Protools deleted my audio files.

[Quan]

Im running PT hd3, vision 8.1. After edited strings sesion, consolidated all regions PT started to click and pop. I quit PD, restart and my whole well played, expensive Strings sesion is gone. PT told me adio files not found. I manualy searched in HD and no audio there. What the f is that?
If any one knows the reason please tell me! Is there a chance to recover audio files?
Thanks and best Regards!
Quan

[SWSPHX]

WHen you edited your strings, everytime you make an edit a new file is created. When you look at the session files on the window pane to the right is there anything there? Is your entire audio folder empty or just the newly consolidated files?

[Quan]

Just newly consolidate files are gone. Old Strings files also gone. The rest (drums, bass, piano...) still there.
Thanks for reply!
Quan

[ricordu]

I'm sure It did not deleted them alone.
Probably it created the audio in another hard drive ?
Make sure to check in your other drive if there's a folder named like your session, but only with a audiofiles/fades folders inside (i.e. no session).

Also, try reopening an autobackup. Using the backups, you should be able to reopen your session pre-consolidation.

ricordu

[nucelar]

Are the regions just grayed out or don't they exist (as if they never were recorded)?
If they are grey, you can see in the full path (Project window) where they are supposed to be.

[Quan]

The regions just grayed out. I manualy searched audio files with no success.
Thanks!
Quan

[Ian Bodzasi]

I had the same thing happen in 8.0.4 recently. Minutes after consolidating files, they vanished.

[bwack]

this just happened to me. did some beat detective on some drum tracks. consolidated. used the gain plug on a couple tracks. got an error. restarted, and when i came back all of the consolidated drum tracks are gone. the gained drums tracks are there but the pre-gained audio and the ones i didn't gain are missing. they are grayed out regions both in the edit window and in the region list. when i look at the path and try to find the file in finder it is not there. spotlight also failed. nowhere.

this makes hours of work useless. how do we avoid this?

sorry,

this is on PT9 not HD with CPTK
17"Macbook Pro Unibody with 4gb ram
OSX - 10.6.4

[Rick Sanchez]

It may be a bad time to say this after losing a string date, as we've all lost media at some point, but it's a good reminder to ALWAYS have a spare drive and do a "Save a session copy" including audio files immediately after ANY big recording date and before doing anything else. Most remote trucks or top scoring stage will have a backup recorder going automatically, but if you find yourself working on a stage or studio without a backup recorder, you MUST backup following the session before doing anything else.

If a producer says there is no time or budget to do it, make them sign a waiver or get them saying on tape that they now take full responsibility for any loss or damage that may occur.

Unless you have a backup, you just have to kick yourself and say lesson learned...hopefully.

[Metalgez]

This has happened to me once. I lost a bunch Ac Gtrs and some strings. All very re-recorded since but still.