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

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-05-07T15:48:22+00:00

    3b- Only activated and ran the 3 month free version of McAfee and nothing else.

    When (approx. date) did you first turn-on the new computer?

    Start | Control Panel | System And Maintenance (If you are using Classic View, skip this step) | Programs & Features | Installed Updates: Can you determine which update(s) were installed on 28 April (e.g., KB947821; KB975496; KB976422; KB980248; KB980408)?

    ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ Disclaimer: MS MVPs neither represent nor work for Microsoft

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-05-07T11:36:54+00:00

    1- Brand new laptop, w/ Win-7 installed by Dell

    2- Yes

    3a- McAfee, no other spyware

    3b- Only activated and ran the 3 month free version of McAfee and nothing else.

    4- The papers were saved and Word shut down. The computer was left on w/ no applications running. The windows automatic update service ran during the night. Once the computre was restarted after the updates were performed the changes occurred.

    5- Yes, no issues whatsoever

    6- Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB979683) Installation date: ‎4/‎15/‎2010 3:00 AM Installation status: Successful

    7-The dialog box is fully populated with some items checked and some not

    Thanks

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-05-16T20:59:12+00:00

    Hide both of the updates.

    • HOW TO Hide an Update or Restore a Hidden Update

    http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-05-16T00:27:48+00:00

    Thanks for the help, but how does that solve my problem and keep it from happening again.

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-05-10T01:44:16+00:00

    3/26/2010 is when the laptop was first started.

     Cannot tell what was installed on April 28 since I did a system restore in an attempt to recover my personal files.

     On April 29 when Automatic update ran the following files were installed:

    KB975496 & KB980408

     Prior to that the last updatse were:

    4/15/2010: KB981332, KB 980232, KB979683

    4/14/2010:  KB978601, 979389

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