A Windows XP user called to say he connected his new digital camera to his computer, but couldn't find the downloaded pictures in his My Pictures folder. Here's how we found them:

I told him to go to Start>Search>All Files & Folders and to type .JPG (or .jpg) into the All or Part of Filename box. When he clicked the Search button, all .JPG files on his computer began appearing in a list. (Most digital cameras generate JPG image files by default.)

Then I said to click on View>Details to show which folder a picture is in, along with the date it was placed (or "modified") into the PC. Next he clicked on Date Modified to arrange the filenames by the most recent date to the oldest. (If you see them listed "oldest to newest," another click on Date Modified will reverse the order.)

When I asked if any of the most recently dated JPGs were among the missing ones, he double-clicked one and said, "Eureka!" He also saw which folder the pictures had gone into, so he could move them into My Pictures - or he could create his own folder by right-clicking his Desktop and choosing New>Folder, and giving it a name.

Vista and Windows 7 users should click Start, and then type .JPG into the Search box that appears. Finally, follow the steps described above.

© Donald Ray Edrington - All Rights Reserved

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