I have a directory.
D:\Dachs\Darkside
in which all of my writing is organized.
My first Scrivener project points within that directory.
Last night, I was working on it. I saved, closed, Scrivener did a back up.
Today, the directory is gone.
I cannot access it with Windows Explorer… it isn’t there.
Scrivener opens to a blank project.
I have an older back-up, but I do not have one within the last week. I am freaking petrified.
Is the drive another partition on your computer, a networked partition, or? And what version of Windows?
In addition to those questions (D: could be a drive that is unplugged), when you say the directory is missing, do you mean the whole Darkside directory, or just the D:\Dachs\Darkside\some project name.scriv\ directory? Have you checked your recycle bin or searched the computer using Explorer for the project directory that is missing (maybe it got drag and drop moved accidentally—I do that sometimes when clicking around too quickly).
Apologies, I should have clarified.
I am using Windows XP Pro, with all updates up to date.
My computer has two physical hard drives, which are mirrored, then divided into C & D.
I mean the entire Darkside directory, not just a scrivener project directory. I mean the one that all 12 of my novels in Word are in. I arranged the writing with directory of “Darkside,” and then underneath that, folders for time-sequences, such as “Purges,” or “MainRev”. Each novel, ie, 01Slipping, 02Roads, 03Strands, 04Shades, etc.has its own directory. The Scrivener project was at D:\Dachs\Darkside\Purges\04ShadesScrivener.
First thing I checked was to see if I had accidentally dragged the folder to the Recycle Bin, and it isn’t there.
I have also checked, using Windows Explorer, to see if I accidentally dragged it to another nearby folder in the Dachs directory. (That folder name, FYI, is a pun. I have two standard longhair dachshunds, Shadow and Sunlight. I call them “the Dachs.” And it’s pronounced exactly like “Docs” for the Windows “My Documents” directory, which I do not use.)
[size=85](edited to correct typo)[/size]
Update.
I was able to get hold of the guy who built my computer, who logged into it with LogMeIn. (He is 2000 miles away, so a physical call wasn’t exactly practical.) He had some recovery tools, and better eyes, ie, he was not panicking the way I was.
My directory is back where it is supposed to be.
There is a fresh backup of the entire DACHS directory on one of my three thumb drives. (I do father-grandfather-greatgrand backups, rotating between thumb drives.) Next purchase is going to be an external hard drive if I can decide which one to get.
Thanks, all, for listening. For helping me to clarify what needed to be done in order to achieve this. It’s very much appreciated.
My heart rate and blood pressure may return to normal some time next year…
Whew, glad you found it! I’m not sure what happened there. Scrivener doesn’t have a delete tool in it—if you want to remove a project you have to actually go and do so in Explorer, so I can’t think of anything from that angle that would cause a problem, accidental or bug.
Yeah, well, I’d never heard of anything Scrivener might have done to do something like that, either – I’m a relatively new user, but have heard ABOUT it for years.
I’ve also never had a directory go POOF! before.
And since Scrivener is the only new program being used regularly, it made sense to ask if anyone had seen anything like this here.
I’ve had hard drive crashes, yes (twice), but both times I had a new back up. (Hence the mirrored drives on this machine and the multiplicity of thumb drives, and the desire for an external drive.) I also had my USB ports go out because I inadvertently unplugged the wrong cable when pulling the machine to evacuate for Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
But this week was busy, and I hadn’t backed up all the work I’d done yet, blah, blah, blah… the usual excuse. And I forgot my own maxim: “Always remember, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean the Universe ISN’T out to get you.”
And since that directory holds around 12 years of work which I will be gradually pulling into Scrivener projects (12-15 books) for organization and finishing, I was coming unglued with a vengeance last night.
Anyway, it is ending well. And again, thanks.