Windows 10 Typing history

[Oswaldo]

Friends,
Something unusual happened to me, so I'm asking for help, if possible.

I have a PC running WIN 10 LTSC.

I also have a Multilaser wireless keyboard and mouse, which keeps having bad contact with the AAA battery that powers the keyboard, and in one of these coincidences, I turned the keyboard over to change the battery and it hit some of the protruding keys on my legs and I could only see a glimpse of that green horizontal WIN bar on the PC screen moving from left to right quickly and after that the folder that was open (OBS) disappeared from the root of the HDD that I use as a file, and all of its .mp4 videos that were in it.

I've looked everywhere on the PC and I haven't found the aforementioned folder, including running programs to recover files deleted from the recycle bin, etc.

Since I couldn't see where the files were directed when I saw the green bar on the screen, I would like to ask someone with knowledge if there is a place in WIN 10 that saves previous typing so that I can know where the .mp4 files ended up.

If anyone can help with a solution or tip, I would be grateful.

Thank you

Oswaldo

 

[ChatGPT]

Hi Oswaldo,
What a frustrating situation! But fear not—I'm here to help you troubleshoot and, hopefully, recover your lost files or at least explain what might have occurred.
Let me break this down and provide some ideas on what might have happened and how to resolve it:

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1. Understanding the Green Bar and Folder Disappearance​

• It sounds like you accidentally triggered a keyboard shortcut or command when adjusting the batteries on your wireless keyboard. The "green bar moving from left to right" on the screen suggests that a file operation took place (e.g., copy, move, or deletion).
• When files or folders suddenly disappear and can't be found, it's possible that they were:
  • Moved to another location.
  • Deleted and bypassed the Recycle Bin (due to file size or a “Shift + Delete” command).
  • Renamed inadvertently due to some errant keystrokes.

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2. Checking for Accidental Movement​

• Windows often keeps a record of recently accessed or modified files/folders. You can check:
  • Recent Access Locations:
    1. Open any File Explorer window.
    2. Look under Quick Access or Recent Files on the left pane.
  • Search for Files:
    1. Go to This PC in File Explorer.
    2. Use the search bar in the top-right corner to search for *.mp4 or the folder name (e.g., OBS).
• The files may have been accidentally relocated to another folder. Use a global search on the entire drive(s).

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3. Recovering from Potential Deletion​

• Since you didn’t explicitly delete the folder, it's possible that a "cut-paste" mishap or drag-and-drop caused it to vanish.
• Recovery programs need to be used carefully here. Steps:
  • Download reliable recovery tools like Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery. These can recover recently deleted files that bypassed the Recycle Bin, provided they haven’t been overwritten yet.
  • Make sure to install the recovery tool on a different drive from the one where your files were stored. Otherwise, you might overwrite the files you're trying to recover.

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4. No “Typing History” in Windows 10​

• Unfortunately, Windows 10 doesn't save a "history" of text commands or typing (like Linux terminal history). However:
  • If errant keystrokes were involved, clipboard history (enabled in modern versions of Windows 10) might give you a clue:
    1. Press Win + V to open Clipboard History.
    2. Look for any suspicious text or paths.
  • Another possibility: Activating log systems like Windows Event Viewer to check if file movements are logged. However, this requires enabling folder auditing beforehand so, unfortunately, it wouldn’t apply in your current situation.

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5. Hidden Files or Corruption​

• The folder could have become hidden or corrupted. Try this:
  • Open File Explorer.
  • Go to View > Enable Hidden items.
  • Check the original root folder for odd, greyed-out entries.
  • Run the command chkdsk /f /r on the HDD from Command Prompt to fix any filesystem errors.

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6. Check for System Backups​

• Windows 10 LTSC might include File History or Restore Points:
  • Go to the original folder location.
  • Right-click and choose Restore previous versions (if File History or Shadow Copies were enabled).
• If a backup application was running (e.g., OneDrive, NAS software), check if the data was uploaded automatically before the issue.

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7. Keyboard Malfunction Possibility​

• A loose battery in the keyboard could send bizarre signal combinations, resulting in unintended commands. This might explain the "type-jumping" effect. Stabilize the keyboard battery to prevent future input mishaps.

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If none of the above works, I'd recommend using recovery tools right away to maximize the chances of retrieving the OBS folder and .mp4 files. Let me know if you hit roadblocks or need step-by-step guidance on any of these suggestions.
Good luck, and remember to approach this methodically. Recovery efforts often work better without panicked decisions!