Every collection lost, but individual files remain unchanged

Hi there,
New time poster here, but I'm really at the end of my tether.

I create music videos - I've done hundreds of them - and have many, many
video files which I've imported into WMM. When I opened the Maker this
morning, all my collections were gone. I have no idea why this happened, and
was wondering if some kind person may give me some insight?

Anyway, my real question is, can I get my collections back? I have spent
hours - days even - trimming/clipping/sorting out my collections, and I will
be so very disappointed if I can't get them back. The original files are in
the same place they always are, completely untouched. I also have a
MEDIATAB0.DAT fie, though I don't remember ever backing up my data. I
believed that when you saved the project files, it included saving the
collections.

My MEDIATAB0.DAT file opens automatically with Nero Media Player, which I
don't actually have anymore, and won't open with anything else. Is this a
back-up of some kind? I've been browsing the other topics here, but I'm
unsure what this file is.

Also, when I open my previous projects, there are no "X"s or anything. All
the clips on the storyboard are playing fine. I'm taking this to be a good
sign, and praying that I don't have to reimport all my clips.

Any help anyone could offer would be so greatly appreciated. I'm really
reaching breaking point here.
Thanks.

check the Managing > Collections and Projects pages of my website.

the project files don't have any relationship with the collection
database... and the collection database isn't automatically backed up. You
need to do it.

There are times when Movie Maker zeros out the collection database and
starts you over... if that happened, the file is gone.
--
PapaJohn

Movie Maker 2 and Photo Story 3 website - http://www.papajohn.org
tips and tricks: http://www.simplydv.co.uk/simplyBB/viewtopic.php?t=4693
Online Newsletters: http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/Index.aspx


"xtine" <xtine@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:21420383-321B-41F3-BE93-0729FBAB9981@microsoft.com...
> Hi there,
> New time poster here, but I'm really at the end of my tether.
>
> I create music videos - I've done hundreds of them - and have many, many
> video files which I've imported into WMM. When I opened the Maker this
> morning, all my collections were gone. I have no idea why this happened,
> and
> was wondering if some kind person may give me some insight?
>
> Anyway, my real question is, can I get my collections back? I have spent
> hours - days even - trimming/clipping/sorting out my collections, and I
> will
> be so very disappointed if I can't get them back. The original files are
> in
> the same place they always are, completely untouched. I also have a
> MEDIATAB0.DAT fie, though I don't remember ever backing up my data. I
> believed that when you saved the project files, it included saving the
> collections.
>
> My MEDIATAB0.DAT file opens automatically with Nero Media Player, which I
> don't actually have anymore, and won't open with anything else. Is this a
> back-up of some kind? I've been browsing the other topics here, but I'm
> unsure what this file is.
>
> Also, when I open my previous projects, there are no "X"s or anything. All
> the clips on the storyboard are playing fine. I'm taking this to be a good
> sign, and praying that I don't have to reimport all my clips.
>
> Any help anyone could offer would be so greatly appreciated. I'm really
> reaching breaking point here.
> Thanks.