Files Disappeared from Hard Drive, How to Recover Lost Files

User Case: Files Disappearing from My Hard Drive in Windows 10

"I upgraded to Windows 10 this morning. Upon restarting my computer, I discovered that all my personal files have vanished! Did the Windows 10 update erase my files? I'm extremely concerned right now. Please assist me in locating the missing files."

In reality, issues like files missing from hard drive are quite common across various versions of Windows. Files and folders can mysteriously vanish from the Desktop, Libraries, Camera Roll, Pictures, and Videos without being deleted, the partition removed, or the disk formatted.

No need to worry. In this step-by-step guide, you will find 7 methods to resolve the issue of files suddenly disappearing and recover the missing files.

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#1 Why My Files Suddenly Disappeared on Windows 10

To recover lost items on your computer, it's essential to understand how they disappeared. Here are the most typical scenarios in which you might suddenly lose users' files, personal documents, images, videos, installed programs, or games without any warning:

• Windows 10 automatic upgrade or update (desktop files and installed apps are most likely to be removed).
• A virus deleted or hid your personal files.
• You logged into a new user account.
• The hard drive is failing.

Upon understanding how your files went missing, proceed with one of the subsequent methods to effortlessly restore deleted, hidden, or unintentionally lost files and folders in Windows 10. In the upcoming section, we will guide you through recovering files that have vanished from your computer's hard drive.

Recover Lost Files with Hard Drive Recovery Software

We recommend Data Recovery Wizard as the top choice for restoring lost data because it can recover files from various scenarios. This robust hard drive recovery software can retrieve files that were accidentally deleted, lost due to hard disk formatting, RAW drive issues, or even virus attacks.

How to recover missing files from a hard drive

Step 1. Scan the hard drive partition This step involves using a scanning tool to examine the sectors and files on the hard drive partition. The purpose is to detect any errors, lost data, or damaged areas. Here's how you can proceed: 1. **Select the Partition:** First, choose the specific partition of the hard drive that needs to be scanned. This could be the C: drive, D: drive, or any other partition. 2. **Launch the Scanner:** Open a reliable disk scanning software, such as Windows' built-in Disk Utility (chkdsk) or third-party data recovery tools like tools Data Recovery Wizard, Recuva, or Disk Drill. 3. **Start the Scan:** In the software, initiate the scan process by clicking on the 'Scan' or 'Start' button. There may be options for a quick scan (which checks for superficial issues) or a deep scan (which thoroughly examines every sector for more extensive damage). 4. **Wait for Completion:** Scanning can take some time, depending on the size of the partition and the level of scanning chosen. Be patient and do not interrupt the process. 5. **Review the Results:** Once the scan is complete, the software will display a list of found files, including those that might be recoverable. Remember, it's crucial to have a backup of your important data before performing any scans or repairs on a hard drive.

Select the drive on your hard disk where you lost or deleted files. Click "Scan" and allow the data recovery software to scan for all lost data and files on the selected drive.

Step 2. Check the results

Upon completion of the scan, you can utilize the "Filter" feature or click on the "Search files or folders" option to locate the lost files on the hard drive.

Step 3. Recover Lost Hard Drive Data

Select the desired files that you lost on the drive and click "Recover" to save them to another location.

We also provide a video tutorial to assist you in recovering lost files from your hard drive.

Share this file recovery software on your social media to help us reach more individuals who can benefit from this information.

How to Resolve Files Disappearing from Hard Drive in Windows 10

Once you've recovered your data, you can start fixing the issue of files disappearing by following the seven methods below.

方法1：显示隐藏的文件和文件夹

There might be a possibility that your computer files are simply invisible, lurking silently. You should check for hidden files and folders.

Step 1. Go to "This PC" and double-click to open your hard drive.

Step 2. Click "View." In the "Show/Hide" section, ensure that "Hidden items" is checked.

所有隐藏的物品，或者应该说是消失的物品，现在都应该重新出现了。

Method 2: Switch to Your Old User Account to Restore Missing Files

You might find it hard to believe that sometimes a Windows 10 update can create a new user account and set it as the default. Unbeknownst to you, this leads to peculiar situations where "computer files suddenly disappear" or "all my files are gone."

Step 1. Go to "Settings" -> "Accounts". You should find your old user account there.

Step 2. Click on your old account to switch to it.

Missing files should show up again.

Method 3: Check the Hard Drive for Missing Files on Your Computer

Your files can also vanish if your hard drive becomes corrupted. You must inspect and fix your hard drive to address this issue:

Step 1. Open "This PC/Computer", right-click the hard disk or partition that you wish to check, and click "Properties".

Step 2. Select "Tools" and click "Check" under Error-checking.

The Check Disk Options dialog will appear. Select one of the following options to check and repair the hard disk:

Step 4. Choose and check both "Automatically fix file system errors" and "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors," then click "Start."

Method 4: Check the User Folder

In another scenario, your files might have shifted locations, resulting in their disappearance from the computer.

Follow the path to locate the User folder on your PC: This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > Public.

If you can’t locate your files, try this alternate path: This PC > Local Disk (C:) > Users > User Name > Documents.

Method 5: Locate Your Files with a Backup Copy

Have you made a backup plan for your PC? If you have backed up your important files, go and check your backup folders to find the missing files and folders. If it's the other way around, you may need to read other methods. For data backup, we highly recommend using tools like Todo Backup.

Method 6: Disable Fast Startup

Fast Startup is one of the reasons that can cause files to go missing in Windows 10. To address the "files disappearing issue," we recommend disabling Fast Startup. Follow these steps and check if it resolves the problem:

< strong > Step 1. Type < strong > Power Options in the search box and select it. (Alternatively, press < strong > Windows + X and choose Power Options from the second line.)

Step 2. Select "Choose what the power button does."

Step 3. Select "Change settings that are currently unavailable".

Step 4. Move to the next page, and uncheck Turn on fast startup.

Method 7: Modify Indexing Options

A change indexing option is available to verify random files or folders. If your random files have vanished, the following steps might be useful:

Step 1. Enter "Indexing Options" in the search box.

Step 2. Click on it, and a window will pop up. Select "Advanced."

Step 3. Under the Indexing Settings tab, navigate to the Troubleshooting section, and click on "Rebuild".

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In sum, Europe’s leaders have a choice

In this article, we have outlined 7 methods to address the issue of files disappearing from the hard drive. Prior to attempting these solutions, we highly recommend utilizing specialized data recovery software to restore the missing files. This ensures that you can resolve the problem without suffering any data loss.

"File Disappeared from Computer - 10 Frequently Asked Questions"

Are you still having issues with Windows 10? Read on for extra assistance.

< strong > 1. Why did my files suddenly disappear from Windows 10? < /strong >

Here are the reasons:

• Windows 10 automatic upgrade or update removed the file
• A virus deleted or concealed your personal files
• You accessed a new user account
• Accidentally deleted important files
• Hard drive failure or corruption

2. How can I recover files that have suddenly vanished?

You can utilize these solutions to restore deleted files in Windows 10:

• Restore missing files in Windows 10 from Recycle Bin
• Recover files and folders that vanished using data recovery software
• Restore lost files in Windows 10 from backups

3. How to Recover Disappeared Desktop Files in Windows 10

You can recover missing files from the desktop using file recovery software tools.

1. Download, install, and run the tool "Data Recovery Wizard." 2. Scan to locate lost files. 3. Preview and recover missing desktop files.