I think it's over becaue I think I did something while looking for it that rewrote it. I what Exgm said and found out that the "Default" file is the "Public" folder under "Users" and I did find the file that says it is a "Copy" of the one I was looking for, but when I opened it it is the empty database so I think I must have tried opening it again and it reverted back to its original form or something. I dunno, I didn't open it righ away but might have done so under the tuteledge of the techie at work, since we couldn't find it. Anyway, the file path was C:\Users\Public\Documents if anyone else has this problem. Not sure why that didn't show up in a search though. I searched for ANY file on the C drive that had been altered today before I did anything else. I also tried to look in Google docs but I don't really get how to search that. I don't think I used that, I think I would have realized that. But I did try what Exgm said, and if I open a sample downloaded .xls file without saving it and then opening it, it DOES just go about saving it into this default file. Don't know WHY that folder does not show up on a search though. If it had showed up with the search I would have seen it since I searched for ANY xls file. At this point I've spent almost as much time on this as I did creating the file so I have to give up. I think it is hopeless anyway Somehow I must have rewritten the file thanks to the "help" from our techie. Or else it was just long gone anyway, since it seems like a search would have turned it up. I'm very suspect of this whole search function now.

Finally back online, tech took machine back and rebuilt, as we read googling that indeed the machines sometimes do eat up the files from folders, go figger. The only way I could save from being eaten was put on the desktop, and am still going with that format til I know for sure it doesn't happen again. What do you think could have been the problem? The tech said he did a lot of research, went to his gurus etc., and found no real answers, and when I did google, I didn't understand the lingo much myself, but then, am not literate about the machines anyway. I am currently in the process of getting reacquainted with my machine, had just gotten some comfy with it, and will not in the future be adding much extra til I know for sure things are right and proper with it to begin with. Was mentioned there is a free program out there that would sort of "freeze" my machine, and allow me to try some programs/addons before I really decided to install and use, does anyone know of this? I have undone any of the extra things I added to the mix, and gradually will seek things out again, but thank you all for your help and support this has been somewhat of an experience for me, hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. Name that free program if you can, and let me know where I might find info on it. tech couldn't remember the name, tho he has used it with some success. Especially for parents whose kiddos like to install things and shouldn't. Thanks owbist, you always are so calm and collected with all the info you give out, are you a tech behind the scenes?

OK, I gave this problem back to DH.

I use the interior folders sparingly. Here's how it works: I have a hanging folder labeled "home"; inside that I have a manila folders labeled for some big subcategories. Not everything goes inside a manila folder; most of it just goes loose in the hanging folder. But once I start to see a lot of stuff accumulating on a topic ("plumbing" in the "HOME" folder; "report cards" in the "SCHOOL" folder), then I give it a manila folder. I don't make myself nuts trying to force everything into a subfolder. Only those big subtopics, or perhaps little ones that I want to put my hands on quickly ("zoo" inside the "FAMILY FUN" folder, for example) i would never try to rely on the colors or patterns of folders to help me determine what is inside a folder. I use LABELS. (though I do have all blue hanging folders for the finance stuff, all green hanging folders for the memory stuff, all yellow hanging folders for home/auto/co-op.