Folders & documents on desktop missing after windows automatic update

[flower108]

Folders & documents on desktop missing after windows automatic update

Hello all.

There was an automatic update on Wednesday and after that all the folders on my desktop are missing.

I don't think they were deleted but I don't have access to them.

I did find a clue. I was able to open a notepad document I had on the desktop (missing after the update) by going to the Start menu and hovering over Notepad. A list of recent documents appears to the right and I was able to open the missing document that way. Then I went to do a "save as" to find out where it was and it was in the config.msi file. However that file is locked. I think all the folders are there too.

How do I unlock it?

Or if that cannot be done, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to access the folders?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Goto folder c:\users\yourname\desktop

all is there?

C:\Users\Public\Desktop is for "all users" stuff

All stuff you lost is still there?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Hello all.

There was an automatic update on Wednesday and after that all the folders on my desktop are missing.

I don't think they were deleted but I don't have access to them.

I did find a clue. I was able to open a notepad document I had on the desktop (missing after the update) by going to the Start menu and hovering over Notepad. A list of recent documents appears to the right and I was able to open the missing document that way. Then I went to do a "save as" to find out where it was and it was in the config.msi file. However that file is locked. I think all the folders are there too.

How do I unlock it?

Or if that cannot be done, does anyone have any suggestions as to how to access the folders?

Are only folders missing? Or shotcuts as well?

 

[flower108]

Hello Kaktussoft,

Thank you for your reply.

I checked in the folder c:\users\yourname\desktop but the files are NOT there. There are no shortcuts either.

Another reason I think the files are still there is because after the update I had less space on my harddisk than before. If they had been deleted there would have been less I think.

Any other ideas anyone?

How can I unlock the config.msi folder?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kaktussoft]

copy a file/folder or shortcut to c:\users\yourname\desktop ... does it appear on desktop?
copy a file/folder or shortcut ro C:\Users\Public\Desktop ... does it appear on desktop?

You know a filename of a file/folder you lost? Search where it is and say it

 

[Kaktussoft]

Config.msi folder is totally unrelated PC Hell: What is the Config.MSI Folder and Can I Delete It?

 

[flower108]

Thank you for following up.

I don't understand what you mean when you say:

copy a file/folder or shortcut to c:\users\yourname\desktop ... does it appear on desktop?
copy a file/folder or shortcut ro C:\Users\Public\Desktop ... does it appear on desktop?

In the desktop folder you are referring to, c:\users\yourname\desktop, the missing files and folders are not there so I can't copy them from there to the desktop.

If you are speaking of the shortcuts, please tell me where to find them.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Normally your desktop shows:
-all stuff from c:\users\yourname\desktop
-all stuff from C:\Users\Public\Desktop

So just put something in both folders and tell me if they really appear on desktop.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Be sure to display hidden files and system protected files as well (temporary). After troubleshooting put the settings back as they were
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html
Really nothing in c:\users\yourname\desktop? Not even hidden?

 

[Kaktussoft]

You can see what was in both 2 folders before and restore it. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/85679-previous-versions-restore-files-folders.html

Still can't believe a patch did delete it

 

[flower108]

Okay, thanks for the clarification.

I do have hidden files displayed.

I put something into the c:\users\yourname\desktop file and it did show up on the desktop.

 

[flower108]

Hum. I looked at the previous versions of the folders but the files and folders that are lost are not in there either.

Is there a way to undo the updates?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Hum. I looked at the previous versions of the folders but the files and folders that are lost are not in there either.

Is there a way to undo the updates?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html
Read it it explains everything. It's kind of "previous version of system files and settings". Try it

 

[Kaktussoft]

Hum. I looked at the previous versions of the folders but the files and folders that are lost are not in there either.

Is there a way to undo the updates?

the files/folders aren't in "previous versions"... even not in a very old "previous versions"?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Did you already do a search for a file (if you know the name)?

 

[flower108]

the files/folders aren't in "previous versions"... even not in a very old "previous versions"?

No, they are not.

Did you already do a search for a file (if you know the name)?

I just tried searching for a folder that was on the desktop. It is located here:

windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop

I think the other folders and files are there too. How can I get them out?

 

[Kaktussoft]

In http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

attrib c:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop\*.*

Sure all you want is there? Or where you just lucky it had the same name?

cd  c:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop
dir/s

 

[flower108]

Actually I'm not sure everything is there. Some things are.

I don't understand what I am to do with the info you provided.

 

[Kaktussoft]

you are able to do Elevated Command Prompt ?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Actually I'm not sure everything is there. Some things are.

I don't understand what I am to do with the info you provided.

I attach a file gg.bat please download it. Then rightclick on it and do "run as admin". Does a new folder called "testfolder" appear on desktop?