Audio missing after file was saved

[oansun]

Recorded no problem. Exported as wav, as is standard. Didn't listen to it (this is my fault, I'm aware). Saved file. Opened today, it was fine. I edit this file, no problem. I save to come back later. When I come back, chunks are missing in the middle of the podcast, then an hour is gone completely. I check the WAV, it's all an empty file. So, yes I know, I am probably more than screwed (I"m running a scan to find some lost .au's) but this is such a wacky occurrence, I don't know if it's reported, has happened before, or if any solutions have been found? Thanks, I will be happy to answer any questions .
Am running Lion on a 2010 iMac, Audacity 1.3.12

[kozikowski]

Saved file. Opened today, it was fine. I edit this file, no problem. I save to come back later. When I come back, chunks are missing in the middle of the podcast, then an hour is gone completely.

That step right there. You mean you Exported a WAV backup and then Saved a Project?

Then you opened up the Project and everything seemed to be there and in good order?

Did you move the project to another directory or worse, another computer? You have the symptoms of having used external sound and music files in your show and then later made those files unavailable. Audacity 1.3.12 would not by default copy music inside itself for editing. It would use music files and leave them right there. If you move the AUP and _DATA folder somewhere else, you have to be careful to move the music files, too, or there will be a hole in your show where the music used to be.

Does any of this ring a bell?

If you put everything back where it was, the show should come back.
Koz

[oansun]

That step right there. You mean you Exported a WAV backup and then Saved a Project?

Then you opened up the Project and everything seemed to be there and in good order?

Correct on those fronts, all of that is what I did.

Did you move the project to another directory or worse, another computer? You have the symptoms of having used external sound and music files in your show and then later made those files unavailable.

I did not move the files anywhere, stays on the same computer, directories were not moved at all. I am using original music in mp3 form and importing it with the "import function." But I've used this method for a year now without this issue. The music isn't the gap though, it's the recorded podcast audio. But it has not been moved, to summarize. Thank you for helping as well.