Automated Windows 10 updates deleted all my documents and files

Anonymous
2018-01-08T00:24:54+00:00

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

Windows for home | Windows 10 | 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
    2019-07-24T14:39:47+00:00

    Have you been backing up the OneDrive, or did the files just show up there after the Windows update?

    Which brings me back to the question, is Windows using the OneDrive as a backup location for updates, and if so what about people who have it running by default but never set up an account? Is this why the files are being lost?

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-07-24T14:56:05+00:00

    ... is Windows using the OneDrive as a backup location for updates ...

    No.

    By default, Office 365 stores its files in OneDrive. This can be easily changed through the Options menu.

    Anyone who uses Office 365 has a Microsoft account, and anyone with a Microsoft account has OneDrive.

    In fact, if you use any of Microsoft's online properties - Office 365, Outlook.com, Skype, etc. - then you have a Microsoft account.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-07-24T15:35:21+00:00

    Ok, because we do NOT use Office 365 in our domain. The OneDrive is installed and runs in the background (unless manually disabled by users) by default when Windows 10 is installed. Therefore our users do not have OneDrive accounts.

    This is why I am wondering if the Windows update sees the OneDrive running, and is trying to back files up to it and when it cant access it due to lack of account, just dumps the files.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-07-25T21:06:16+00:00

    Does Microsoft keep users' .old contents on its web cloud from which we can restore lost files after a forced automatic Windows 10 update? I didn't realize my Endnote research library was deleted until after the 28 day period for which the .old files are kept.

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-07-25T21:14:01+00:00

    Have you been backing up the OneDrive, or did the files just show up there after the Windows update? 

    Nothing 'just shows up' in my OneDrive. Everything is there because I put it there.

    is Windows using the OneDrive as a backup location for updates, 

    No, it isn't.

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