Lost files, help?

First off, this post is rated S for stupidity.

I backed up a lot of files before performing a factory restore. After the factory restore, windows booted up and the Toshiba wizard started configuring some stuff (installing trial office programs etc.). I assumed I could start moving my files to the desktop without waiting for the wizard thing to finish configuring. Everything was fine, files remained even after the pc restarted several times after installing factory stuff. But then the wizard was done configuring, shutted down automatically and then it asked me to create a new login account.

I did, but when I reached the desktop of my new account, the files I transferred from my USB sticks dissapeared. I assumed those files remained on the true administrator account, so I activated it and searched, but I couldn't find anything.

Sooo... should I assume those files are gone into the void forever?
I really hope not. I don't care about anything other than the univ works I had in there. Fuu-

Have you taken a look at your partitions and see if any is having more of its space occupied than should be?

Right-click My computer -> Manage -> Disk management

Should still be present in C:\Documents and Settings\login\Desktop\

If you specify a login that already has folders it creates a new name, it should never delete/overwrite an existing profile without really going out of your way to do so.
Just enable hidden files & folders and show system folders and go looking in C:\Documents and Settings\ as an admin.

The ones that say primary partition and ESA configuration are 100% free. C is 83% free.

I think it's possible for the files to still be taking space somewhere in the PC. I can't be certain, but I have a vague memory of how the HD memory used to be right after the restoration and after putting the now lost GBs of files there. I believe those files might still be taking space somewhere in the void. But again, I'm not 100% sure.

Furthermore, when I used a restore files program (scavenger), I didn't find those files anywhere while I found files from before the restore and from like, two years ago.

So, either the PC shredded those files into pieces, or they are very well hidden...

@Eos: I tried C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\ and it shows the files of the true admin account but not the ones I dragged there before the account setup.

I also tried accessing documents and settings from C using the true admin account but I'm denied access. I read that that folder was something called a junction that doesn't contain anything... or something.

BTW, I'm using Vista Home Premium 32 - bit. Toshiba satellite.

I also tried accessing documents and settings from C using the true admin account but I'm denied access.

A) On vista it would be in C:\Users\username\Desktop. "Junctions" are just microsoft trying to reinvent symbolic links.
B) If you get access denied there you may have to take ownership of the folder to get access to it, even as admin, if it's owned by "System". Right click and go to properties then security and give the administrator account ownership.

Gave ownership of everything to the admin account and now I can access everything. Searched the desktops of all the users listed in the "Documents and Settings" folders but I couldn't find them.

Performed a search for the folder where I put my lost stuff and nothing.
=\

This was my hope, but now I really don't know what to do.

http://ntfsundelete.com/

So it came to this...

Is there a way to fix corrupted files?

I managed to recover some word files from before the complete restore (thankfully, the research paper I was working on was recoverable). I also found parts of my mozilla profile that contains bookmarks and passwords I would like to recover, but they are corrupted. =\

Nope.
Not without parity or similar, which you would not have. They've been partially overwritten and you have nothing to fill in the gaps with.

Well, spent hours recovering .JSON files and at last I managed to find a surviving file (April 6 bookmarks). Wish I could've gotten back my history and passwords too, but eh. At least now I have my essentials/"un-backable" stuff back. Rest of the programs I can download and the lost music I can transfer from my Ipod.

Anyway, just putting a conclusion to the thread and expressing my thanks for the help.

Lessons learned:
Never copy files into the PC while the system (Toshiba Wizard) is still configuring stuff.

Get an external hard drive. I'm getting one next time I pass by an electronics shop.