Hi TraderJohn,

If by Effects, you mean items you may have downloaded from the Director Zone, then the reason that are not opening, is probably because these custom items/effects are not installed on your new computer.
If you mean Effects as in the effects in the Effects Room, then they should be there.
The narration is a bit of a puzzle. Especially if all the .wav captures where saved/stored in the same output folder as your other assets.

Quote: Unfortunately, when I opened the PDS video files, the narration along with the effects had disappeared.
My computer crashed, the hard drive being on its last legs only being able to stay up 20 minutes at a time.

Here’s the first thing I’d suggest to try. Make your project portable.
If your old computer will still open for 20 minutes, create a new folder somewhere on it’s C: Crive and name the new folder, say, Packed Recovery.
Then create a sub folder in Packed Recovery, and send a copy of any custom or downloaded effects to that sub folder.

Now open your video project in PD10 with your last or most recently saved .pds file, and assure your VO and effects are present.
Then click on File > Export. At the Export prompt, choose Pack Project Materials, and browse for that Packed Recovery folder and click OK.
All this should take less than 20 minutes to do.

Once the Packed Recovery folder is loaded, move it from your old computer’s C: drive, to your outboard aux drive.

Now hook up your aux drive to the new computer and copy/move the Packed Recovery folder to your new computer’s C: drive.
Then open the Packed Recovery folder, and first install all your custom effects that are in the sub folder, to your new computer.
Next, double click on the .pds file in the Packed Recovery folder, and the project should open in your new computer, and all your assets including your VO should be there.

Here is a tutorial on packing projects in PD10, and making them portable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2CYLYIynB0 (00:49 -to- 06:04)

Just taking a shot at here TraderJohn. Others may chime with a better solution.

Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

The best way to recover your project is described as Cranston,
I think no need to install effects once the package already contains everything that was in the timeline, including the effects.
Added.
Most files created by PD11, in this workbook, Export Folder, look for its location, menu, File / Preferences / File / Export folder.
Check that contains your recorded audios.
Note: PD as standard, keeps them for 30 days AMD-FX 8350 / 8GB DDR3
SSD SUV400S37240G / 2-HD WD 1TB
AMD Radeon R9 270 / AOC M2470SWD
Windows 7-64 / PD16 Ultimate

Quote: I think no need to install effects once the package already contains everything that was in the timeline, including the effects.

The custom “effect” (particle, object, etc), if that is indeed the type of “effect” we are talking about here, may be available in that one single packed project.
But that custom effect will not install itself on a new computer just because it’s packed and available in that one packed project. Or at least it doesn’t here as far as I can tell.

So that’s why I suggest when moving projects to a new computer, that you add any custom effects, fonts, etc., separately in a sub folder, so that they can be installed and available for “any” project in one’s new computer.
Or better yet, save a backup copy of “all” your custom effects, font's, etc., and install them on the new computer before proceeding.

But, we each have our different work flow preferences and routines.
So usually the best method is always the method that’s proven to work best for each individual PD user/editor.

Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

Thanks Cranston and playsound. So Cranston, I very much appreciate your suggestions and will be following them this morning and will be posting the results later today. Thanks again. TraderJohn

Cranston, I can't thank you enough! I have my files spewed out into so many folders, no wonder PD10 can't find them. I rearranged them the way you suggested and now my narration and effects are starting to come back. If there is anything out there on the proper way to arrange folders please let me know. You made my day. . . . hell, you made my month! TraderJohn

Glad it helped some TraderJohn.

Quote: If there is anything out there on the proper way to arrange folders please let me know.

This part one companion tutorial (to the part two tutorial link I gave above), may help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAOnn8g0C_o

We all have our bits of media (Images, Audio, Video, etc), in various folders across our computers in order to maintain some organization so we can find things. So that organization is kind of a personal preference that I’m sure each person does differently.

But for the purposes of creating projects in PD, I’ve found that first creating a Project Working Folder, containing copies (thus our masters stay safe in their home folders), and maintaining that working folder throughout the project, is a pretty fail safe way in dealing with larger projects in PD that contain multiple assets.
Since using this method shown in the part one tutorial, I haven’t lost any projects or individual project assets in years. You might give it (or some variation of it), a try to see if it works for you too.

Click here PDtoots for a collection of PowerDirector Tutorials and Tips

Cranston, I viewed those videos that you recommended. I only wish that I knew about them when I started the editing process. Everyone starting out with PD should watch them. They are invaluable. Many thanks, John TraderJohn

Great tips on managing projects that I will take to heart and begin to use...

On a more technical level regarding your PC environment, consider installing a free tool called Macrium Reflect.

I recommend you keep no data on the C:\ os disk partition, and use Reflect to create MIRROR, bit images of your OS partitions, you create a reflect recovery disk, and if your OS partition goes up in smoke, you can roll back the OS to a last reflect image. It's saved the bacon of many friends and clients. (The pro version is automatic)

Having more physical disks is a plus too, and improves performance, and keeping the reflect images on an Externally attached USB/Firewire disk is great too..