Automated Windows 10 updates deleted all my documents and files

linux is free.   and very user friendly now.  it will be new, but any windows user can figure it out.   no it's not like something from the 80's. in fact windows is something closer to the 80's than linux.  

linux is also 100% customizable. there's things you can do to linux that microsoft does not allow. yeah, it's that customizable.  you can even choose what kernel you want to run. with windows, you use what microsoft says you can run.  linux will run on a old computer hardware and make it feel as fast as a newer computer.  linux just gets out of the user's way. it doesn't hog system resources like windoze does.  it wont sit there and scan the drive for 15 mins and hog up so much of the system resources you have to wait for it to finish.  it wont do updates that make you restart and then take 30 mins to install them before it boots back up.  

it will be a slight learning curve and you will need to read a bit about linux and a little getting to know linux.  but if you can figure out a smartphone, you can use linux.  

if youre comfortable installing an operating system which they made as easy as installing software then you can install linux.  it will install itself and leave windows  untouched if you want to keep it.  when it boots up you can choose to run linux or windows.  linux can see a windows files system so you can access your files from linux.

I would recommend Linux Mint or Ubuntu for beginners. they both have a complete set of office software called libreoffice (you can download it for windows too, it's 100% free),  dvd/cd burning software, internet browsers such as firefox and google chrome. several email apps such as mozilla thunderbird (makers of firefox)  linux works best with brother and Hp printers. both companies offer drivers for linux.  cannon is pretty much a no go.  and epson is hit or miss.   linux has an "app store" to find all the software you need to do pretty much anything.

if you're an average PC user and mainly just get online for stuff or occasionally use microsoft word and watch youtube, facebook, banking, etc etc, it's excellent for all of that.  it can do much more but most of us do not use our computers for more than that. 

just for example,  microsoft has admitted they use linux on their own servers.  it's just that much better.

Also a stunning job by Microsoft in covering their online tracks as the scale of this issue should result in much more online content than is currently exhibited - most of which is along the lines of 'its not really a problem - this is what you do' followed by a set of instructions based around quantum physics theory.

My well maintained machine, up to date and all paid for legally, is now toast. Through other kind people making suggestions on this blog, I have used a route to extract files, but I still had to fork out for a new machine, pause my business for a week, and start from scratch with all my contacts. I wont forget and I wont forgive.

AnnieS1, thank you that is a route that worked for me in retrieving my files. Wont ever trust Microsoft again and I see an Apple in my future.

None of these 'methods' worked for me or, it seems, for many others with the same problem. I'm flabbergasted that Microsoft can get away with this and dare to suggest that we should have to pay for a technician to solve something completely of their making. I've lost absolutely everything. Hours of work i can never get back.

HOLY..%$&^$&$ you have done it to me AGAIN!!!! you have just wiped my HP laptop for the SECOND TIME... what the HELL are you doing Microsoft.... pictures, music, games, and you moved all of my files out of my personal directory into the stupid OneDrive Cloud directory... I CANNOT use the cloud , I do highly confidential work which CANNOT be stored on the Cloud, please get the message.. I DO NOT WANT TO PUT ANYTHING IN THE CLOUD...

Why the silence Microsoft, why is no one contacting me to say sorry, this is what we are doing wrong, this is why we have screwed your machines over three 3 times!!!!!!!!

So.... where are my files, do I have to back my hard drive up every night  in case your software breaks in and vandalizes my computers without my permission, isn't that breaking and entering???