Did the Windows 10 upgrade and I lost all my data files, music, pictures, documents etc. How can I get them back?

[Windows Central Question]

Did Windows 10 upgrade and lost all my data files, music, pictures, documents etc.

My hard drive shows 20 more GB of space but everything is gone that I used or saved on the computer. I did not back up everything since the info I read said I would not loose this information.

Is there any way to retrieve it or roll back the hard drive to Windows 7 and retrieve the data I lost?

 

[janrosinski712]

Windows 10...i updated from 8 and lost everything! 25 years of music...gone! my fault for not backing up before the update!:unhappy:
and i did have everything on the icloud and still can't find it

 

[Alain_A]

Windows 10...i updated from 8 and lost everything! 25 years of music...gone! my fault for not backing up before the update!:unhappy:
and i did have everything on the icloud and still can't find it

Not gone just store somewhere else.
I believe you need to log in as an administrator on the local instead of Windows

 

[Nancy Curry Reale]

I just wish they would have had a handy little list of things to do before you so easily could push the button to update for free to Windows 10. As others have shared, I'm just not where alot of you are and didn't think it would change my picture folders, I worked a long time to get them organized. If anyone can help me, please reply. I don't understand much of what some of you are saying to do. It is beyond me.

 

[Nancy Curry Reale]

Alex1995, I think that is what I did, but all those front slashes reminded me of the old DOS commands to get PCs fired up in the olden times. Thanks. I just hope my husb and I can get them OFF this computer and onto a stick,. And did Janrosinski712 get your stuff back or find it the computer?

 

[Norbert ten Hoopen]

How I found them (part of them)

SharowExplorer allowed me to look at the actual content of windows.old\users\[you_username]\...
(apparently they are hidden files that Windows is not able to see).
This application allowed me to export the hidden files to another location... but only part of it. The rest seems corrupted.

And the responses of what people should have done (e.g. you should have taken backup) is really pitifull.
Do you really need it to get some self-esteem?

 

[Chuckcell]

Re: Did Windows 10 upgrade and lost all my data files, music, pictures, documents etc.

"SharowExplorer" is what?

 

[LNBridges]

I just tried to update my security settings - the first folder it began to unlock was... TA-DA!

C:\archive

I found all of my old documents and photos in there. No music, but hey, you can stream music for free all day...

I am near tears from happiness :grin:

 

[pampel]

Re: Did Windows 10 upgrade and lost all my data files, music, pictures, documents etc.

Even though I have my files backed up, I thought the files had to be there somewhere. When I opened Windows 10 I was asked to create a new account. That actually created a new user. When I went back to the top of the start menu, like you suggested, sure enough---there was another user under my email address - named USER. When I opened that user, I didn't have to sign in, and I found everything like normal! Thanks a lot for your input.

 

[natg2015]

OK i am in serious need of help. so i did the whole upgrade thing... i had lost my files. found them in the network file etc... then the other day some sort of update happened. it gave me a new desktop where i keep my folders. it was blank! so i found again the location of the old folders, created shortcuts on this new desktop. moved a few i use daily over... today i restart it again. my old desktop is back with all the old files but all my new stuff i had on this "new desktop is GONE!" SAYS FILES MISSING! I NEED HELP!

 

[tonirobinson]

The upgrade completely wiped out my OS. It's been at the Microsoft store for repair for over a month. When I reported this to MS, they told me this was a "known issue" Fortunately, I had most everything backed up except for my Quicken that I have been keeping for 8 years. I hadn't backed it up in a few months so now my info is incomplete for the current year. Plus, when MS restores my laptop, they won't restore the Quicken software.

 

[Jerre]

I did a an upgrade to Windows 7 to Windows 10 and everything was there except connect to printer. I did a recovery and printer came back on but lost Microsoft Office. I have tried everything even tried to buy new Microsoft office and now they want you to sign up for monthly use besides buying the product!!!! Why did I lose it and how do I get it back?

 

[ajj3085]

Re: Did Windows 10 upgrade and lost all my data files, music, pictures, documents etc.

Ken, I was right there with you buddy.
After several failed searches, I finally found all my files located in Network/
Like a said, the search function was not returning any results (don't know why not).

I'm a home user with no servers (that I know of), so I don't know what network or directory this is referring to?!?
But I looked and there they were. Take a look and see. If they aren't there then, I don't know.
I sure wish you the best

In network? As in on another computer?

As far as search, new OS so your index was deleted and rebuilt to prevent issues in case it was corrupted. Just takes some time to rebuild.

 

[jmshub]

This thread has run it's course, the question has been asked and answered.