what did i do HELP

The other night i was trying to get my scanner to work when i was download updates and patches from HP and installing them, when i notice things on my desktop disappeared. So i looked in my destop folders and notice ALL of my pictures, Mpeg, Words and stuff i downloaded from the net to read later all dissappeared. It only happen to items on my desktop. So i used microsoft xp system recovery to go back to the day before. Now I have empty folders on my desktop where those things used to be in.
I did a Computer search and can't find them on my computer and they're not in my recyle bin. Can anyone help. I have a Dell 8200

 

I was on HP and downloading and installing updates to my scanner trying to get it too work, when I notice on my desktop my folders moved so i started to move them back how i had them when i open one and it was empty all of my files was gone. I was just installing stuff from HP website when this happen. I cant think of anything else.

 

Open My computer > go to Tools > Folder Options > then click on View, you should then see a list of options, make sure you select "Show Hidden files and folders".

Now see if the folders are still empty.

Steve

 

I just looked and saw that Shown hidden files and folders was selected already. Its weird that only my files on my folders on my desktop are missing but no where else.
I started to download that recover program but it said

Caution:

Do not install this software on the drive you want to recover the data from.

Instead, install this software on a working windows system and attach the problem drive aas a second drive...


I don't know what that means could someone help me with that...

 

I have never had to use a recovery program so I can't be much help there.

Maybe try taking ownership of those files/folders, http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Steve