how do i recover files on my hard drive that are lost but are still on there just can't find?
JJ, i can recommend you try using a file recovery program if the files were unintentionally deleted. warning to you though, if the files were deleted and you installed anything since than you may have lost the files forever, when a file is deleted it is still on your drive but ready to be written over. just a thought for you and good luck.
There are many good file recovery programs about as Eidelmaim hinted, but lets not panic.
First of all have you tried connecting the drive as a Slave on a working machine or putting it in a USB caddy, then see if you can copy the files elsewhere!
I accidentally reformatted a slave drive that has my jpegs and pcb cad artwork on.... I ended up getting such software and gladly it got them all back.
Some are free and some aren't as well as some good and bad ones about but many, usually the better ones lets you try the program and will let you see the files but won't let you recover them until you pay for the license... and then its your to keep.
There is one caveat.... the drive as to to be mechanically working, if the discs or servo drives are faulty then the software ain't gonna' do much, if it's a boot fault then try running a boot start up disc.
...... so you folks don't go lobbing hard drives out thinking a single format makes em' free of data, one test I did it took three formats with just basic software!
...... so you folks don't go lobbing hard drives out thinking a single format makes em' free of data, one test I did it took three formats with just basic software!
I couldn't agree with you more, a great program i use when i delete important information from my hard drive is called CCleaner, it will give you 4 options for deleting info, a single pass, a DoD standard 3 pass, a NSA standard 7 pass and the Gutmann 35 pass. pass refers to the amount of times the software "deletes" the file you are removing.
recover files 
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