SOLVED Downloads folder wiped

[CalDude]

it seems some kind of unknown entity wiped clean my downloads folder's contents. it happened 2 times already. the first time, i had to painstakingly replace the programs i saved put back in the folder, that was 3 weeks ago. and now, just tonight, after waking pc from sleep, the folder was once again wiped clean...nothing in recycle bin either. so i ran recuva and was able to restore the deleted pgms. -now i cant trust what i put in the download folder, so i copied each program saved there onto my external drive just in case.

why? what? how? could the contents be deleted? i dont have a clue here. the only clue could be something to do with my disk cleaner, wisecare365...other than that its really a mystery.

the folder's contents in real time

 

[davehc]

Is it possible that the automatic feature has been enabled?

Settings - System. Scroll down on the left to storage and open it. Make sure the "Storage Sense" is OFF

 

[CalDude]

its odd..storage sense is off. even the section where it might delete download folder content is also disabled. i need to resolve this...ive already copied some stuff saved from download folder which obviously doesnt do much good. i copy and paste the items in the folder, and in several hours, poof, gone. this is first time happened!

 

[BigFeet]

I'd create a new downloads folder elsewhere and put your files in that until you can rectify the issue. I did that after people reporting their library folders being removed during the 1809 upgrade. I even create a link to it in the real downloads folder.

 

[CalDude]

Hullo there bigfeet. Yep, i was able to find out about that. Since i cant rely on the actual downloads folder to keep anything i save into it, i created temp folder on desktop..im certain that would do the trick. For now i will observe that desktop folder for a bit to see if the contents are still intact...and then i will mark this as solved.
Cheers

 

[CalDude]

wheres the edit function...i wanted to add to post there to say the contents of downloads folder on desktop is still intact!. so for now, resolved. i wanna thank for the help to this issue because when i was on another win10 support forum, i had zero replies, despite having 250 views LMAOoooo

 

[BigFeet]

They did an update to the site recently, and I just noticed the edit function is gone. This forum has quite a few helpful, active members willing to help.

 

[Grizzly]

I was just cleaning my disk when I saw that now the Restore points and the download folder can be cleaned too. That used to be NOT in there. I was glad that I saw it on time and unchecked both items (that would have been disastrous).
It seems like that MS is creating new torture with each update, just to screw the user...

 

[CalDude]

I was just cleaning my disk when I saw that now the Restore points and the download folder can be cleaned too. That used to be NOT in there. I was glad that I saw it on time and unchecked both items (that would have been disastrous).
It seems like that MS is creating new torture with each update, just to screw the user...

yes i just noticed it earlier when i was cleaning disk..its ok as iam not planning to use restore points since i do have a good backup program running

 

[davehc]

The edit function is still available, but, as previously, it does expire after the post has been in for a while.

 

[davehc]

The "Downloads" folder has been included since the October update. But I have a suspicion that, at that time, it was not automatically selected.
I believe the Cleaner is going to be removed, anyway, shortly.
I examined it at an earlier time and, although my download folder was empty, it still indicated something it was going to "clean". So I am not sure which downloads folder it is referring too, although, reading these posts, it does seem to clean out the default as well.
fwiw. You can, of course, change the default destination in the setting, but maybe it also changes, similarly, the path that the cleaner is looking for..

 

[Grizzly]

Well, first of all, I do not have the October Update on the mentioned computer and second, my download folder was not the default which is in the user folder (mine is on the extra "data" partition). Although sometimes the dl folder seems to be empty, there is always something in it as in *.ini files that contain information about the folder (including Icons). I think that is happening...

[edit]
Another thing I have discovered that was not there before : "Compress your OS drive". If checked, EVERY folder on the drive that houses the OS will be compressed. I wonder whose stupid idea that was??

 

[davehc]

"Compress your OS drive". I
I don't seem to have that in mine?? -Anyone??

 

[Grizzly]

 

[davehc]

Hmm?? No what the H** Maybe only shows with spinners?

 

[Grizzly]

NOPE, the Disk is a SSD. It seems that it does show only on my 1803 (older HP laptop) as it does not show on my 1809 on my other laptop (older Toshiba) which has the same SSD (Brand/size) in it....
The 1803 also shows "Mixed Reality" and "Delete all System Restore points" which the 1809 does not.

That is weird. Maybe it is Computer/ Brand specific?? who knows??

 

[davehc]

The cleaner on mine has a two tab top bar menu. The second tab is "More options" and does give two more options - one is to delete all recent restore points and the other is simply a shortcut to programs and features to remove unwanted programs
My version, fwiw, is 17763.316

 

[Grizzly]

Mine has two as well if I choose to clean up system files....