windows 10 (October 2018 update) (version 1809) deleted all my files

The only way that the Upgrade could delete all of anyone's files would be if they downloaded it as a "clean install" instead of just allowing the Upgrade to proceed normally.

That would be (rightly) considered "user error" and is not Microsoft's responsibility.

The Upgrade/Update does not delete files.

Period.

That's why sometimes, we need to pause and think. We can't assume that if didn't happen to our own PC, then it should not happen to others as well. A period is sometimes not a period but a comma...

Yesterday I posted my version of this same sentiment in Feedback Hub.  Here's what I said:

I hope the need to suspend the rollout of the October 2018 Update is a wakeup call for Microsoft

I urge Microsoft to reevaluate the policy of semi-annual feature updates, the rush to get these updates released, the testing of the updates, and most importantly, the quality of Windows 10.  Usually an early-adopter, I steered clear of this update as I felt very uneasy the release build still had known issues with Task Manager.  That was a red flag for me that something was very wrong, and that a flawed update was rushed to release to coincide with a trade show event.  ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!  It's about time you stop relying on your customers to do the quality testing for you at their own (and sometimes great) expense!  Give your customers a quality operating system that doesn't have to be replaced every 6 months!  Provide security updates that don’t cause performance issues, and make new features optional, not mandatory.  Put your efforts into making sure Windows is stable, secure and reliable. That's what is most important to your customers, without whom there would be no Microsoft.

In order for Microsoft to get this message loud and clear, it needs as many upvotes as possible.  Therefore, please upvote here.

Thank you.

I have just updated my windows using the October update (10, version 1809) it deleted all my files of 23 years in amount of 220gb. This is unbelievable, I have been using Microsoft products since 1995 and nothing like that ever happened to me.

Files were located at C:/Users/rober/Documents/

This location is still present, with no files. All of files deleted.

I am extremely upset. Not sure what to do….please let me know.

Robert

The only way that the Upgrade could delete all of anyone's files would be if they downloaded it as a "clean install" instead of just allowing the Upgrade to proceed normally.

That would be (rightly) considered "user error" and is not Microsoft's responsibility.

The Upgrade/Update does not delete files.

Period.

That's why sometimes, we need to pause and think. We can't assume that if didn't happen to our own PC, then it should not happen to others as well. A period is sometimes not a period but a comma...

While this (sort of) makes sense, I did not do a 'clean install' -- leveraged the Windows Updater (as I've done many times in the past with other "Creator" builds with Win10 -- and bye-bye C:\users\rcurtis\desktop files (and that folder was not even a 'special folder' -- my Documents, Pics, Videos, and actual Desktop folders are separate folders just off the root (and not profile-based).  The 'special folders' that I do have in play, as mentioned in my previous post, are established for folder redirection to a network share so proper sync is happening there.

I am wondering if this issue has anything to do with the addition of OneDrive to the Storage Sense utility (Settings->System->Storage) in the October 2018 Update, which will delete locally-stored files that haven't been opened for a set number of days.  I am also wondering if those who lost files had Storage Sense turned on prior to the update, and those who did not lose any files had it turned off.  Thinking even further, could it be that the update process is turning it on by default with a value for the number of days which is causing the utility to remove files?

I think you're on to something there, BarryG_961!

This helps me with a discrepancy I have noticed in the way the October Update has affected different users. I was looking for a common denominator for those who ACTUALLY LOST data rather than just had it arbitrarily relocated as in my case where I had to find about a terabyte of ostensibly missing data. I found it in C:\users\USERNAME as opposed to C:\users\USERNAME/Documents or any of the variations thereof.

Naturally I was thinking about a common make of computer or even of CPU.

But I uninstalled the OneDrive App when it first came in with Windows 10 back in 2015 and have never missed it. If I want to use OneDrive to store Data I just go to it via Edge.

https://onedrive.live.com/

Certainly if this is TELLING the computer to delete files and folders then that explains a LOT!

Good thought, and makes sense, but I don't have Storage Sense enabled, and have not ever had it turned on (before with 1803, and even after the 1809 install it's still turned off).  Besides, with folder redirection in play, you can't enable OneDrive sync.  I can see how none of my 'special folders' were impacted, given folder redirection and a cached copy locally.  But what doesn't makes sense is how a seemingly non-profile based folder was impacted.  Then again, reading some of the other posts, this seems to be all over the board and seems I lucked out -- all things considering.  I'm also guessing there will not be any rhyme or reason that MSFT will shed...