Windows 10 update removed files and can only get to them via the user folder

[EzY]

So as i went to turn my pc off last night i was forced to either restart and install update or shutdown and install update so i shutdown and updated. Due to work i have not been on my PC until now and the update carried on once i had switched it on. When i logged in i noticed the pc had gone back to how it was when i first installed windows. I got really worried as i have alot of photo's i do not want to lose.

When i hit the start menu i noticed that the programs i had before the update were on the list but the desktop was completely clean. So i searched for a picture and found them in the users folder. Whats has happened? why are all my programs still on the computer but have all reset and no longer on my desktop and why have my files and folders gone into the user folder? i restarted and logged into the same account as usual? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[garybear]

Hi If you believe that a windows update caused your problem you can uninstall the update. Did the update complete? Let us know how things go.
https://www.howtogeek.com/235474/how-to-roll-back-builds-and-uninstall-updates-on-windows-10/

 

[Wolfie]

Hi EzY,

further to @garybear 's advice, for safetys sake, make sure you have all your data backed up to a USB stick/drive or another partition!.

See also:

https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/re-install-w10-and-keep-your-files-app-data-intact.15825/

 

[garybear]

Hi EzY Great article posted by @Wolfie . You might also think about a in-place upgrade which will reinstall windows over the top and you won't lose any thing besides a few updates. Here's link by Shawn Brink! Let us know how things go.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/16397-repair-install-windows-10-place-upgrade.html

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 10 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do a repair install of Windows 10.