bios/graphics driver update caused loss of files/programs

cap_23 · Feb 11, 2016

I have a HP Pavilion Elite HPE-150t with a MSI MS-7613 motherboard. I read that MS was going to be pushing the Win10 update harder so I was checking on the HP website if my computer was up to date. http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/HP-Pavilion-Elite-HPE-Desktop-PC-series/4079700/model/4124629

I updated the ATI graphics driver and had delayed the restart when I updated the BIOS from a 5.11 version to a 5.15 version. This was the first time I had done a BIOS update and did not heed the back up your data warning that came on during the process. I used the HP download and install assistant for both updates.

When the computer restarted, the system had been reset and I could not access my user information or see any of my files or installed programs with only a few exceptions. It is almost like a reset to factory settings. I used the free version of Recuva to try to recover my missing files. Luckily, I can see my files with Recuva and it says they are not deleted. Unfortunately, recovering the files I did not have backed-up this way will be difficult. Is there an easier way to get back my previous files, programs and settings?

hang-the-9 · Feb 11, 2016

This does not sound like the files were deleted, but rather sounds like your profile did not get loaded properly. Did you try rebooting and checking things again? Did you get any messages when Windows was loading? Do you have more than one account on the computer? Remember what you see in the Start Menu and many desktop files are just shortcuts to where the actual programs and files sit, if the shortcuts happen to have been deleted or do not load, the programs and files are still there.

cap_23 · Feb 11, 2016

hang-the-9 - That is correct. It seems to be a loss of access to the files/programs as Windows does not recognize them. Rebooting had no affect. There were multiple users (3) set up. Only 1 is visible now and very few files are accessible. I had Norton 360 set up and after the updates I was reverted to an expired version of Norton Internet Security. Chrome and Firefox disappeared and an old version, IE8 was the only browser.

No idea what to try from here. Will probably just salvage what I need with Recuva and upgrade to Win10 since I need to reinstall all my programs anyway.

hang-the-9 · Feb 12, 2016

cap_23 :

You did not really read what I said. There is likely NO LOSS OF FILES OF PROGRAMS. The only thing that happened was your user profile got reset or removed or is hidden and the shortcuts to those programs are gone. Look directly in Program Files and/or Program Files x86 and you will find that your programs are there. You don't need to run Recuva or re-install any programs unless something odd happened.

Also look in the C:\Users folder, you should see the user account folders there, if you look in the Desktop, My Documents, Favorites folders, one of them will have your data.

cap_23 · Feb 12, 2016

hang-the-9 :

cap_23 :

You did not really read what I said. There is likely NO LOSS OF FILES OF PROGRAMS. The only thing that happened was your user profile got reset or removed or is hidden and the shortcuts to those programs are gone. Look directly in Program Files and/or Program Files x86 and you will find that your programs are there. You don't need to run Recuva or re-install any programs unless something odd happened.

Also look in the C:\Users folder, you should see the user account folders there, if you look in the Desktop, My Documents, Favorites folders, one of them will have your data.

cap_23 · Feb 12, 2016

Unfortunately that is not the case. I did look for the files/programs directly and can not see them. I even tried with the command prompt. Only one user is visible and only limited files/programs are visible. The only way I have been able to see them at all is through the recovery program which also shows me the old paths.

hang-the-9 · Feb 12, 2016

cap_23 :

That is pretty odd, a BIOS update or a driver update should not delete user profiles or programs from the computer. If you look in the Programs listing where you can uninstall programs, are they listed there?

In C:\Users there is only one profile name showing?

I've never seen a computer just remove programs or user accounts this way cleanly during anything, unless it did a system restore to an earlier time before they were on the system. I've seen corrupt profiles reset to default settings, but the files were actually still on the hard drive.

cap_23 · Feb 12, 2016

hang-the-9 :

cap_23 :

That is pretty odd, a BIOS update or a driver update should not delete user profiles or programs from the computer. If you look in the Programs listing where you can uninstall programs, are they listed there?

In C:\Users there is only one profile name showing?

I've never seen a computer just remove programs or user accounts this way cleanly during anything, unless it did a system restore to an earlier time before they were on the system. I've seen corrupt profiles reset to default settings, but the files were actually still on the hard drive.

cap_23 · Feb 12, 2016

Yeah, I could not find a reference to anyone else ever having this problem. I looked at trying a system restore but was given a message that system restore was not turned on and could not find a way to turn it on. There were no system restore points available.

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