Why won't MS paint actually save?

Question

For some reason, paint claims to have saved my work, but when I search for the file, it does not exist. I've restarted file explorer, paint, and, saved to various locations, in variouse image formats. Nothing happened. When I save it to the same location that I supposedly saved in, with the same name and image format, paint says "A file named Example.png is already in this location. Would you like to replace it?"

Answer 1

When you try to save Example.png again, right click on Example and click Properties. See the Location field for where the file is saved.

Answer 2

That message means the file is there, but you cannot see it for some reason.

If you mean by "search for the file" that you cannot see the file in an open Explorer window, or the Desktop, click on an empty area of either the window or the desktop, then press F5 to refresh the desktop.

If you are using the Windows Search to try to immediately find the file after saving, it may not appear in the search until the indexing service has had a chance to index it.

If you are using the Libraries features of Windows, a network location or SkyDrive may be interfering with the display or indexing of the file. Try opening a new Explorer window, then entering "C:\Users\{your username}" and search for the file there.

Answer 3

possibly a virus. It would tag picture files with Hidden and System attributes.

If you would unmark them as hidden / system, it would fast mark them as such again.
Also if you go, in File Manager to View and tick to show Hidden Items, or to:
View - Options - View - Hide protected operating files
It would probably soon switch back to Not Show.

Check for viruses,
to remove System and Hidden bit from files,

Pick the path of the folder to clipboard:

then win+r and write this command (use ctrl-V to paste the path, and add *.*

The virus, if it is virus, would hide them again very fast so you need to get rid of it, if that is the case.