Word Documents Files created over the years are gone!

[schanteuse1]

I have created many word document files over the years. They are lyrics with guitar chords above the lyrics, with nice readable big font, chords dark red, instructions per capoing and strumming. I went to print up a topical Halloween song (Monster Mash). I couldn't find it! I started looking for many other files and found that all but the most recent were disappeared. I don't delete things. Where did these files go? Can I get them Back? What's going on here! Any suggestions? I'm talking a lot of documents.
Thanks anyone.

[RoryOF]

OpenOffice does not touch any existing files on your computer; if such files are missing, it may be because your operating system (Windows?) has restored your computer to an earlier state, before these files were written, or perhaps you have installed a new version of an operating system (a linux or Windows upgrade?) and reformatted your hard drive in the process.

Any major upgrade of OpenOffice can delete its Recent Documents list: this is merely a list of the most recent files used by OpenOffice, a list of shortcuts to those files. If that list is missing, the files are still in their original location on the hard disk and will reappear inividually on that list as they are opened by OO's /File /Open.

[Bill]

If you've been creating files for years, then you should have been backing up those files. If you don't make backups, eventually the hard drive will fail and you will lose everything.

[robleyd]

It will help us to help you if you update your signature to show your operating system and version - e.g. Windows 10, MacOSX High Sierra - as the answers to your problem(s) may vary depending on your OS.

looking for many other files and found that all but the most recent were disappeared

Exactly how were you looking for these files - using a particular tool?

[John_Ha]

They are almost certainly still there.

1. Start > type *.od? in the Search box (or *.doc if you have been saving as .doc files). click Show more results.

Bingo! That shows every AOO or every .doc file on your PC.

2. Assume you have a file and you know it has the word zebra in it. Start > type zebra in the Search box. click Show more results. That finds all files containing the word zebra.

Showing that a problem has been solved helps others searching so, if your problem is now solved, please view your first post in this thread and click the Edit button (top right in the post) and add [Solved] in front of the subject.

[LilZebra]

Did you recently update your Windows 10?

Last week Microsoft pulled out of an update for Windows 10 where the buggy update hid or deleted documents, photos in the users \My Documents folder.

If this is the case, you may have to contact Microsoft in order to get your files back.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... er-upgrade

https://news.softpedia.com/anews/how-to ... 3091.shtml

[John_Ha]

See Microsoft's latest Windows 10 update may delete user files. If this has happened to you then all your user files, photos, music etc; and not only your text files as you report, will have been removed.