Picked up two copies of SpySweeper back on Black Friday and dropped a copy off for my Dad and installed the other copy on this computer yesterday and on both machines, after running it, everything on the desktop was GONE. All the files & folders, *poof* Search can't find em and neither can desktop explorer. Doesn't cause me too much grief because I back up files, but Dad doesn't and all his stuff is kinda important to him (yes, I have nagged abouit backing up files)

Webroot (SpySweeper's mfg) is closed of course for the holidays, anyone else run into this or have an idea as to where the files might be and if they can be restored???

Any help would be seriously appreciated, I feel like S*** for giving him software that screwed up his computer.


(Both machines are Win2K, btw)

Does it have an e-manual. At the back there is usually a section for problems. Don't run win2k, so I can't help there. May be a way to reboot and retreat to pre-install. Good luck- been there.

You bought him the best anti-spy/adware stuff there is.

T'aint your fault.

Dave S

Quoted: Does it have an e-manual. At the back there is usually a section for problems. Don't run win2k, so I can't help there. May be a way to reboot and retreat to pre-install. Good luck- been there.

Negative. Browsed the CD and it only has installation & data files (no help or manual) - online support says ""world class" so that means there is probably someone in India waiting to explain to me on Tuesday that "you need to be rebooting the install sectorfile thank you for letting us help you today *click*"

This is NOT what I needed to happen today...

Any other ideas?

Quoted: You bought him the best anti-spy/adware stuff there is. T'aint your fault. Dave S

I thought it was the best, have used it before and never had a problem, could it be that something got into EVERYTHING on the computer and webroot recognized them as "infected" and blasted them all? I'm really stumped, as there was a mix of files which I could not alter (pdf's and the like) along with all the regular documents & spreadsheets and so on...

Any programs to go poking around a hard drive for hidden/rennamed files?

Were they only shortcuts like they should be or did he actually have documents on the desktop.

Try this. I use it at work. Dont so a system restore yet and dont do a chkdsk /r or /f yet.

The free trial may be good. Give it a shot.
Easy Recovery Pro

Can you still find the files from the "Programs" menu?

Quoted: Were they only shortcuts like they should be or did he actually have documents on the desktop. Try this. I use it at work. Dont so a system restore yet and dont do a chkdsk /r or /f yet. The free trial may be good. Give it a shot. Easy Recovery Pro

thanks, will give it a shot - there were folders & files on the desktop, not just shortcuts

(files were not accessible from the program menu)

sounds like you had a desktop hijacker.   i would just backup his my documents and stuff.   create a new user profile copy the files back over to a new user profile.