.indd file gone minutes after saving?!

[astridm34277499]

Hey all,

Just today I was working on a regular .indd InDesign file, saved it multiple times inbetween and just to be sure saved it when closing.
Minutes later, I wanted to include this document in an .indb file, only to discover that same document is... completely gone!

It still appears in my 'Recent Files' list, but when I click on it, it gives the error "Either the file does not exist, (blabla)" that kind of thing.

NO crashes or errors happened during the editing of the .indd file, I just closed and saved it the regular way without any indication of a problem. Also no updates or anything inbetween, it was simply a matter of minutes after saving that the file disappeared. Didn't even have time to create a backup.

I operate on Windows 10 and use Indesign CC 2015, if that helps.

There is also no lock file and I already deleted the Recovery File from AppData after reading elsewhere that that might help (it didn't).

A complete search for the document turned up nothing and it is also not a hidden file. I work from an external hard drive, so it SHOULD be there somwhere but it isn't.

Also: I had renamed some other documents and at the same time I discovered my file is gone, I also noticed the names were changed back. None of those files are corrupt and the content luckily was intact, just the name changed back (which is not that much of a big deal tho, but found it peculiar and maybe there is a link?).

What the hell is going on and how can I get the file back?!
Please help!!

Thanks in advance!

[Barb Binder]

Are you saving to your local drive, a network drive or to something like Dropbox?

EDIT: Now I see "external drive". Can you elaborate?

[jane-e]

Didn't even have time to create a backup.

On a Mac, you can search at the Finder level for all files created withim a certain time frame, by file name, by text in the document, etc. Can you do that in Windows?

This won't help you now, but you always have time to create a backup.

I am truly sorry if it is lost, and I do hope you find it!

[astridm34277499]

Well I'm not sure if Windows can do the same, but usually if you do a complete search in C:/ (or in my case my external hard disk) it should somehow turn up. I do know the file name and it also appears as such in InDesign "Recent Files", but unfortunately a complete search has not helped me in finding it back.

[astridm34277499]

I store and edit all my files on an external hard drive, a 1 TB Seagate. I do not copy files to the local hard drive on my laptop.

[tpk1982]

Reconnect you external hard drive and open the document from Indesign in 'Recent Files' list

[Test Screen Name]

Did you reboot between saving and finding it gone?

[astridm34277499]

No, I did not reboot. It is very strange... the only thing I did was (auto)save it, close it, and trying to add it in the .indb file. I did not do anything else in between.

[astridm34277499]

That did not work, unfortunately

[melissaMAHLE]

I had a similar issue happen just a few weeks ago. I found a file on my network, opened it up from Windows Explorer and made my edits. When I went to 'Save As', it didn't direct me to the file location where I found it, which I thought was strange. I saved it to a directory then performed the same search that I did when I found the file and it was no longer there. It vanished within a span of no more than 15 minutes. My IT department is trying to help me find it, but they're stuck.

Back in the summer, I looked for an old InDesign file from one of my project folders that needed to be updated. The PDFs were in the folder, but not the .indd file. I had my IT group look back in the archives to see if they could find the file. I was resigned to the fact that it was most likely missing and I'd have to recreate it from the PDF files. I looked back at that directory to start working on recreating the document just days before my other file mysteriously went missing and the .indd files had reappeared. If I knew then what I know now, I would've opened the file and resaved it in hopes that it would stay, but I thought maybe IT found the file and neglected to inform me.

That being said, here are two files that were showing in my network files and are now missing. I'm just afraid if I don't find the fix, more files will fall into the same fate. I *KNOW* this isn't user error... I *KNOW* I didn't delete the files, nor did anyone else who has access. I almost literally saw a file disappear.

[trevors24210740]

I too have just found myself in the exact same situation... I reconnected my external hard drive and was prompted to repair it. The folder that was missing then showed up, but now the files within (one of which being the indesign file) register as having "no content" and show as not taking up space.

I can see the recent document and preview within the indesign app but it doesn't do anything when trying to open.

I fear I have lost it all 😕

[Test Screen Name]

You need a new disk drive, I think. But in the meantime, surely you have a backup?

[Peter Spier]

You need a new disk drive, I think. But in the meantime, surely you have a backup?

By @Test Screen Name

Sadly, many users assume that hardware is eternal until they discover through a disaster such as this that it can fail at any moment. Even backup systems are only as good as the frequency of backup and the reliabilty of the backup hardware. Redundancy will significantly reduce the risk of loss, but nothing ever eliminates it entirely.

I've recently moved to Windows 10 from Win7 against my better judgement. I find it extremely unreliable as far as the connection to external drives on the USB ports, at least on the MSI laptop I purchased. Because the number of ports is limited and I like using a wired keyboard along with my wireless mouse I have to use a USB hub to connect any temporary devices. Windows has failed to recognize one of two new thumb drives even when mounted directly to the port normally used for my backup drive which has a built-in hub, and is unlikely to keep a drive mounted through the hub if it is recognized at all, though it has no problem with the external DVD drive and colorimeter that are also mounted through the hub.

I offer this only to highlight the unreliability of working off external media and to stress that such drives should be reserved for backup or non-critical work. I would never work on a large project directly off an external drive.