Automatic Update deleted all my files!

Anonymous
2010-04-29T14:22:13+00:00

Last night my laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit on a Dell Inspirion Laptop performed an automatic update. After rebooting, all my personal files including two 15 page papers I was working on for my degree were deleted.

All my pictures, word docs, and personal files are gone. Only the shell of My Documents folder, including the sub folders I created, is left.

I ran the System Restore going back to a two day old restore point, but non of my personal files were recovered.

I searced the internet w/ " Windows automatic updates deleted/erased all my files" and came up w/ several threads reporting this automatic update issue, but no solutions.

 Similar questions have been asked in other parts of this forum w/out satisfactory answers:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/itprovistaapps/thread/dd1beef0-4cae-4220-87fd-6556fd1c4d7d

<removed link>

I even displayed all hidden folders and searched the entire hard drive w/ *.doc and did not get a single file back!

I need help!

My papers are due in a week and all my course work is gone.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-26T03:44:59+00:00

    Yumac, I had the same thing happen to me last night.  If you go into the control panel, then to system and security, then to back up and restore, there is a link that says: "recover system settings on you computer".  Clicking that will take you to a screen that will allow to select a restore date.  I had lost all my family pictures and school assignments.  Not good.  Once I did the system restore, it all came back.  I am, however, worried that it will try to install again, therefore, I am going to turn off automatic updates.  Hope everything turns out for you.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-26T04:40:32+00:00

    Hi Barbie,

    PCSafety does not support post-installation of WU type of issues. Better yet, call  Microsoft Customer Central at 1800 936 5700 to find the most appropriate support regarding this.

    If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Propose as Answer" If you find it helpful , mark it as helpful by clicking on "Vote as Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-10-06T12:32:12+00:00

    hi, it is a very serious problem, please kindly contact the Microsoft company. To solve your problem: Immediately stop using your computer for anything else. Download and run a file recovery program like Recuva . It might be able to help.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-01-03T19:01:49+00:00

    did you try restoration.exe ? (you can find it and download for free on the internet)

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  5. Anonymous
    2012-06-21T05:40:32+00:00

    hi famdebo

    the same thing happened to me twice after  automatic update was completed and  when i started my computer  two days later .on starting my computer i received a message telling me that the system is unable to start my computer and this problem will be fixed if the system is restored to a previous point, and this problem is being fixed .the problem was fixed through restoring the system to a previous point but i think the automatic update has something to do with this problem, so i cancelled automatic update  and will see the result . hope by doing so this problem will not happen again.

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