Automated Windows 10 updates deleted all my documents and files

While researching this issue, as we have had this happen within my company with a few users. I came across the comment below.

This led me to wonder if Windows is trying to force a backup to the OneDrive with the update, if its running in the background. Because OneDrive is always running by default, yet the users aren't logged in (we don't allow users to use cloud storage), Windows can't access the OneDrive to write so the files get lost. Since I have manually disabled the One Drive on my computer it doesn't see that as an option for backing up folders when updates run. So this makes me question if there is a setting somewhere that says "if running X Windows Update, back up all personal files and settings to the OneDrive as a precaution" like a restore point.   

I am in a state of shock. I was already using windows 10 and last night automated updates started without allowing me to stop them. This morning my computer is cleaned out with all thosevery important document deleted!!! Microsoft can do that??? How can I recover them ALL?????

John

Moved from: Windows / Windows 10 / Windows update, recovery, & backup

I am in the same state of shock!  All my Word documents are gone after this update!!!

Do you ever backup your Word documents?

Do you ever backup your Word documents?

Yes, I do. My files do seem to be in OneDrive, but my encrypted ones will no longer open. 

This should not happen because of an update!!

Yes, I do. My files do seem to be in OneDrive, but my encrypted ones will no longer open. 

This should not happen because of an update!!

I'm glad you found your documents.

If the encrypted documents in question are in OneDrive, you'll have to download them to your computer in order to decrypt them. If you wanted to decrypt them while they were still in OneDrive, you would have to store the decryption key in OneDrive. You certainly wouldn't want to do that!