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my computer restarted and everything is gone
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(70.4, 20%, 16%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EMC%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
megan chamberlain
40
Reputation points
My computer was taking forever to start yesterday morning and when it finally did everything was gone, all my documents, photos, apps, screen icons etc. All of it gone, it is like I have a new computer. I think it has done an update or something and if I have read correctly created a temp Profile ?
I am not a computer expert and can only do the basics. Please help, I am desperate
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update
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megan chamberlain 40 Reputation points
2026-07-25T13:45:43.59+00:00 I have restarted my computer twice following advise I found on here and now I have even more of a problem in that the 'start' button won't 'open' to let me choose restart. There is no folder icon for me to get to 'c' drive
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Answer accepted by question author
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(0, 7.000000000000001%, 10%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EDB%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
DYARI BARHAM
37,661
Reputation points
Independent Advisor
Answer accepted by question author
DYARI BARHAM
37,661
Reputation points
Independent Advisor
Sorry for the delayed response. You do not need to start from scratch. Since you found your original files and copied them to an external drive, your important data is protected.
Please safely disconnect the external drive, and then try the following:
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete.
Select the Power icon in the lower-right corner.
Hold down the Shift key and select Restart.
Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
When the options appear, press 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
Sign in using your normal account password. Your PIN may not work in Safe Mode.
Check whether your original desktop, icons and files have returned.
Restart the computer normally and sign in again.
You can also create a new account and move your copied files into that account. Restart your computer multiple times to see if the new account works fine. Otherwise, perform a clean install:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/identity-signin/manage-user-accounts-in-windows