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?

 

[NovakFan]

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

Hi all,
So I was having the same issue. Lost data in a few days: images, documents, videos...all lost right after i did the W10 upgrade. First it was a random pic on my desktop that I almost didn't notice, I even thought I had deleted it by accident. But a few days later I tried to open a NEW file that I have been working a day before (psd file) and it was gone. After a quick look I saw that most files and folders were gone as well. In both the Desktop and Download folder. I could see them on the Quick Access but I got the "you can't open this file because blah blah" message every time I tried. Also, the Windows.Old folder was empty, nothing stored there.
For all those people saying "make a backup!!" I have to tell you that I did make a backup. I have that habit since once one of my old laptops crashed. I don't have one but two external drives with all my stuff stored there. BUT I was really upset because even if I have backup on like 90% of the stuff I lost in my laptop I, however didn't on that new file. I don't know that if I upload X thing or i keep working on new files it'll be gone the next morning as well. Like, I have to save everything every 5 secs to an external drive now??!! Uff. Personally I do appreciate the concern all of those people mentioning the backup but really guys, if you keep giving lectures you're only frustrating the others and not really helping because that's not really the issue. The issue here is why W10 keep randomly deleting files after the upgrade. It.shouldn't.happen.

Anyway. The thing is that after looking and trying a lot of things to get back at least that one file, I tried the ShadowExplorer program someone suggested here and it worked. I didn't get back the psd file (honestly that was the only one I wanted back grrrr whatever) BUT all of the previous lost data was back. So yeah, it worked for me, kudos to the person that gave that solution.

 

[elindalyne]

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

Did you check your users accounts and your hidden folders?

Nothing will ever get deleted during a windows install... This has been the case going back to Windows 3.1 at least...

Your permissions might get changed, you might be logged in as a different user, but you will not lose your files.

 

[SMMA]

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

You are the CHAMP ...

Tnx alot friend... hope i can be of assistance some time

 

[Ailer Kochan]

I lost some files, not all (thank God!) but I can't find those anywhere! I am very upset about it

 

[Rseeruttun]

I have the same issue although only my pictures have gone missing.
So far i have:
- Logged in as Administrator and Local, no help.
- Used Shadow explorer but it only goes back to the date after I upgraded, not before which would have solved my problems
- Moaned at Microsoft who recognise the problem but quote "you should have backed up your files"
- I'm running a recuva search at the moment so hopefully will find something
- kicked myself for falling for the 'free upgrade' and trusting MS.

If anyone has any other suggestions I'll write them a cheque (metaphorically) but seriously I would be very very grateful, lots of baby pics that will be sadly missed.

thanks

 

[Alain_A]

^^^^^Welcome to the game...and yes it should have been backed up..You are not the only one....Have ever use One Drive cloud when you were taking those pic before?????????????

 

[Helenetoile]

same here. I tried all the methods mentioned here and more. No trace of the missing files.

 

[Helenetoile]

I followed nearly exactly the same steps as you did. Nothing turned back up. Nothing found. Recuva was too complicated for me and found more data than I could physically save. I ended up rolling back to win7.

 

[Tahlia Bland]

I can't thank you enough for your comment! Found all my stuff using the link you provided that helped you recover your missing things. Anxiety defeated. :smile:

 

[Julz N]

I had the same issue, but I looked high and low and found my data.
Windows renamed a lot of my drives. So what was on the C Drive was moved to the new drive.
I found my data under D: Users (Then your user name) and everything I had before was there. All the pictures I had, all the videos I had, everything that had gone to the C: Downloads folder, the lot. Previously my D Drive only contained things I specifically put there.
The only thing I have not been able to recover is all the programs I had, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm reinstalling everything, and I'm now going to create a restore point in case Windows 10 decides to crap itself on me again.

 

[JohnStrk]

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

LMAO just reading some of these comments from people that just don't know how to BACKUP their sensitive data and photos before updating to a new OS. Get yourselves a cheap USB external hard drive and some super cheap flash drives, and back your important crap up!!!

 

[Alex1995]

In my case, I found the lost documents/pictures under c:\Users\Public in the corresponding sub-folders, i.e., c:\Users\Public\Pictures. Hope, this helps.

 

[Alex1995]

In my case, I found the lost documents/pictures under c:\Users\Public in the corresponding sub-folders, i.e., c:\Users\Public\Pictures. Hope, this helps.

 

[Scorpy101]

Ok i made an account just to help,i had the same issue. When i logged into windows i got an error message saying that im in a temp account and couldn't find my documents.
I later found them in network and copied everything to that temp account. (Stupid me) after a restart EVERYTHING WAS GONE!! (Imagine the horror)

Anyways to get your files back without ever losing it again, here are the steps

1. Restore your pc to a previous restore point (wins + r and type wsreset)
2. Download shadow explorer and search the location the files used to be
3. Export to desired location
4. BACK UP BACK UP BACK UP!!!!!! You can use onedrive or dropbox. (Im sure there are others.

P.S. Tell your friends and family to stay away from windows 10 until Microsoft addresses those bugs.

 

[mranal bhargvaa]

shadow explorer is unable to retrieve the recovered image and video files properly. What should i do?

 

[lmel2005]

After upgrading from win7 to win10, 2 disks (5 Tb) disappeared from my desktop.
I spent 4 days, searching the net, and with several "workarounds" I recovered my lost data.
It is all about the NEW security policy, Microsofts decided to implement in their new os.

After that, cannot write ot delete data stored in my external drives, cannot access my shared folders throuch my nerwork, even if I setup passwords and change the rights in every folder of my disks.
I have spent hundreds of hours to make things work as they worked before (with windows 7 and no problems).

As we are not employees of Microsoft, our time is money, and I have to give you an advice.
Backup your data, as many guys told you, some posts above.
BUT: DO NOT upgrade to Win 10, until someone there in Microsoft understand that they are "playing" with the data, the working time, and the nerves of millions of users.

 

[elindalyne]

After upgrading from win7 to win10, 2 disks (5 Tb) disappeared from my desktop.
I spent 4 days, searching the net, and with several "workarounds" I recovered my lost data.
It is all about the NEW security policy, Microsofts decided to implement in their new os.

After that, cannot write ot delete data stored in my external drives, cannot access my shared folders throuch my nerwork, even if I setup passwords and change the rights in every folder of my disks.
I have spent hundreds of hours to make things work as they worked before (with windows 7 and no problems).

As we are not employees of Microsoft, our time is money, and I have to give you an advice.
Backup your data, as many guys told you, some posts above.
BUT: DO NOT upgrade to Win 10, until someone there in Microsoft understand that they are "playing" with the data, the working time, and the nerves of millions of users.

Update your security permissions. You're most likely logged in with a windows account now. Either give your microsoft account full access to the drive or give authenitcated users full access. Either should fix your problem.

@mranal, where were these images stored before?

 

[lmel2005]

Update your security permissions. You're most likely logged in with a windows account now. Either give your microsoft account full access to the drive or give authenitcated users full access. Either should fix your problem.

I have done everything, but for one solved problem, another appears.
All problems have to do with security.
I don't have a microsoft account, I login with an admin account, administrators have full access rights to my storage, but I can't delete my files.
Moved the disk to a win7 pc, gave full rights to "everyone", and finally could delete my data.
Then tried to access my drive through the network (logged in with an admin account), could see everything, but "I need a permission" for writing to the disk, or delete.
I have 9 pieces of hardware connected in a gigabit ethernet network. Every machine can manage the data of the others, except the pc with win10 which has all the problems.

Dear Microsoft, I feel more secure than ever.
None can access my data. Neither me.
Congratulations.

That's enough for me.
I am in the middle of a global backup, and back to win7 tomorrow.

Good luck to all of you guys.

 

[Chuckcell]

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

Microsoft "gives" us free online storage (with the win 10 install) yes it does. But ... the luddite in me does _not_ like giving Microsoft my phone number, period!
Why is that?
Who is seeing my phone number and my data and why do they need to?

 

[knicksfan1969]

Where did people find their missing photos? I had the same problem.