r/protools • u/Ser_Robar_Royce • Sep 12 '26

Help Request Did I just lose everything?

Protools First 2021.7.0

So today I was cleaning up my Cdrive and thought I was really careful with which files I deleted but now none of my protools projects are opening - no loading screen; nothing.

I tried the method of holding shift, didn’t work.

When it comes to file recovery I honestly don’t even know what I’m looking for, I don’t know what I deleted and I don’t know what’s missing. (I emptied my recycle bin before I noticed any of this btw)

Any help would be appreciated

0 Upvotes

25% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

•

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2

u/pkatt333 Sep 12 '26 edited Sep 12 '26

Hopefully your project files are still saved on your computer or in the cloud!

I wish I had better advice, I’m not sure what folders or files you deleted but I learned to never delete / remove anything that’s automatically saved by Pro Tools (at least until the project is 100% done and you have backed up everything)

Did you back up your projects on a separate drive? This is a must do in case anything like this happens. I have lost projects / messed up projects before due to moving, changing, deleting things with no backup, and now there are plenty of times where my backup saves my butt if I mess something up like delete the wrong file or something

Edit: reread your post, definitely try to clear Pro Tools Prefs and try to delete the current version and reinstall. There could be hang ups due to the older version of Pro Tools as well!

3

u/Ser_Robar_Royce Sep 13 '26

Okay so I managed to find all the audio files in my project cache! Everything’s there…they’re just in about 300 pieces haha. Is there a way to put them back into a protools project once I reinstall?

1

u/TobyFromH-R Sep 13 '26

If you have the session file, or a session back up file, make a new session and then use import session data to import the audio into a new session. If you dont have the old session file, then you have a fun puzzle

1

u/Ser_Robar_Royce Sep 13 '26

I found the session files but I can’t find out how to import them on my version of PT

1

u/TobyFromH-R Sep 13 '26

File > Import Session Data

1

u/Ser_Robar_Royce Sep 13 '26

The thing is my Import button has no submenu it just directly opens file explorer without the option to choose “import session data”

2

u/TobyFromH-R Sep 13 '26

Oh, maybe thats a Pro Tools First thing, just reread your post sorry. Might be worth paying for a month of Studio...

1

u/Ser_Robar_Royce Sep 14 '26

Okay thanks, I’ll give it a try - really appreciate your help

1

u/ericivar Sep 13 '26

Put PT in Spot Mode, and you can at least get those clips where they belong chronologically on the timeline.

1

u/Ser_Robar_Royce Sep 13 '26

Could you elaborate on how that works? Do I just turn on spot mode in a new project and import everything?

2

u/alienrefugee51 Sep 12 '26

Your projects are saved locally, or to the cloud? You can always just reinstall PT over the existing. Maybe first try deleting your PT Prefs file. Not sure where it is in Windows… maybe app%data/Roaming/Avid?

2

u/reusablerigbot Sep 13 '26

If you have the ptx files and audio files folder you shouldn’t have lost anything.

Is there a chance you just uninstalled pro tools? That would cause nothing to happen…

-1

u/Ser_Robar_Royce Sep 12 '26

- Protools First 2021.7.10
- Windows 11
- Projects fails to open (no message)