Missing audio files???!!!! Any ideas?

[Jimibrix]

I just went to re-mix a track that was just worked on last week and all of the files are gone. The system can not relink them either. I'm amazed that an entire song can simply vanish like this! The tracks are there, but no waves in the edit window... The plugins are all assigned in the mix window... The regions list is all in italics and even when I try to reload from my backup disc drive, I get the same result. It appears the song has gone to heaven for no particular reason! Any clues why the system can not relink these? Running ProTools LE 8.0.3 on Digidesign 003, with a windows 7/64 bit system. My other songs are fine. Surprised I can't pull the tracks in from my external drive either. It suggests to me that something was wrong with the files before they were sent into the backup file. Do I need to back up everything on DVD-R's as well as an external harddrive? How many backups should one need? That really was a sucky discovery! A lot of work went into that song, now it's all simply gone!

[DigiTechSupt]

In the regions list, if you 'show full path names' - where does it show that the audio files are supposed to be located and does the path give you any hints as to what may have happened? Is the drive being referenced connected to the computer? Have path names changed?

[albee1952]

Was there another drive connected to your computer when you were working on that session(successfully)? Have you tried opening any of the session backups? Traditional computer types insist that nothing is backed up properly unless it exists in at least 3 places(I settle for one of my internal recording drives and an external, and archive to an external and DVD-R.

[Jimibrix]

Yes, I relied on my internal E drive and my external F drive. I should've backed it up on dvd-r as well. The path shows that it should be there but it's in italics. ex: song title\Audio Files\Bass_02.WAV/Bass_02
But in italics. Can't drag and drop either. This is disturbing to think any amount of work can disappear over night. I'll back up the others on dvd-r as well as the two drives. It's unfortunate.

[Jimibrix]

Interesting it's still showing in the E and F drives as 2.48 GB, so something is still there, I just can't pull it. Thanks you guys.

[Jimibrix]

Just an update: I created a new blank session, and was then able to re-import the audio tracks, one at a time and then had to spend a few hours last night sorting through them and doing some region slides track by track back into position... It seems to be put back together, but I have to do a new mix. To me, it's terrible that this can happen at anytime to any song. I have not treated any of my songs differently from each other, so who knows what tomorrow holds. It's upsetting considering how much time you devote to your music, putting family aside for hours, (and everyone understands of course), but just the fact that your hours of work could disappear at any given time is disturbing to me. I multi-track all of the instruments myself as well as do the vocal/harmony tracks, mixing, etc... And I'm not doing anything childish, (men crying over women, rap, etc...), this is progressive/Queen/East Village Opera Company/Genesis/Muse/Wakeman/Beatles/ELP type stuff, so often it is taking me three or four times as long as say a full band would take, and to find it all gone is nauseating. Heartbreaking really. I'll have multiple backups now, but I'll probably still have to piece it together when this happens again. But I can't thank you guys enough for being there for me, and yes, I still love my ProTools. Just have to take more precautions, that's all. Thanks all.

[Jimibrix]

Please accept my apologies to anyone I may have insulted with my term 'childish'... Poor judgement in my wording. I didn't mean to insult anyone at all, and I am aware that many great writers write love songs. I am also quite sure that many who have helped me out directly, through this forum, out of personal generousity, genuine willingness to help, and just a downright goodness in their hearts may also write rap and hip hop music. I thank all of you. Without you, my aspirin bill would be as high as my food bill! I value ALL of you, no matter what you write. Apologies for my short sightedness, As a progressive neo-classical composer, understand my limitations as well. Thanks.