Question

I was working on a computer which had Avast software running on it. I tried to open an executable (CoolEdit) which Avast opened in sandbox mode. I recorded a lot of stuff with CoolEdit and closed it down. The sandbox operates in a mode that says : Attention: Any data remaining when the session is closed will not be saved, or something to that effect. I saved all my data and was even able to see it before I closed CoolEdit down. Now I find it is not there. My questions:
1. What is going on?
2. Is the data lost or is it hiding in some folder?
3. Is there a way to recover that data?

Answer 1

Once you have closed the session down (by closing the application that is being run in the sandbox), it is unlikely that the data can be recovered. However, when the application is running in the sandbox, you will see all files as being saved in the locations that you have saved them (only through the dialog boxes of the application though. In reality, the files are not being stored there at all). Avast creates a directory called ## awsnx or something on those lines. All the data that has been saved in the session will be saved in a sub-folder within that directory. Please note that this data in the sub-folder will exist only as long as the session lasts. Once the session is over, all that data will be lost.