I only have 1 account on my PC, after rebooting my PC... all my documents are gone!

[ofianaglenda10]

I just installed our printer's software a couple of weeks before the issue happened. I used a downloadable installer from HP's site. Then just when I shut the PC off, it performed an automatic update before completely shutting down.

Then, I just opened my PC to check some files, but when I checked my folders, all the files (documents, photo folders, pdfs, etc.) are gone! it's like, all my folders are wiped out! I checked the "Recent Places" tab and it still shows the files I had made before the issue happened, and they are all shortcuts. Whenever I try to open them, it says "unavailable". When I checked my disk space, it still has the same amount of used space from before this issue occured.

I tried to follow recovery steps like creating a new user account and copying the files from my main account to the directory of the new User I created, but to no avail.

I tried viewing hidden folders, but it still doesn't show the folders and files that were missing.

I checked the event logs and there's one peculiar "Warning" I found
Log Name: System
Level: Warning
Source: Kernel-PnP
Event ID: 219
Task category: (212)

The driver \Driver\WUDFRd failed to load for the device WpdBusEnumRoot\UMB\2&37c186b&1&STORAGE#VOLUME#_??_USBSTOR#DISK&VEN_MULTIPLE&PROD_CARD_READER&REV_1.00#058F63666433&00#.


There were a couple of Errors, but they are related to preshutting down or failed update of the Windows Defender Anti-virus.

I tried to do a System Restore, but I think it only affects the programs installed and updated, NOT recovering my files.

MY PC runs on Windows 7.. Is there a fix for this?

 

[hang-the-9]

First if files were somehow deleted, you do not want to start installing things or adding things to the computer since those new files can over-write any old files that may be recoverable.

Make a Linux Live boot disk using another computer, boot off that. Browse to your user directory on the C drive and see if your can get to your files. If not, install Recuva and run a scan on the drive to see if it will find anything. TestDisk also will work.

You want to make backups of your files before you run into issues, trying to get them back after something happens is a bit too late. You don't put on your seatbelt only after your car is hit by a truck, and you make backups before you have any issues.