(spb) I've just spent 7 hours writing a 15 page document and I can't find the bloody thing anywhere (sob) have I got to do it all again?

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

(tears streaming down my face) I've looked in documents, recent items, other user's documents, I can't think of anywhere else. Please, please help

did it autosave to the default location? if so open a new document and do save as. that will let you see where your computer puts things automatically. you can then go there and find your other one.

and remember to save in future! (we've all done this btw)

Daft question but did you actually save it?

If it's in Word have you tried opening a new document then clicking on the File button to see if it appears in the list of recent docs?

Was it a document that was initially emailed to you? It might be in your temporary files folder. Have you run a search?

I hit save several times. I've looked through recent docs and it's not there. I even renamed the bastard. I did save it, really

I'll try the default

I did a search and it didn't come up. It was something emailed to me, I then edited it and saved it but the bloody thing has vanished

It won't let me see the default locations. It changes it if I type in . and press enter.

Thankyou

Does your computer have somewhere it saves attachments, or temporary documents? Something similar has happened to me and dp before, on his PC laptop, and the doc did turn up eventually.

oh I see jabberwocky suggested that already.

Go to bed - it'll appear in the morning .

Seriously, if you're tired and stressed it would be best to put it away and have a fresh look tomorrow.

I need it!! Shit. I'm going to have to do it all again!

Might be in downloads.

Go to the search function. Search it by name if you know it, or any line of text you can remember.

May take a while.....taps feet.

Thank you

Oh crap. I'm going to have to do it again.
night.

if it was emailed to you, it'll be in your temporary files

what you need to do is:

1. open the same attachment from the same email
2. click on file and then 'save as'
3. make a note of the full pathway. it'll be a folder called somethng like "OLK797123" or something (sorry, its a few months since i've been on a pc)
4. close word, DON'T actually resave the document in step 3
5. open windows explorer
6. now you might have to bear with me for this step but its something like... Tools then folder options and then view. And then you want to click on the box next to 'show hidden folders'. It'll warn you that this is dangerous etc. just click ok
7. go into the address bar at the top of the screen and type the full pathway that you found in step 3. separating each folder with a / sign

eg username/documents and settings/temporary files/OLK877 or whatever you discovered was the default location from step 3

good luck, i really hope you find it

as i said, it has been a while since i've been on a pc and the above is from memory so if any of the steps don't make sense, please shout and i'll see if i can help you some more

bumping for you belle

I'm using firefox, it doesn't give me a pathway, just asks me to send the document (with a few numbers) to microsoft office (default), I've looked and it's not there. I clicked on windows explorer and there's no folder options in the tools.

have you tried searching all your files and folders for content?

yes It's vanished.

thank you. I'll get started on the replacement.