Desktop can't find recovered files

Hi- Was running an offline scan when desktop seemed to lock up and after many efforts resorted to backup and recovery as the only way I could seem to get it to boot up.  At the step where it supposedly backed up all my files the system asked to plugged in external drive with at least ~250 GB, which I did.  On that drive there is a folder named with the correct date-time code but it appears to be empty.  System now boots back to original reset configuration but when I try to go through the Dell recovery software it can't find any files.  Am I screwed?