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

Anonymous
2018-10-03T23:52:17+00:00

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

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-10-04T18:30:01+00:00

    Very similar, though much less severe, issue here.  I just updated my 82-year-old mother's PC using Windows Update and it entirely wiped out her Desktop folder.  She had a narrow miss but if she didn't have someone to set up things like DropBox and periodic Macrium Reflect image backups for her she could have easily lost an awful lot of photographs and documents that are extremely important to her.  Surely this update should be pulled until the issue is investigated and remedied.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-10-04T21:38:38+00:00

    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.

    This is not right. I did the update via the automatic update process and all of my photos in the pictures folder are gone.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-10-04T20:39:37+00:00

    the day when people will understand that Windows passes are time to make these products non-functional and buggy paid and that there are more stable and bug-free operating systems such as Ubuntu or debian which also have graphical ininterface and bahje have auras all won. https://ubuntu-fr.org/telechargement

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-10-06T18:41:12+00:00

    Putting the blame on users for not backing up their data is really not helpful. Telling people that it's not possible for an update to delete files is also not helpful, because it IS happening! If the hard drive failed and the files weren't backed up, the user has no-one else to blame. But an update that "reorganizes and restructures" files and directories? 

    Why does MS think they should manage my files for me? I don't like to use the cloud for personal data; I like to keep it in my possession. Yet thanks to MS thinking they know better than me, I lost almost everything in my Documents folder. Yes, I searched my C: drive, OneDrive, OneDrive online, and the recycle bins on both. I tried using the DOS command window, just in case... and I used Recuva on all of C: which found absolutely nothing except deleted AppData.

    I've called (800) 642-7676 (U.S.) and have a case #. They're supposed to call me back tomorrow. We'll see if they can help, but I seriously doubt it.

    I'm absolutely beside myself over this. Thanks so much, MS.

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  5. Anonymous
    2018-10-06T18:12:41+00:00

    In all of those 23 years, NOT EVEN  ONCE did you consider to make a backup?

    How long would it have taken you to copy those 220gbs onto an external drive.

    A trifle!

    Hope in the upcoming 23 years you may gain a bit more common sense,

    and will check back with you after that time.

    He wrote he had a backup. Your reaction is not appropriate. This is clearly a bad Windows Update and Microsoft should treat this extremely seriously. Losing data is because of a pushed Windows Update is a terrible thing and seriously diminishes trust.

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