View Recent Files Using Windows Search If you want to see all the recent files on your system, Windows Search is the answer. Start by opening File Explorer to the top level folder you want to search. For example, selecting your Documents folder searches everything in that folder. Open File Explorer from the taskbar. Select View Options Change folder and search options. Select the View tab and, in Advanced settings, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives and OK.
Summary
Losing important documents or files due to Windows 10 update or forced update really makes people annoyed. If your files are deleted by Windows 10 version 1903/1809/17763.107 update, or you lose important documents after Windows 10 update without backups, don't be panic. Follow effective methods and solutions here to get your lost files back.
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Documents Folder/ User Files Are Missing After Windows 10 Update
Although Microsoft has paused the rollout of the Windows 10 Update (version 1903/1809) for all users, some users report that it causes their files to be deleted.
'My 'Documents' folder is missing somehow causing all of my personal documents (Word docs, spreadsheets, etc) to disappear... My last backups are ancient,' This is one case from Twitter.
'Windows 10 (version 1809) really caused big trouble! My sister told me that her designing documents all disappeared after updating Windows 10. All the works and backups were all gone. How to deal with that?'
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'As far as I can tell, my computer downloaded the latest Windows 10 update around 3 pm today and during that process, it unlinked my Documents directory then unpacked its own setup files that overwrote my own files. I am so angry at Microsoft right now – if this is the case.'
The main cause of the issue has not been determined, however, it does not seem to affect photos or music. Only files in the main 'Documents' folder appear to have been deleted.
It's really annoying to find that important data or files get deleted due to system update. Things even become worse when Windows 10 updates automatically, causing quite a lot of unexpected troubles to quite a lot of Windows 10 users. How to restore those deleted files due to Windows 10 update? Read and find effective data recovery solutions here now:
Important Suggestions from Microsoft
If you have manually or automatically checked for Windows updates and believe you have an issue with missing files after an update, please minimize your use of the affected device and contact us directly at +1-800-MICROSOFT, or find a local number in your area. You can also contact the support team to get help on the official website.
If you have manually downloaded the Windows 10 version 1903/1809 Update installation media, please don't install it and wait until new media is available. Microsoft promises to recover files deleted by Windows 10 bug, you have to wait for this solution.
If data recovery is an urgent issue for you, you must follow the next solution to get back deleted files after Windows 10 update.
Quick and Effective Way to Restore Lost Documents After Windows 10 Update
EaseUS data recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard serves great Windows users with powerful data recovery capacity for restoring lost data due to system updating. Download EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and restore lost documents after Windows 10 forced the update:
Step 1. Choose the file location to scan.
Run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard on your computer. Choose the drive where you lost files and click 'Scan'. If you lost files were on an external storage device, connect it to your computer firstly.
Step 2. Scan the lost files.
The software will start immediately a quick scan for deleted files, and later a deep scan will launch to scan more lost files all over the selected drive. After the scan, you can use the Filter to quickly filter a specific file type.
Step 3. Preview and restore files.
Double-click on a file allows for a full preview. Finally, select the desired files, click 'Recover' and browse a location to save all the files at once.
Safe Steps to Update to the Newest Version of Windows 10
If you really want to update to Windows 10, you must follow the steps below to avoid data loss.
1. Take A Full Backup Before Update
A full system backup enables you to downgrade Windows anytime even if you've exceeded the 10 days' rollback limitation. It's time to make full preparation for a risk-free and worry-free update.
2. Increase or Extend System Disk/C Drive
To install the update for your PC, you're strongly suggested to leave enough room on the system disk partition. EaseUS Partition Master can assist you well with increase C drive space by resizing or moving other drives like D, E or F to get more space.
3. Free up disk space by cleaning up junk files in Windows 10 C drive
EaseUS Tools M with its the System Cleanup feature that clears system junk files, caches in browsers and applications on the system C: drive. Click to free up disk space in Windows 10.
If you have done the two steps above, then you can upgrade to the newest version of Windows 10 without any data loss problem.
Other Free Methods to Find Lost Documents/Files
The offered methods below can work on all Windows systems such as Windows 10/8/7 etc when you happen to lost wanted data. These are common ways to find lost data if your files are missing without asking.
My Recent Documents Folder LocationMethod 1. Check to see whether you're signed in with a temporary profile or not
Go to Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings.
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. 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. Method 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 the troubleshooter to help you fix problems in Search.
1. Enterindexingin the Search box and select Indexing Options.
2. SelectAdvanced 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.
Method 3. Re-enable Windows 10 administrator accounts
1. Type computer managementin the search box and select Computer Management app.
2. SelectLocal Users and Groups, then open the Users folder.
If the user named Administrator has a down arrow, it's been disabled. You all need to re-enable it.
3. Double-click Administrator icon and open Properties.
Then uncheck Account is disabled and then select Apply.
4. Log out and Login Windows 10 as Administrator account again.
Then you may be able to see your previous data or documents which were removed by Windows 10 update.
Method 4. Restore Files via Windows.old Folder
Windows create a folder named Windows.old and place all data of the previous version after each updating. The available time is 10 days for the folder, so pay attention to the date. The folder locates local drive C: and is easy to navigate. Here are the steps to start.
1. Navigate to 'This PC -> Local Disk (C:) -> Windows.old folder'.
2. Find the files you’ve missing after Windows 10 Update (version 1903/1809).
3. Copy and paste the files that you want from each folder to a folder in Windows 10.
For more detailed steps with screenshots, refer to how to restore windows.old files in Windows 10.
Conclusion
In a word, setting up a system backup is probably the best way to ensure against data loss before updating Win 10. Then users can recover lost files from the system back up after updating Windows 10 to the latest build version. If you don't have any backup, using EaseUS data recovery software is the best choice.
You can try to use Command Prompt to delete files that cannot be deleted in Windows 10
1. You can press Windows + R keys on the keyboard, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Windows Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Then input the command line del /f filename and hit Enter to force delete the file in Windows 10 with CMD.
How to Force Delete a File That Cannot Be Deleted Windows 10
If you can't delete files, you can follow these solutions below to delete files:
Why Can't I Delete the File on Windows 10/8/7
Sometimes you might encounter a folder that you're unable to delete. If you want to fix this problem, you must know the reason first. Generally, the file is used or locked would be the main reason. Otherwise, a virus must be taken into account.
It's most likely because another program is currently trying to use the file. This can occur even if you don't see any programs running. When a file is open by another app or process, Windows 10 puts the file into a locked state, and you can't delete, modify, or move it to another location. Usually, after the file is no longer in use, the application will unlock it automatically, but that's not always the case. Sometimes, a file may not unlock successfully, and even if you try to take any action, you'll see a warning that the operation can't be completed because it's open by another program.
Also read:How to fix 100 disk usage in Task Manager
Before you take actions to delete the undeletable files, you can first try these simple tips and delete these files:
If these files still exist, the following methods would do a favor to you.
Method 1. Force to Delete a File That Cannot Be Deleted Windows 10
Files cannot be deleted if the file is open in an application. Usually, you could receive the information when you can't delete a file like the picture showing below.
To force Windows 10 delete a file, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1. Go to Start, type Task Manager, and choose 'Task Manager' to open it.
Step 2. Find the application that is currently using the file, and select 'End task'.
Step 3. Then, try to delete the file again on your Windows PC.
Method 2. Delete the file/folder with Command PromptMy Document Files And Folders
Using Command Prompt for deletion is sometimes more efficient, and you definitely should give it a try. Here’s what you need to do to delete a certain file or folder with Command Prompt:
Step 1. Press the 'Windows key + R' and type cmd to open the Command Prompt or just search for Command Prompt at the start.
Step 2. In the Command Prompt, enter del and location of folder or file you want to delete, and press 'Enter' (for example del c:usersJohnDoeDesktoptext.txt).
Method 3. Enter Safe Mode to unlock and delete files
Usually, when you come across a locked file, you can simply restart your device to unlock it. If it doesn't work, you can boot into Safe Mode to unlock and delete the file.
Step 1. Open 'Settings' > Click on 'Update & Security' > Click on 'Recovery' > Under 'Advanced Startup', click the 'Restart now' button.
Step 2. Click on 'Troubleshoot' > 'Advanced options' > 'Startup Settings'.
Step 3. Click the 'Restart' button.
Step 4. On 'Startup Settings,' press F4 to enable Safe Mode.
Document Folders All
While in Safe Mode, use File Explorer to locate and delete the files that were previously locked, then simply restart your device as you would normally to exit Safe Mode.
Method 4. Using a third-party tool
There are many third-party applications that can help you with this problem and delete locked files. One tool that might help you with this problem is EaseUS Partition Master Free.
It can help to clean up junk files and wipe the whole data. It's fully compatible with Windows 10/8/7 etc. Free download this software and start deleting undeletable files now.
Step 1: Launch EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the partition you want to erase data from, and choose 'Wipe Data'.
Step 2: In the new window, set the time for which you want to wipe your partition, then click 'OK'.
Step 3: Click the 'Execute Operation' button in the top-right corner, check the changes, then click 'Apply' to wipe the data on your partition.
It's important to note that unlocking and deleting files on Windows 10 may cause system and program issues, depending on the type of files you're trying to unlock. So be careful of what you delete if you're not sure of the consequences. If you have some alternate solution to this problem, and you'd like to share it with us, please tell us, our readers would love to read it.
Bonus Tips - How to Recover Deleted Files or Folders
There are times you mistakenly deleted a needed file on your Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 computers, we also provide you with additional help. You can recover deleted files with easy-to-use data recovery software. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is my recommendation. It is the best file recovery software that allows you to:
Step 1. Select a location and start scanning.
Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, hover on the partition, external hard drive, USB, or memory card where you want to perform erased data recovery, and then click 'Scan'.
Step 2. Select the files you want to recover.
When the scanning has finished, select the deleted files you want to recover. Double-click the file to preview its content if you need to.
Step 3. Recover lost data.
After choosing the data, click 'Recover' and choose a location on another drive to save the deleted data.
Recent Folders HistoryHow to Delete Files that Cannot Be Deleted FAQs
As for how to delete files that cannot be deleted on Windows 10, hope the above solutions can help. If you still have problems, read the following questions and answers.
How do you force delete a file?
Can't delete a file is open in the system?
To Overcome the 'File in Use' Error:
Recent Document Folders Not Showing
How do I end a DLL process?
Can I delete Aow_drv?
No. No matter how much you try but you cannot delete aow_drv. It is a log file and you cannot delete this file.
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