Last weekend my Windows media player stopped working. It said I needed a dll . I downloaded the dll and saved it and ran it. No results. I was trying to produce a Windows Movie Maker movie for You Tube. Anyway, I couldn't find the answer anywhere on the internet, so I went f10 and reformatted the C drive. When I did this, all of my music, Word files and video files were erased. This had NEVER happened before when I reformatted the C drive.
Anyway, after 2 1/2 days of rebuild, the computer says that I still have these files as I only have 1GB memory available. Where are these files? How can I get them? Why did my computer erase these files or hide them?
How can I get my computer to LIST all of the Word, Power POINT, Music, and Video files that it has hidden?
How do I recover these files or wipe them off of my computer?

Failing all of that, how do I wipe the memory of of my computer so that I can reinstall Windows XP? Steps?

12/17/11
email address removed by Allan

THank you in advance.
Have you tried TAKING the computer back to a restore point prior to when you started doing everything? Note, anything you installed after would have to be reinstalled

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084

Try this to recover your files. I have never used it myself but is recommended on many forums. All links are free downloads.

http://download.cnet.com/Recuva/3000-2242_4-10753287.html

If you want to complete wipe your hard drive clean, and I mean clean, first make sure you back up whatever you don't want to go away. Then try this. Warning, Warning, it wipes it completely.

http://download.cnet.com/Darik-s-Boot-and-Nuke-for-CD-and-DVD/3000-2094_4-10151762.html This I have used.


Or, if you have your original XP disc just go ahead and INSTALL it right over the other.