FROM A PINNACLE STUDIO NEWBIE . . .

This is entirely my fault, but I accidentally deleted the .avi file that was created from my .stu file.
Now, when I try to open my .stu file -- it tells me that it can't find my .avi file.
Please tell me there is a way to re-create an .avi file from the .stu file I already have.
Thanks much!

Have you looked in the recycle bin? If it's there, just right-click on it, then click 'restore'.

If it's not there, you've probably pressed shift+delete, which means you'll need some kind of file recovery program like 'File Rescue Plus'. A free download version is available.

Try contacting Software Shelf on (01342) 310950.

It's best not to do too much with your PC until you try recovery, because, although your file is still on the disc, Windows could overwrite it. Hope this works for you.

Good suggestion. I downloaded File Rescue Plus, but it appears that the file isn't anywhere on my hard drive.

Other suggestions are most welcome!

Thanks.

Unless your hard dtive is very full, Windows "deletes" files by replacing the first character with a "?". Symantec makes a decent file recovery program. See if you can run it from the CD rather than installing it so that you don't overwrite the file you are trying to save.

I am not familiar with File Rescue Plus, but if it works like Symantec's program, I am surprised it cannot find the file. Perhaps your original file was so large that it has already been written over.

Did you do a full search of your hard drive? Perhaps the file was not deleted but was just accidentally moved to another folder. Choose the search option in Windows Explorer and have it look for all files *.avi (or whatever the extension was).

Hope you find it.