[sally4]

Windows 10 did a forced update and now all my data - documents, music, and pictures are gone. I have a Seagate back-up external drive but I don't seem to be able to find anything on it. I suspect that the automatic update may have backed up the new system with the empty data files. 

 

.Any chance the files can be recovered? 

 

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Are you able to access Windows now or what is the state of your computer? 

[dmccoy]

Are you able to access Windows now or what is the state of your computer? 

[jamesmehraa]

Method 1: This method is for when you can not find desktop files or documents after Windows 10 update. If it deletes or hides your documents, you may follow the path to restore deleted documents or files in Windows.old folder due to Windows 10 update:

 

C:\Windows.old\Users\Documents > Check whether the files are in the folder or not.

 

Method 2: Restore all lost data using any recovery tool.

 

Method 3: See these methods if they work 

 

Solution 1. a. Check to see whether you're signed in with a temporary profile or not

                  b.Go to Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings.

                   c.If you are signed in with a temporary profile, a message will pop up at the top saying You are logged on with a temporary profile. Roaming     

                      options are currently unavailable.

                   d. After this, Windows will attach an extra account to yours. Then please restart PC and sign in again to get your accounts settings and data back       

                       then.

Solution 2. Use Search to look for files

                   Select the search box or let Cortana search for your lost documents or files.
                   If not, you can use troubleshooter to help you fix problems in Search.

               1. Enter indexing in the Search box and select Indexing Options.

               2. Select Advanced and click Troubleshooting search and indexing link.

                   Then you may follow the next on-going steps to get lost or deleted document files back. 

                   Or you may also try the below search steps to find lost documents or other data:

                   Enter Show hidden files and folders in search box > Under Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives.

                   Then you can try to search lost files by typing a certain format of your lost files. For example, you can search *.doc to find lost Word documents or 

                   *.mp3 to find music files.

Edited by jamesmehraa, 08 June 2018 - 12:17 AM.

[dmccoy]

After reading your post again it sounds like you only lost the data on your external Seagat drive is that correct or did you lose all files on your computer?

[sally4]

Thank you for trying to address my problem. I did not reply sooner because I did not know what was happening and only had a tablet with which to send a message. 

 

Thank you too for the good suggestions. Which I will file away for the next update. 

 

Windows forced the Win 10 version 1803 update. I had tried to avoid it, but one morning it announced that it had happened. Well, not really. It kept trying to install, with several odd messages. I tried to get it to go back, but that didn't work either. Eventually I had a blue screen with my apps neatly listed as usual on the left side. However, Windows itself seemed to be missing. There was no start menu, no way to access anything. I right clicked on the Google icon, then "Open file location" which enabled me to see the tree of what is on the computer. The documents, pictures, and music files seemed to be empty. However, the computer still seemed to have some idea of who I was, because when I turned it on, the sign in picture was one I installed. 

 

I called the Windows Answer Desk and somebody tried to solve the problem. He spend several hours trying to get 1803 to install and was pleased when he succeeded with that. However, in the process, I was deleted as a user and, if the data had survived the original onslaught, it was now gone. As was Microsoft Office. 

 

I searched the back-up drive and could not find my files. I suspected they were there, but could not locate them. I should have disconnected the back-up drive as soon as I knew 1803 was on its way. I am quite sure the back-up program was backing up the newly destroyed computer. 

 

There is a good crew at our local Staples, so I brought the computer and back-up drive to them. It was a mess, but eventually they were able to get 1803 installed, and Office restored, but they were having trouble finding my data. It was not anywhere on the computer - apparently gone along with me as a user.  "Wait for James - he will be in tomorrow - he is very good at this". Eventually James did find all of my files on the somewhat quirky back up drive and put them back onto the computer.  He uninstalled and reinstalled the back-up drive software, so perhaps it will function now. 

 

The computer is now home, plugged in and running, but now there is a new problem. First thing to appear on the screen was from Microsoft, telling me "2018-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems (KB4103721)"  is listed as "Status: Pending download." 

 

I checked my computer: I really do have 1803. How do I stop Microsoft from trying to download it again? I'm assuming that would be at least as painful as before.

 

Thank you for your help.

-Sally4

[dmccoy]

I am glad to hear you were able to get the help to get most everything back to working. 

 

To fix your update issue. Please try the following. It will remove the update and perform some other repairs to Windows update. If this does not work we can try some other methods or hide the update completely for now.

 

Run the following .bat file

https://forums.techg...set-zip.261383/

Restart computer and test updates

 

[Jorhall]

The same trouble, my friend lost many data after this update. I couldn't help him. Win 10 is very strange.

[sally4]

I tried to download the .bat file but could not access the site. 

What will the .bat file do?

 

My system seems to be working fine, but there is a little icon with a red exclamation point in the lower right corner, which says "device is missing important updates. Select this icon to begin download." I am afraid to click on that, as I suspect it to be the same message as before - ie the "2018-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems (KB4103721)"  still listed as "Status: Pending download." My goal for now is to keep Microsoft from trying to reinstall Version 1803. 

[dmccoy]

Okay here is the actual file if you want to try again. It automates some commands to remove the pending update and help try and fix some of the common Windows update issues. After running then restart and try updating to the latest version and let me know what happens. Create a Restore point before hand if needed. 

 

 

Attached Files

•  WUReset (1).zip   470bytes   166 downloads