GIMP Version: 2.8.10
Operating System: Windows
OS Version: windows 8
GIMP Experience: Intermediate Level

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I've been using GIMP 2.8 for a while. Recently my laptop suffered a massive hard-drive failure - result is I'm having to re-install everything. SIGH.

Anyway. I want to update my brushes and scripts etc. Ordinarily (in windows 8) I go here: C:\Users\Sharon\.gimp-2.8 and then select the folder I want - brushes etc.

I've uninstalled and re-installed GIMP. (twice today since I thought I'd done something wrong).

I can access the folder: C:\Users\Sharon\.gimp-2.8 HOWEVER, the only folders I have available are PLUG-INS, TMP, and TOOL-OPTIONS.

Any ideas what might have happened to the other folders? I've looked at my preferences in GIMP and it says C:\Users\Sharon\.gimp-2.8\brushes is the writable folder, but the actual folder doesn't seem to exist. If I highlight the folder, there is a red circle at the top of the box in preferences - presumably because the folder doesn't exist....

I tried just creating some in there, but when I tried to install a script that way, it didn't like it.

What's going on?? Heeeeeelllllllp.

Massive hard-drive failure, as you explained. Can cause all kind of strange things to happen after the fact.
Have you tried to recover bad sectors and fix file system errors, by running CHKDSK (Check Disk)?

Bad sectors are little clusters of data on your hard disk that cannot be read.

There are various problems that can cause HDD bad sectors ie.:
*Improper shutdown of Windows;
*Defects of the hard disk, including general surface wear, pollution of the air inside the unit, or the head touching the surface of the disk;
*Other poor quality or aging hardware, including a bad processor fan, dodgy data cables, an overheated hard drive;
*And of course malware.

I'm using Windows 7, and Windows 8's chkdsk has been completely revamped. So I'm sorry that I can't explain how to run it.

Hmm. I will have to try that. Thankfully I have full insurance so the laptop has been back to the factory for, I believe, a complete refit. (I will check what they actually did). I live in the one of the only deserts in Europe, so I'm guessing "pollution of the air inside the unit, and an overheating hard drive," are the main suspects.

I'm off to google "CHKDSK" for windows 8

CHKDSK checks the filesystem consistency, not the underlying hardware. Until they make specific filesystems for SSDs, CHKDSK can be used to check the filesystem on SSDs (or SD cards, USB keys, and the like).

Sorry to ask: is it still necessary unter Windows to defragment the disk(s) in a regular setting? I haven't used a Migrosaft OS for now over six years and can freely confirm that I had bar once never any hardware problems. I use 1 SSD, 3 inbuilt HDs and 1 exterior USB for securing all pictures.

Thanks for all your replies. I have to admit, that whilst I'm fairly au-fait with the programs I use - what's under the hood is a complete mystery to me. As far as I can tell (my works notice is in Spanish since that's where I live), they've replaced the hard drive... but I have no idea about HDD and SDD.

I have created folders in C:\Users\Sharon\.gimp-2.8 for brushes, scripts etc and made sure that gimp is looking in those specific folders for said brushes and scripts and it seems to working now. It doesn't like one particular scm file, and Im not sure why. It may be the file itself. I will just look for another download that does what I want and try that instead.

Thanks again for all your help.
S