"Restarted My Computer and Everything Is Gone" in English would be: "Restarted My Computer and Everything Disappeared" Windows 11/10/8/7

It's not merely about the loss of a single file after restarting a computer; it's about the disappearance of almost everything! Users report that upon restarting their computer, all their files in Windows 10 or Windows 11 are gone, which is an utterly terrifying experience. Particularly frustrating is not knowing how this happened or where to locate the missing files on the hard drive in Windows 10!

Translate into English

Some Speculations on Massive Data Loss After Rebooting Your Computer

First and foremost, let's rule out the inevitable outcomes of performing a Windows 10 factory reset and intentionally formatting a hard drive. There could be three possible reasons why you lost all your data unexpectedly after a routine computer restart.

1. Virus infection
2. Impending hard drive failure
3. Computer experienced a severe crash and failed to load your profile upon restart

Confirmed Solutions to "Files Missing After Restart" Issue (3 Ways) 1. Solution 1: Check Recycle Bin When files go missing after a restart, the first place to look is the Recycle Bin. Sometimes, accidentally deleted files end up there before being permanently removed. Follow these steps: a. Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop. b. Browse through the contents to find the missing files. c. If you locate them, right-click and select "Restore" to put them back in their original location. 2. Solution 2: Perform a System Restore If the issue is due to a recent system change or update, you can try restoring your computer to a previous point when the files were still accessible. a. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. b. Type "rstrui.exe" and press Enter to launch System Restore. c. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose a restore point before the problem occurred. d. Complete the process and restart your computer. The missing files should reappear. 3. Solution 3: Use File Recovery Software In case the files are not in the Recycle Bin and System Restore doesn't help, you might need to use a file recovery tool. There are several reliable options available, such as Recuva, tools Data Recovery Wizard, or Disk Drill. Here's a general process: a. Download and install a file recovery software of your choice. b. Launch the application and select the drive where the missing files were located. c. Start the scan process. This may take some time depending on the size of the drive. d. Once the scan is complete, preview and select the missing files to recover. e. Choose a safe location to save the recovered files, ideally different from the original location. Remember that file recovery is not always guaranteed, especially if the files have been overwritten. Regularly backing up important data is the best way to prevent loss.

In total, three feasible solutions are provided here, hoping that at least one of them proves effective for your situation.

Solution 1: Switch to a Different User Account

The first solution might be relevant if the issue stems from an unexpected computer restart during Windows 10 update configuration or something associated with a system update. It's probable that your computer experienced a severe crash and was unable to load your profile upon restarting. Instead, it likely loaded a temporary profile, which is why everything appears to be missing.

• If this applies to you, attempt to log out of the current user account and sign in using your own account and password.
• If you can successfully log into the user account, the missing files, folders, and applications should reappear on your computer.

Solution 2: Remove Data from the Hard Drive and Install a New One

Let's reflect on some scenarios. Has your system been performing increasingly slower lately? Do programs crash or freeze frequently when you try to open them? If so, it leans more towards a hardware issue rather than a software problem. It could be an indication of an impending hard drive failure, which would pose a significant risk to your data.

To address this issue, you should opt to replace the problematic hard drive before it's too late, otherwise, you risk experiencing further data loss in the future.

Since it's already a failing hard drive, the best way to salvage as much data as possible is to clone the old hard drive to a new one and then utilize tools like Data Recovery Wizard to perform data recovery after the hard drive replacement.

Step 1. Scan the hard drive partition This is the first step in the process of examining or recovering data from a hard drive partition. It involves using a specialized software tool to thoroughly check the partition for any issues, such as lost files, damaged sectors, or other forms of data corruption. The scan will typically read through the entire partition, creating an inventory of all recognizable data structures and files. This allows you to assess the overall health of the partition and locate any missing or damaged information that might be recoverable.

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.

You can also refer to our video tutorial on hard drive recovery:

• To copy data from an old hard drive to a new one, you can seek assistance from this sector-by-sector recovery tool.
• To recover data on a new hard drive, utilize the Data Recovery Wizard and follow the three simple steps.

Solution 3: Perform a System Restore

If you're unsure about the actual cause of this data loss disaster, performing a system restore might save you from this frustrating situation.

Here's how you perform a system restore to a point before you encountered the issue:

"Control Panel -> System and Security -> Backup and Restore -> Restore files from backup"

Bonus Tip - Backup Your Data to Prevent Data Loss

At this juncture, individuals would comprehend the significance of having a backup. Indeed, it's better to act late than never. My recommendation in this scenario would be to back up your data to external devices or cloud storage services such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox.

To create a backup of your files, you'll need backup and restore software. I recommend using free backup software. This is a free tool that allows you to back up and restore files and systems. It supports all essential backup options, including file backup, partition backup, system backup, and disk backup.

It's still disk cloning software, which enables you to clone a system, disk, or partition. Following that, you can directly utilize the cloned disk to replace the problematic disk.

Follow these steps to back up files to an external hard drive: 1. Connect the external hard drive to your computer: Plug in the USB cable or use the appropriate connection method to link the external hard drive to your computer's USB port. Ensure that it is properly connected and recognized by your system. 2. Enable file backup software (if necessary): Depending on your operating system, you might have built-in backup tools like Windows' File History (for Windows users) or Time Machine (for Mac users). If not, you can download third-party backup software such as Acronis True Image or tools Todo Backup. 3. Choose the files and folders to back up: Decide which files and folders you want to back up. Typically, this includes important documents, photos, videos, and music. You may also choose to back up your entire user folder for comprehensive protection. 4. Configure backup settings: In your chosen backup software, specify the external hard drive as the destination for the backups. Set preferences like backup frequency (daily, weekly, monthly), version retention, and encryption options if desired. 5. Start the backup process: Once the settings are configured, initiate the backup process. The time taken will depend on the size of the files and the speed of your computer and external hard drive. 6. Monitor the progress: Keep an eye on the backup process to ensure it is running smoothly. Some software provides progress bars or notifications to let you know when the backup is complete. 7. Verify the backup: After the backup is finished, verify its integrity by checking a few files on the external hard drive to make sure they are accessible and unchanged. 8. Regularly update the backup: To keep your data current, remember to run regular updates of your backup. This ensures that any new or modified files are also protected. 9. Safeguard the external hard drive: Store the external hard drive in a safe place away from potential hazards like water, dust, or extreme temperatures. It's also a good idea to keep it physically separate from your computer to protect against simultaneous data loss. By following these steps, you'll have a secure backup of your important files on an external hard drive, providing peace of mind in case of any data loss or system failure.

Step 1. To start the backup process, click the Select backup contents button.

Step 2. Four backup categories are displayed: File, Disk, OS, and Mail.

Step 3. A list of both local and network files is displayed on the left side of the screen. Expand the directories to select the files you wish to back up.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions and select the location where you want to save the backup.

Ensure that the backup is encrypted and configure the backup schedule by clicking on Options within Backup Options. You can also opt to initiate the backup at a specific time by clicking on Options under Backup Scheme. There are numerous other customizable options available for you to explore.

Step 5. You can save the backup file on your computer, in the tool's cloud service, or on a network-attached storage device (NAS).

Step 6. Todo Backup allows customers to store backup copies of their files on a third-party cloud drive or on the company's own cloud storage.

If you wish to back up your data on a third-party cloud drive, choose Local Drive and scroll down to add Cloud Device. Next, enter your account details.

Click on "Cloud" and sign up or log in with your Tools account if you want to store backup files on Tools' own cloud storage service.

Step 7. Click on Backup Now to initiate the backup process. When the backup is complete, it will appear as a card on the left side of the screen. Right-clicking on it will provide you with more options to explore and manage the backup job in greater detail.