Hi Paul. I’ve made some music and now I can’t find it. Please can you help? – AB
This is the error message that Reaper is showing me:
I received the above message from a client and we arranged to connect the next day for a remote support session. I advised my client to leave her PC as it was and not to move or delete any files until we had connected.
Problem
Once my client and I had connected via Whatsapp and Anydesk she showed me the problem. She explained where her Reaper files and media directories were saved on her PC and the processes she used when she saves her files. I noticed her OneDrive was full and this might be a clue to the what had gone wrong.
Solution
I took control of her PC and started work. A basic Media search from within the Resolve Missing Files window didn’t produce any results.
A manual search of likely folders near to the location of the Reaper project file didn’t produce any results.
A Windows Explorer search using specfic aspects of the file names didn’t find any files in her desktop or documents folder.
I extended the search to her entire Users folder and eventually Windows Search found the audio files deep within an AppData/Local Temp folder.
These App Data folders had been created by OneDrive as a directory to locally store copies of files which had been moved to the cloud. As my client’s OneDrive account had filled up OneDrive was no longer displaying the files properly in Windows explorer.
I moved the folders out of the AppData folder and into a new folder I created in her Users directory named Reaper Projects. This would be saved in a location not managed by OneDrive.
We checked my client’s Reaper files were now working and her songs opened with no missing audio errors.
Additional Support
My client informed me she didn’t want to use OneDrive on her PC so I uninstalled it for her.
I helped my client tidy her Reaper song folders. We created a new folder which would contain all her projects. To make it easier to locate I changed the Folder’s Icon.
I added a shortcut to the Reaper Projects folder to help my client find her folder quickly in Windows Explorer.
I wrote some quick notes for my client to refer to when saving her files in the future.
Conclusion
At the end of our hour’s remote support session my client was happy that she
- Had recovered her lost audio files
- Understood how they had got lost
- Had a new process for saving her Reaper Projects to avoid missing audio in the future.
My client had already written me a nice review of my service following a previous remote support session:
If I could give Paul infinite stars I would! He is literally my Audio Tech Hero! I was so stuck with a number of different issues and after witnessing him working live I can tell you now there is no way in hell I could of solved any of that on my own despite pouring over hours of youtube tutorials – not even my best techy friends where able to help me on this one! He is not only a virtuoso in all things sound engineering, music and tech related but, he is so personable and funny as well as super supportive and patient to work and learn alongside with, definitely a natural teacher. I will be telling all my fellow singers, performers and musicians about him and his skills as he is a one stop shop for all our frustrations and needs! And I know that whenever I have anything to do with tech stuff whether that be to increase my own learning or skills or on events and projects he is and always will be my go to guy! I highly recommend Paul! Thank you SO much!