OS 10.4 - Files Lost during Profile Move

Just to let you know I am new to Macs. I began using them this past Mar '06 and then more intensly this past Sept '06 when I was given a Powerbook G4.

My question deals with lost or missing files I moved in the attempt to repair a corrupt profile. I'll start from the begining. The user could not print any websites via Safari or Firefox. So I attempt to use Mac HelpMate to fix possible issues as well as reset the permissions. This did not help. So I created a new user and logged in as it. The new user was able to print webpages I visited so I thought lets create a new profile. I created the new profile and I attempted to move the users files (over 30GB, she does graphic design) to a new profile. When the unit would not move all of the files (yes the user was an adminstrator) I decided I need greater permissions. So I logged in as root to move the files. This moved the files but when logging in as the user she was not able to view the files even after a repair permssions run. I logged back in as Root, but he could not change the permissions on the files via "get info". So I decided to go back to the original setup. This is where the problems really being.

From here I moved all of the files back, but when I logged in as the user they were not visible. Nor are they visible as the root. It is as if the files vanished. I did not see them in any trash bin. Spotlight did not find them either. Tomorrow when I go back in I plan to make hidden files visible (using Mac HelpMate) to see if I can find them.

Can anyone direct me to a way to find these files so that I can restore them for the user? Any advise or direction would be helpful.

Sick to my Stomach in PA,
Wesley