Automated Windows 10 updates deleted all my documents and files

I was missing all but a handful of recent photographs.  I like to have everything on my desktop, and everything linked from my desktop was gone--all my documents, grading sheets, novels, PDF articles, MP3s, videos, e-books, and photographs from way back.  About 179 G of stuff, all told.  

Panicking--because this is a relatively new computer and in the process of transferring files to it I found the music library I thought was wiped out in a hard drive crash a couple of years ago, and I can't stand to lose it again--I tried to think of a word that would be the name of a file, and nothing else, and came up with "Dalbello."  I searched it, and it found the MP3, and played it for me in VLC.  On the song there was a right-click option, "Show Containing Folder," that let me see where it was.  From there I was able to follow the pathway back up and find... another desktop folder, where everything was exactly where I had left it.  I moved the files and folders to the desktop it was showing me now, the empty one, so everything is pretty much restored. 

(I meant to copy it, but it outright moved it.  And now I worry a little that despite my best efforts to ascertain that I'm signed in as me, I've just moved everything to a temporary desktop, and if I restart or log out I'll get my old desktop back, but everything I moved will be gone for good.  I would love to back it all up before I try, but I don't have 179 G of storage lying around.  I'll work it out somehow; I'm not losing this stuff again.)

So yeah.  Desktops within desktops within desktops.  Every so often, I'll click the wrong folder, and get the empty version of it, and I have to go back through the file tree to find the full one. I want to pare the branches, so to speak, but I don't know which is the "real" one, and I don't want to delete what I think are extras and go back and find out that my files have vanished into the ether.

If your files are deleted, I am truly truly sorry, and I hope that Microsoft flat-out helps you rebuild and takes steps that ensure this won't happen again.  But I hope they're just missing like mine were.  And I still hope that Microsoft takes steps to ensure this won't happen again.

Hello Cat,

Congratulations on getting your files back, I am curious as to what files had been deleted, was it as extensive as some of us suffered or a smaller more easily tracked set. I would also be grateful for a heads up as to where they had been placed placed them to enable you to find them all so quickly.

I used all of Regile's tips and even ran a very extensive file extension search which did not help me find any of my files, so they have been extensively masked (also did a hidden extension search), or totally deleted.

Another add to my deleted list was the contents of my download folder.  So far I have spent over 2 (two) solid days rebuilding my files, I shudder to think how long my photo-library and music collection will take. I thank heaven my book manuscripts live on a protected offline drive.

I managed to find my files and transfer them back where they belong.  I just don't understand how the people I trusted to develop a functional operating system could let this happen.  

It's like if you wake up one morning to find that you've been robbed, absolutely cleaned out, and it turns out the people you hired to install your kitchen cabinets snuck in during the night, without permission, and put all your stuff in storage.  Sure, I'm relieved that it's still there, but I don't care if it was for my own good; my trust has been violated, and I'm furious.

Steps taken for recovery:

All of the suggested work around tried:

1. Roll back to last update - did not work
2. Use Windows Old file  - corrupted and empty
3. Use system restore points - all damaged/corrupted and unusable
4. Last shown update was 3/13 so where did the 4/8 update go???? the one that caused the disaster it did so without leaving so much as a fingerprint?  And no, it has happened to too many other people to be a random virus hitting selective machines. The key driver was an unauthorized update from Microsoft maybe?.

Files deleted/corrupted by the download:

Saved files -  all deleted from Personal account & Control Panel, 

iMusic - deleted (will not allow even a fresh download to the machine correctly)

Pictures - deleted

Videos - deleted

Xbox glass - corrupted

Libraries - Document, iMusic, Video files deleted

AOL Back Up files - deleted

Saved Passwords - deleted

Google - program and taskbar folders deleted & reset to Edge - minus files

My machine just ran the latest 4/10 update, checking with fingers crossed, I am refusing ALL downloads on my laptop as I have absolutely critical design files which i cannot afford to be deleted. I am backing up everything conceivably possible before I allow another Windows 10 near this machine.

Michael

Hi Pat,

I'd like to get more information regarding this so we could further check and provide a more established workaround.

Which update got recently installed to your Windows 10?

Have you checked the workarounds suggested above by Regile Reb?

If you've tried to troubleshoot prior to posting your concern here in the Community, please provide the exact steps performed as this would allow us to confirm and isolate the issue.

We will keep an eye out for your response.

Regards.