Project Files all lost

[Meera5CDC]

Yesterday I was on AE when my power went out and my computer turned off. When I came back to continue my project a few hours later,I got a message about "preference files not working,new preferences file will be created" (something like that i dont really remember) and then when AE finally opened,all my projects were gone. I tried opening the project files I had saved,but it said "bad or unreadable format" and now I can't open any of my projects. My preferences were resetted as well. I have AE CC 2019. Any ideas on how I can get my old projects back?

[Joost van der Hoeven]

Have you tried the projects in your Auto Save folder? Usually that folder is next to the original project. 

[Meera5CDC]

i had autosave enabled and i have autosave project files of projects before that but i cant find this project's autosave file?

[Martin_Ritter]

It is likely, that you last project is corrupt through the power loss. Just use on the backups you've manuelly created, or use an autosave, which you have hopefully activated (if not, then you have just learned a live lession).

The list of last projects might be empty, but this doesn't mean you projects are gone. Just go to the location you did daved them and open them.

*Martin

[Meera5CDC]

how do i manually create backups

[Martin_Ritter]

Go to your project file, press CTRL+C and CTRL+V.

Rename the copy in your manner.

This is the first thing I do on every working day.

*Martin

[Meera5CDC]

thank you!!

[Szalam]

Try to see if your AE will open any project files at all. That is, try some that you created weeks ago.

Install the 2020 version alongside your 2019 version and see if it will open any of the project files you were having issues with.

[Meera5CDC]

when i try to open other projects it says "missing data in file ( 33: 4 )" even though i still have everything i used in that project.

[Szalam]

Every project file has that error? Try creating a brand new project then close AE, reopen it, and see if it can open the new project file you created.

Also, try installing the 2020 version and see if it can open your old projects.

[Meera5CDC]

most recent projects have that error,and I made a new project on AE and it keeps it saved. I don't want to install 2020 though since that way I'll have to install all the plugins I had before and I'm too lazy for that. It's okay though,I'm just redoing my project all over again. Thank you!

[Roooodboy]

Have you fixed the problem? How??