Scott Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PCs Forum

Hi,
DELL
1X1RSD2
4175142230
Windows 10
I have (Windows 10 has) lost a large multi-filed folder within the past 3 days. I only find reference to it in the form of internet short-cuts which are no longer valid (due to the path).
I did not back this up mainly because windows continues to block copying due to fantasizing that (a) filenames are too long,

None of the files appear to be on the PC - Nor in the recycle bin. I cannot know for sure since many of the intended recycle bin files' names are too long for windows 10 so it breaks them up.
The search on this does not return items that are there and / or it is extremely slow.
I tried the folders next to where it was but it's not there.

I also cannot find a recent documents folder (With many documents in it) - which used to be on XP and other OSs).

Thank you and Please advise.

P.S. Can anyone recommend a manufacturer (not Dell) that would sell a new system with windows 7or 8?

It sounds as if your Win 10 installation may be corrupted. You might try attaching the drive to another properly functioning Windows system to see if you can recover or copy the files there.

ThinkPads are still available with Windows 7: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/sitelets/ee/business/

Sounds like windows 10 is a real nightmare. Maybe for Windows 10 people should just use all 3rd party software, for everything.

Thanks Scott,
I know for certain the folder was there on Feb 27th.
It could have been from an MS update.....

Then it came that way ...

I don't have a PC that would be able to handle this - possibly the OPTIPLEX 780 - But I will save that because if it was deleted for whatever reason the files would have been destroyed.... (Due to the "character limit" even for the recycle bin!)

FURTHER QUESTIONS:
* PARTITIONS?
Aren't there partitions on the drive? I know Dell said there is
a partition which holds the WINDOWS 10 installation mess...
I thought Dell mentioned another one as an automatic back-up.
If so, how would I access partitions (any)?

* I want to view the FILE EXPLORER HISTORY. I cannot find this and "Cortana" sends me to "how to clear the file explorer history" online only - there's no option for this on the system.

* Is there any point in a SYSTEM RESTORE (To before Feb 27th)
A system restore caused MAJOR issues with FIREFOX (V. 45.xx(?)) and a win XP PRO (Dell LT) a few years ago...

IDEA
One reason I'm more and more inclined to think it had to do with a MS update is there were 1000's of files in this folder (all had certain keywords in common and I find NONE even after the UNBELIEVABLY SLOW process of searching)

Many thanks again!

A Windows update should never touch a folder you created for data storage.


You can use Disk Management to see what partitions are on the drive, and if any of them have drive letters assigned. If the partition has a drive letter you can use file explorer to navigate to it and view the files just as on any other lettered drive. Normally a system restore partition would only be accessed by the system restore software provided by the system mfr. (i.e. Dell in this case).


You can see more about viewing and deleting file explorer history here: https://www.howtogeek.com/267631/how-to ... indows-10/


System Restore will not recover deleted files, however you might be able to recover them using Previous Versions: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... eted-files

Thanks again!
The file explorer history only shows 4 files / folders.
I would like to find the "My Recent Documents" folder (Location on WIN XP is {C:\Documents & Settings \ Owner \ "My Recent Documents"})
It has multiple files….

I did replace a same-named empty folder where the folder had been BUT "no previous version".
It states above "No previous versions" that "Previous versions come from file history or restore points" (I made a restore point recently) and I assume the PC does this automatically....

Found a few files from the folder that I'd copied to flash drives but there are "no previous versions" either.
(I know there are)

There are a lot of "TCD##xy.TMP: documents (folder icon) in the recycle bin. The majority are empty. I don't know what they are but the only temp files I deleted ever on this PC were from Firefox cache.
I have luckily not emptied any temp folder.

Thank you!

IMO it is worse than a nightmare -- Nightmares end! - This doesn't

Trying to add more info:
1. Here is a link from people who lost files in the Windows 10 upgrade (IMO the updates are from the same source)
"Lost files in Windows 10"
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 42ad0a81cb

2. A new issue which may be related:
Save as appears to destroy the original file.
(Office 2016 and notepad so far)
If I "save as", the original file loses all its data.
Example:
OriginalFile.txt is 85 kb
save as:
saveAsFile.txt

File explorer (or anything)
OriginalFile.txt -> 0 kb
saveAsFile.txt -> 85 kb

I cannot find malware relating to this onLine.....

3. The recycle bin contents are far less than if it contained the lost folder.

4. I found a list of OFFICE docs (many from the folder) when trying to save after opening a new doc from office (not opening in a folder)

Thank you

CONCLUSION:
The missing folder was WINDOWS10's FAULT: Both the quick access ribbon's and the EXTREMELY horrible copy command problems fault (although it was not spontaneous).
I'd been trying to delete copies of files (from having had to try to copy files / folders from another HD to the WIN10 a number of times because of the "filename / path too long" idiocy in WIN10 resulting in MANY file copies.)
Quick access collects the sub / folders whether or not they have same name and after performing a delete or move, one is returned to the quick access folders. So I likely inadvertently deleted the 5.x GB folder I'd lost.
The copy problem is still there; & FYI there's no resize photo function in the NON-EXISTENT WIN10 office photoediting S/W.