Windows account cannot be accessed and looks like reset?! Help please :(

[joem12]

Okay so I haven't been on my desktop for about two days and 10 minutes ago I powered it on only to be welcomed by Windows 10 saying it was "preparing account" or something like that after I put my password in. After it launched, my desktop background has been changed to the default Windows 10 one and all my files on the desktop are gone. Upon further discovery I have realised that all of my taskbar items are gone as well as my startisback++ software so essentially my computer looks like it has been reset. A pop-up appeared telling me that this problem can be fixed by signing out and in again to my Microsoft account but this didn't work. All of my files on the drives are still there but it is as if my boot drive has had a fresh install.

Has anyone had this is issue before and fixed it or know how to resolve it?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[captaincharisma]

since windows 10 installs updates automaticcally with no real way to turn them off itsounds like you never installed the major "anniversary update" and it eventually did

 

[joem12]

since windows 10 installs updates automaticcally with no real way to turn them off itsounds like you never installed the major "anniversary update" and it eventually did

Whats that ??? ://///

 

[captaincharisma]

since windows 10 installs updates automaticcally with no real way to turn them off itsounds like you never installed the major "anniversary update" and it eventually did

Whats that ??? ://///

its was a major update MS released in august that added improvements and features. with big updates like that then it will act like you just did a clean install or a windows upgrade

 

[joem12]

since windows 10 installs updates automaticcally with no real way to turn them off itsounds like you never installed the major "anniversary update" and it eventually did

Whats that ??? ://///

its was a major update MS released in august that added improvements and features. with big updates like that then it will act like you just did a clean install or a windows upgrade

ffs is there anyway that I could get my stuff to revert to normal?

 

[captaincharisma]

since windows 10 installs updates automaticcally with no real way to turn them off itsounds like you never installed the major "anniversary update" and it eventually did

Whats that ??? ://///

its was a major update MS released in august that added improvements and features. with big updates like that then it will act like you just did a clean install or a windows upgrade

ffs is there anyway that I could get my stuff to revert to normal?

lol, you can go back a build in settings but likely it will update to it again

keep in mind this is what it sounds like what happened. this may have been caused by some other program or virus as well.

 

[boosted1g]

A windows upgrade does not typically just wipe out user accounts like that (it would not be unheard of, but certianly not the norm).

Browse your User folder and see if there is another account listed that may have your original files.

Is ALL of your software gone that you have installed, or just that specific one?

 

[joem12]

A windows upgrade does not typically just wipe out user accounts like that (it would not be unheard of, but certianly not the norm).

Browse your User folder and see if there is another account listed that may have your original files.

Is ALL of your software gone that you have installed, or just that specific one?

My software isn't completely gone, for some reason the desktop looks like a fresh install and by boot drive still has my account signed in plus all my games and media are still on my other drives. It seems as though the boot drive has had all shortcuts and pathways to the other drives severed and so in file explorer where I would click on 'Downloads' it should show them (they are stored on a separate drive) but instead it shows the empty Downloads folder that is held on the boot drive. This has happened for all of my file explorer shortcuts.

 

[boosted1g]

A windows upgrade does not typically just wipe out user accounts like that (it would not be unheard of, but certianly not the norm).

Browse your User folder and see if there is another account listed that may have your original files.

Is ALL of your software gone that you have installed, or just that specific one?

My software isn't completely gone, for some reason the desktop looks like a fresh install and by boot drive still has my account signed in plus all my games and media are still on my other drives. It seems as though the boot drive has had all shortcuts and pathways to the other drives severed and so in file explorer where I would click on 'Downloads' it should show them (they are stored on a separate drive) but instead it shows the empty Downloads folder that is held on the boot drive. This has happened for all of my file explorer shortcuts.

The cause is unknown but at this point your OS is a "clean install"
That means all of your programs on the other drive will have ot be re-installed as the registry keys are likely no longer there.

 

[joem12]

A windows upgrade does not typically just wipe out user accounts like that (it would not be unheard of, but certianly not the norm).

Browse your User folder and see if there is another account listed that may have your original files.

Is ALL of your software gone that you have installed, or just that specific one?

My software isn't completely gone, for some reason the desktop looks like a fresh install and by boot drive still has my account signed in plus all my games and media are still on my other drives. It seems as though the boot drive has had all shortcuts and pathways to the other drives severed and so in file explorer where I would click on 'Downloads' it should show them (they are stored on a separate drive) but instead it shows the empty Downloads folder that is held on the boot drive. This has happened for all of my file explorer shortcuts.

The cause is unknown but at this point your OS is a "clean install"
That means all of your programs on the other drive will have ot be re-installed as the registry keys are likely no longer there.

I have managed to restore my computer to an earlier version (from about two days ago) and all my stuff is here and fine. I'm not sure what to do at this point in terms of longevity. This could happen again but we don't know the cause, is there anything I can do to try and figure it out now that its back to normal.

One thing that did happen was that chrome did not want to launch and so I had to run it from the download file and its working fine now..

 

[captaincharisma]

A windows upgrade does not typically just wipe out user accounts like that (it would not be unheard of, but certianly not the norm).

Browse your User folder and see if there is another account listed that may have your original files.

Is ALL of your software gone that you have installed, or just that specific one?

My software isn't completely gone, for some reason the desktop looks like a fresh install and by boot drive still has my account signed in plus all my games and media are still on my other drives. It seems as though the boot drive has had all shortcuts and pathways to the other drives severed and so in file explorer where I would click on 'Downloads' it should show them (they are stored on a separate drive) but instead it shows the empty Downloads folder that is held on the boot drive. This has happened for all of my file explorer shortcuts.

The cause is unknown but at this point your OS is a "clean install"
That means all of your programs on the other drive will have ot be re-installed as the registry keys are likely no longer there.

I have managed to restore my computer to an earlier version (from about two days ago) and all my stuff is here and fine. I'm not sure what to do at this point in terms of longevity. This could happen again but we don't know the cause, is there anything I can do to try and figure it out now that its back to normal.

One thing that did happen was that chrome did not want to launch and so I had to run it from the download file and its working fine now..

go and check for windows updates to see if any are available. that may rule the update theory out

 

[joem12]

A windows upgrade does not typically just wipe out user accounts like that (it would not be unheard of, but certianly not the norm).

Browse your User folder and see if there is another account listed that may have your original files.

Is ALL of your software gone that you have installed, or just that specific one?

My software isn't completely gone, for some reason the desktop looks like a fresh install and by boot drive still has my account signed in plus all my games and media are still on my other drives. It seems as though the boot drive has had all shortcuts and pathways to the other drives severed and so in file explorer where I would click on 'Downloads' it should show them (they are stored on a separate drive) but instead it shows the empty Downloads folder that is held on the boot drive. This has happened for all of my file explorer shortcuts.

The cause is unknown but at this point your OS is a "clean install"
That means all of your programs on the other drive will have ot be re-installed as the registry keys are likely no longer there.

I have managed to restore my computer to an earlier version (from about two days ago) and all my stuff is here and fine. I'm not sure what to do at this point in terms of longevity. This could happen again but we don't know the cause, is there anything I can do to try and figure it out now that its back to normal.

One thing that did happen was that chrome did not want to launch and so I had to run it from the download file and its working fine now..

go and check for windows updates to see if any are available. that may rule the update theory out

hmm all up to date :/

 

[Rocky Bennett]

Go to command prompt (admin) and enter winver. What version and build of Windows 10 are you running?

 

[joem12]

Go to command prompt (admin) and enter winver. What version and build of Windows 10 are you running?

Version 1607 OS build 14393.693

 

[Rocky Bennett]

Yes, then you seem to be all up to date. If you have any further issues start a new thread and one of the guys around here will help you out.

 

[Rocky Bennett]

What I mean to say is that you do now have the Anniversary Edition installed. I hope everything is working fine.