Windows 10 1809 update deleted all files from Documents!

A quick scan has found 260gb its currently doing a deep scan so fingers crossed it finds the rest, but this just shouldnt be happening, why would a windows update be deleting data, i work at a software company and if we did anything similar we would be all out of work in a heart beat

I dont see how the link is relevant, my files were in a windows.old folder, the microsoft tech support guy told me this is a temp folder, which sounds dubious to me, but regardless the entire directory has been gutted running recovery software now that looks like it may be doing the job

Your link talks about hidden admin accounts and corrupt user accounts neither apply to me, im physically missing 500gb of data from my machine 

A quick scan has found 260gb its currently doing a deep scan so fingers crossed it finds the rest, but this just shouldnt be happening, why would a windows update be deleting data, i work at a software company and if we did anything similar we would be all out of work in a heart beat

Martipello, I have combined all 3 of your replies above.

My point in making the post is not that it will apply to everyone, but there could be some who will benefit, because the underlying reason for the lost files does seem to vary. It will be interesting and potentially helpful to others if you could post the location of the files after your deep scan is finished. That could be a real benefit to many. I would also note that people who are searching for the missing folders/files and hidden identities could benefit by changing their File Explorer settings to "Show Hidden Files" and remove the check mark from "Hide protected operating system files" at least temporarily. 

You are right that this should not happen and that Microsoft is not giving the support that we have a right to expect, but we can't do much about that. All we can do is try to help those affected by posting solutions that could work for at least some of them. I hope that your deep scan does the full job for you.

Yh i understand think im just in panic mode a little bit as some of that data is irreplaceable, i'll update with file locations,

I dont see how the link is relevant, my files were in a windows.old folder, the microsoft tech support guy told me this is a temp folder, which sounds dubious to me, but regardless the entire directory has been gutted running recovery software now that looks like it may be doing the job

Your link talks about hidden admin accounts and corrupt user accounts neither apply to me, im physically missing 500gb of data from my machine 

A quick scan has found 260gb its currently doing a deep scan so fingers crossed it finds the rest, but this just shouldnt be happening, why would a windows update be deleting data, i work at a software company and if we did anything similar we would be all out of work in a heart beat

Martipello, I have combined all 3 of your replies above.

My point in making the post is not that it will apply to everyone, but there could be some who will benefit, because the underlying reason for the lost files does seem to vary. It will be interesting and potentially helpful to others if you could post the location of the files after your deep scan is finished. That could be a real benefit to many. I would also note that people who are searching for the missing folders/files and hidden identities could benefit by changing their File Explorer settings to "Show Hidden Files" and remove the check mark from "Hide protected operating system files" at least temporarily. 

You are right that this should not happen and that Microsoft is not giving the support that we have a right to expect, but we can't do much about that. All we can do is try to help those affected by posting solutions that could work for at least some of them. I hope that your deep scan does the full job for you.

Hello Derrald. I so sorry to hear you are going still through this.  As I mentioned, it did happen to my in January. And thank the lord I had a backup of what was removed. Here Derrald, go to this link and download the: 'free home version' of EaseUs Recovery Manager. Here: 

https://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/free-data-recovery-software.htm

Install it and allow it to run a full search and see if it finds all you lost and then, check off all the files you want replaced (and to where) also.  My computer had Windows 10 pro 1803 installed when I bought it and it recently updated to 1903 and just yesterday updated once again and all is OK Now thankfully so, Microsoft is trying to correct and rectify whatever happened with security update and new patches that Look at everything installed and then update and log those also now.  Lord willing you can recover everything back again and know you are in my prayer lord bless, Shalom Michael.

I dont see how the link is relevant, my files were in a windows.old folder, the microsoft tech support guy told me this is a temp folder, which sounds dubious to me, but regardless the entire directory has been gutted running recovery software now that looks like it may be doing the job

Your link talks about hidden admin accounts and corrupt user accounts neither apply to me, im physically missing 500gb of data from my machine 

A quick scan has found 260gb its currently doing a deep scan so fingers crossed it finds the rest, but this just shouldnt be happening, why would a windows update be deleting data, i work at a software company and if we did anything similar we would be all out of work in a heart beat

Martipello, I have combined all 3 of your replies above.

My point in making the post is not that it will apply to everyone, but there could be some who will benefit, because the underlying reason for the lost files does seem to vary. It will be interesting and potentially helpful to others if you could post the location of the files after your deep scan is finished. That could be a real benefit to many. I would also note that people who are searching for the missing folders/files and hidden identities could benefit by changing their File Explorer settings to "Show Hidden Files" and remove the check mark from "Hide protected operating system files" at least temporarily. 

You are right that this should not happen and that Microsoft is not giving the support that we have a right to expect, but we can't do much about that. All we can do is try to help those affected by posting solutions that could work for at least some of them. I hope that your deep scan does the full job for you.

Hello Derrald. I so sorry to hear you are going still through this.  As I mentioned, it did happen to my in January. And thank the lord I had a backup of what was removed. Here Derrald, go to this link and download the: 'free home version' of EaseUs Recovery Manager. Here: 

https://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/free-data-recovery-software.htm

Install it and allow it to run a full search and see if it finds all you lost and then, check off all the files you want replaced (and to where) also.  My computer had Windows 10 pro 1803 installed when I bought it and it recently updated to 1903 and just yesterday updated once again and all is OK Now thankfully so, Microsoft is trying to correct and rectify whatever happened with security update and new patches that Look at everything installed and then update and log those also now.  Lord willing you can recover everything back again and know you are in my prayer lord bless, Shalom Michael.

Thanks, Michael, but you misunderstood my posts.

I do not have that problem and have done more than 20 installations of 1809 with no problems. My post was just to help out some others. Please go back and read the posts in context.

I am hoping that Martipello will be able to post the location of the files found by his EaseUs scan. That could be very helpful to many people. I am very familiar with EaseUs and have used it for other purposes, but if the files can be located simply by unhiding a hidden Admin identity/user profile or by fixing a corrupted profile, that is by far the easiest and surest way of getting all lost files back. There are many cases when the user's identity after installing 1809 does not have the previous files, but the files are still on the hard drive under another identity/profile that might not be readily visible.

Version 1903 that you mentioned is the Insider version not released to the general public. I do run it on one of my machines, but I do not use it on my main computer, which remains at 1809.

Thanks again and God bless you as well.