think my computer and my memory card is clean or no virus i think the only issue i got that problem because i restart my computer and i forgot to click safely remove hardware because after i restart my computer i got this msg in my monitor...

Checking file system on E: The type of the file system is FAT.

One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. You may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended that you continue.
Windows will now check the disk. Volume Serial Number is 0A34-16CA
Unrecoverable error in folder \Documents\divers. Convert folder to file (Y/N)? Yes Convert lost chains to files (Y/N)? Yes 705036288 bytes in 43 recovered files. Windows has made corrections to the file system.

but note i dont click anything in my keyboard i dont click Y or N but after i see that msg my computer automatic go in my desktop then i try to go in my computer and open my memorycard i see 1 notepad and my Images and Video clips FOLDER are changed to FILE type and i dont know what happen then after that i cannot open my Images and video clips folder because the folder are changed to FILE type format so now i cant copy all my pictures in my Images folder.....

i have 1 question only any program can back the FILE type to FOLDER?

i mean is before my Images and Video clips are in FOLDER format then changed to FILE type

so i think if i back the FILE type to FOLDER format i can save all my pictures in my Images folder

and 1st i dont know what problem i have now.. i know only my folder are changed to file type

so i dont know what program i search but i try to search and i see only some software can back all the files or pictures deleted from computer or memory card but my problem is..... my files are not deleted i mean im not remove or delete my files i got copy of my files 1 in my computer and 1 in my memory card so how i can restore my files if the files is still on my computer and in my memory card my problem only is i need to back the FILE type to folder or if any program can restore my pictures in jpeg format.. because like what i said my folder are changed to FILE type and i cannot open that files and all my picture i save in my Images folder changed to file type and if i delete the FILE type? and i restore that using any restore program i think i will got the same result? my files will restore but in FILE type format again not the folder so i will got the same problem again...

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JJ

John John __

The folder's Directory Table somehow got damaged and chkdsk saved it as a found or chk file. The FAT32 directory record is actually only 32 bytes but any file occupies at least one cluster and your SIM/Memory card is (probably) formatted in 32K clusters, so the damaged Directory Table is showing as a 32KB file. All your other files are most likely still all there but you can't see them because the directory table is missing.

At this point if you want to recover your files you should immediately stop "playing" about with the card, the more you play with it the more you risk losing all the files on the card! There are data recovery programs out there than can recover files under these circumstances, I can't recommend one in particular for SIM cards. If the files are really important you should consider entrusting the card to a reputable data recovery company.

John

Programmers are either not taught about Occam's razor or they forgot about it the following day.

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asiongmovie

thanks for your reply guys anyway if you dont mind can you give to me what the name of the program can i use

to recover all my pictures i save in my Images FOLDER changed to FILE type i want to try it and i will use it in my own risk because i dont know what the name of the program i will search so i hope anyone here can share what program can i use to solve my problem..

and last i know nothing impossible in the internet and computer so i dont give up

because i dont want to loss all my pictures inside in my folder changed to file type..

so to all have the same problem with me and know how to solve this problem i hope you can help me to solve and get back all the pictures inside in my Images folder changed to file type..

I'm still waiting for the one who can share his knowledge and help me to recover

all my pictures i save in my Images folder thanks..

anyway here the reason why i get this problem i hope this will help you to help me to solve my problem..

before i have 4 folders in my memory card name: Images, Video clips songs and movies then i try to save all my pictures in my memory card to my computer so i connect my card reader to my computer and i try to restart my computer but i forgot to click the SAFELY REMOVE HARDWARE..
then after i restart my computer i see some msg like this show in my monitor

Checking file system on E: The type of the file system is FAT.
One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency. You may cancel the disk check, but it is strongly recommended that you continue.
Windows will now check the disk. Volume Serial Number is 0A34-16CA
Unrecoverable error in folder \Documents\divers. Convert folder to file (Y/N)? Yes Convert lost chains to files (Y/N)? Yes 705036288 bytes in 43 recovered files. Windows has made corrections to the file system.

but i dont click anything i dont click Y OR N but my computer automatic go to my desktop and after that i go to My Computer to check my files in my memory card then i dont know what happen why the Images and Video clips folder automatic changed to FILE type..
i try to open that files but i cannot open the file when i click open this msg show in my screen: (Open With: Choose the program you want to open this file) 

i save all my pictures in the Image folder i think i have 400 pictures in images folder and 30 videos in my Video clips folder but after my folder changed to FILE type i dont know why the FILE type have only 32.0 kb size..

My question now is, how to restore this file to back the original folder??

i try to search and i found some software can restore and back all the pictures mp3 or files deleted from memory card or computer but my question is my files are not deleted or remove i have copy of my files 1 in my memory card and 1 in my computer im not delete my files so for me why i restore my files if my files is still in my memory card and in my computer so what if i try to delete my files? and try to restore them yes i know i can restore my FILE type but i think i will got the same result yes the FILE type will back but the problem is not in the FOLDER FORMAT so i cant open again that files to save my pictures..

i have question any program or tips or tutorials how to back the FILE type to the folder because my folder changed to FILE type so i think if i back the FILE type to the folder i can back my pictures so anyone know how to do that or what software can i use to restore my files..

i save all my pictures in my Images folder and all the pictures and videos in my folder is important to me so i hope anyone here can help me to save all my pictures thanks

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asiongmovie

The folder's Directory Table somehow got damaged and chkdsk saved it as a found or chk file. The FAT32 directory table is actually only 16-bits wide but any file occupies at least one cluster and your SIM/Memory card is (probably) formatted in 32K clusters, so the damaged Directory Table is showing as a 32KB file. All your other files are most likely still all there but you can't see them because the directory table is missing.

At this point if you want to recover your files you should immediately stop "playing" about with the card, the more you play with it the more you risk losing all the files on the card! There are data recovery programs out there than can recover files under these circumstances, I can't recommend one in particular for SIM cards. If the files are really important you should consider entrusting the card to a reputable data recovery company.

John

Hi sir i have question for you if my problem folders changed to a file type is related to

CHK Files Created by CHKDSK and SCANDISK?

i just want to know if my 2 folders changed to unknown file type that FILE type is CHK FILES OR NOT?

i mean if my 2 old folders is now in .CHK FORMAT OR NO? thanks in advance

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LemP

thanks for your reply guys anyway if you dont mind can you give to me what the name of the program can i useto recover all my pictures i save in my Images FOLDER changed to FILE type i want to try it and i will use it in my own risk

Recuva

-----
LemP
Volunteer Moderator
MS MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) 2006-2009
Microsoft Community Contributor (MCC) 2011-2012

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JJ

John John __

Hi sir i have question for you if my problem folders changed to a file type is related to CHK Files Created by CHKDSK and SCANDISK?
i just want to know if my 2 folders changed to unknown file type that FILE type is CHK FILES OR NOT?

i mean if my 2 old folders is now in .CHK FORMAT OR NO? thanks in advance

I can't say for sure what happened to your folders. You stated in your original post stating that Chkdsk was run on the card and that it reported unrecoverable errors and lost chains and when prompted by chkdsk you told it to save the errors and lost chains to a file, you then state that after Chkdsk was completed the folder was no longer present or accessible, the only plausible explanation is that chkdsk converted the directory to a found.### file.

These may be helpful, but I caution you that I have no experience with SIM card data recovery and I cannot make any recommendations, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Recover CHK Files (I have used these in the past and I know them to work on hard disks)
7 Ways To Recover CHK Files Created by CHKDSK and SCANDISK
Chkdsk - What It Can Do To Your Data
How to (I did) to recover CHK files

John

Programmers are either not taught about Occam's razor or they forgot about it the following day.

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asiongmovie

@LemP i already try recuva but not work i think recuva can recover only all the files have already deleted. in my case i have the original copy of my 2 folders was converted now to file type. @John John MVP thanks for the info about that sir i will try it now and i will use this at my own risk thanks. anyway here another information about my problem guys before i saved all my photos in my folder name: "Images" and my Images folder was changed now to a FILE type. this is my problem now after my Images folder converted to FILE type i cant open my Images folder to check if all my photos is still there. then i try now to open my Images folder changed to file type when i click open this message show in my screen: (Open With: Choose the program you want to open this file) then i choose "notepad" to open my Images folders was already converted to file type and i see some message or text in the notepad like this: AI m a g e “1 3 7 . j p g IMAG~129JPG IMAG~593JPG MAG~609JPG IMAG~279JPG åMAG~658JPG any idea about that guys? i think all my photos is still there in my Images folder but the problem only i cant open my Images folder to copy all my photos inside in that Images folder to transfer all my photos in the new folder.

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JJ

John John __

You have to understand FAT data structures and how the FAT file system stores files. Basically all the files on the disk are stored inside directories in a hierarchical structure, the top most directory in the hierarchy is the root directory. The root directory is a special directory but otherwise a directory is really nothing more than a file containing a directory table made up of 32 byte structures which in turn contain information about files stored in the directory. This table contains information such as the file or sub-directory name, file attributes, creation date, size, and so on. The table also contains the all important information about the file's starting cluster. The file itself is stored in the FAT. The FAT is chained, that is clusters that make up the file are chained together, each cluster holds a pointer to the next cluster in the file and the last cluster in the file has an EOC (end of cluster-chain) marker, so the operating systems knows where the file starts and ends and the cluster map in between.

As you already know files are not exactly stored in an orderly fashion on a disk, in reality they can be stored all over the place! Lets say you have a small file occupying 5 clusters. For simplicity's sake let's say that the file is stored in clusters 5, 12, 32, 78 & 102. Cluster 5 will contain information telling the OS that the next file segment is stored in cluster 12, cluster 12 will contain information telling the OS that the next file segment in stored in cluster 32 and so on until the OS reaches cluster 102 containing the EOC marker telling it that the file ends. When you want to work with files the OS gets the file name and other information including the starting cluster from the directory table then it finds the file in the FAT from there.

A directory is just another file with an entry in the directory table but the OS know that it is a directory so it knows how to read it and find information about the files stored in the directory. So, how does the OS know that a file is a directory? Simple, the file is marked as a directory with the "directory attribute" bit.

A directory is just another file so Notepad can read some of the contents of the directory file but otherwise it doesn't know what to do with this information and the OS doesn't know that the file is a directory, it may be as simple as the directory bit not being set or there may be corruption and part of the directory table may be damaged. You could use a disk editor to examine the directory structure and try to correct the problem but you really need to have deep knowledge and understanding of the FAT data structures to attempt this, in reality if you don't know what you are doing you will just cause further damage or completely screw up the disk.

All your files are most likely all there, it's just that the OS doesn't have any information about them and it doesn't know where to find the all important starting clusters, good data recovery software or competent data recovery firms usually have good success rates with these kinds of logical file system problems.

John

Programmers are either not taught about Occam's razor or they forgot about it the following day.

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asiongmovie

i see thanks for the info about that sir

anyway in my problem? it is posible to recover all my photos in the folders was already converted to file type or NO? i mean if i recover my photos this have a change to back my photos like before i mean working fine with out any problem? i mean i can upload this photos in other social networking site and view my photos? i see in other forum about recovery program when he done to recover the photos the next problem is the photos is not working fine i mean he cant see the photos or he cant open his photos.

anyway i will try your suggestion now i hope anyone of them can help me to solve my problem and get back all my photos in my folders changed to file type.

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