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

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

Whilst losing files is terrible, the original poster should (especially after 23 years of using Windows) have backed up his data. A 1tb external drive is amazingly cheap and would easily hold all of his 23 years worth of files and more.

Not only that, the files are not missing, but are all in the Windows.old folder after upgrading.

Just because there have never been problems before, there is no excuse for not backing up all of your important files, folders, images or whatever. Windows 10 has File History, Storage Spaces and Backup and Restore built in that you can use to back up data. I recommend Acronis True Image and getting an external hard drive (if you don't already have one) and backing up your data as often as you like, but at least once a month.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but in this day and age of ransomware and advanced malware, you really need to backup. Hard drives can still fail and corruptions can still happen, whether you have a platter HD or a Solid State HD. You need to backup. If you lose files, there really is no excuse.

“It took 4 hours to upgrade on the brand new Dell laptop.”

It was surprising.

I have done the Windows 10 October 2018 Update using downloaded ISO file for Windows 10 October 2018 Update for my colleague's Dell Latitude 7390 i5 / 8GB / 256GB SSD Laptop a couple days ago. It took about 30 minutes only.

Yesterday I have done the Windows 10 October 2018 Update for 50+ nos of desktop PCs including Dell Optiplex  9020 or 7040 and HP Z220. It took average 30 minutes or less per PC and shorter than 40 minutes for the version update 1803 and 90 minutes for the version update 1709 I did before. 

So far I have no issue.

I got this in Mail - but it doesn't show up in the thread...

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Well - OK, then - thanks for the information. I do quit theorizing & await an official MSFT explanation, which as you said might be a long wait. The saddest thing is that the files lost (& never backed up) will likely never be seen again. Very sad.

Good luck, & keep us informed.

I like where that ZNET article says, "Because the problem appears to be associated with the data migration portion of Windows Setup, it's unlikely that it will affect you if you've already successfully upgraded to this feature update."

I guess I believe it. 1809 is working well for me, even OneDrive is working well. I've got a few new, repetitive errors in Event Viewer to be dealt with - but they seem not to affect the smooth running of 1809. Other Event Viewer errors seem to have gone away. Things seem quicker than they were in 1803 actually, & the new features look good.

This Updte has been pulled while (as Microsoft stated) "they investigate isolated reports of users losing files."

Which means, one supposes, that there are users who have actually LOST files, not merely had them relocated by the Update.

(As happened in my case when folders that I used to be able to find HERE:

 are now over here:

That includes movies and television shows (as well as my collection of Old Time Radio Programs) (audio-video psychoses) 171 GB

Music (238 GB)

And, of course, my Library as I mentioned before.)

The Quick Links you see in both images above are current and added since this update.

Now, as others have mentioned, when I looked in the first location (where they had always been) and saw NOT these folders I was (as you may guess) somewhat concerned. But I soon found them by going into the alternate location and created the Quick Access Links before I could forget where my files now WERE.

Naturally, I assumed that it was a similar issue that was afflicting everyone else. Folders moved but not deleted, in other words. This is because the Update would have to TELL your computer to delete the files and, in that case, it would be telling ALL computers to do that in which case my folders would not have been there.

What I neglected to take into consideration was that there are different MAKES of computer and sometimes (because of issues with manufacturer tweaks and a new Windows O/S) all KINDS of weird things can happen. It would be interesting, therefore, to learn on WHICH manufacturers computers and laptops actual file and folder DELETION is occurring.

Mine is an HP Pavilion Desktop running Windows 10 Home Edition Version 1809 Build 17763.1

I do not have OneDrive installed. I do occasionally use it for storage but I go to the OneDrive website via my browser (Edge) when I want to upload any files there or access any of those that are stored there.

ZD Net has an article about the pulling of the Update and a link to a tool that has been known to help some people get back their missing files/folders.

I do not know how safe the tool may or may not be to run but ZD Net has been in business for FOREVER, basically (ZD stands for Ziff-Davis and they have been around since 1929) and I have always found them reliable. Of course, they were sold in 2000 to CNET and THEY have always had issues with downloads they offer containing PUPSies Galore so be careful if you decide to try out the tool or any other downloads,

With that, here is the live link: https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-halts-rollout-of-windows-10-october-2018-update-what-happens-next/