5 Fixes: Restarted My Computer and Everything Is Gone in Windows 10

User Case: Windows 10 Deleting Files after Restart

“I was on my computer for a while and then I closed the lid. When I opened it again about five or ten minutes later, it said it was restarting. I waited for it to restart and noticed that my custom sign-in picture was not up. When I logged in, ALL of my desktop apps and taskbar items were gone. My background was gone as well.

I decided to look at all of my downloads, everything, and EVERYTHING was gone. I had very important information downloaded, as well as numerous documents. Only a few things were still downloaded. I have Windows 10. PLEASE HELP!”

If you have also encountered such a problem "Windows 10 deleting files after restart", you can read on to learn what causes this problem and then choose the corresponding solution to fix it. And this article also provides you with the method to prevent data loss and other computer problems caused by this problem.

Reasons for Windows 10 Data Lost after Restart

There are many reasons for the "restarted my computer and everything is gone in Windows 10" problem, and this article summarizes the following common reasons for you.

• Triggered the "Reset this PC" command: If you accidentally triggered the "Reset this PC" command, it will restore your system to factory settings. After restarting, all your files in Windows 10 will be deleted. 
• Virus infection: If your storage device or files are infected with a virus, then it can also cause the "restarted my computer and everything is gone in Windows 10" problem.
• Hard Drive Failure: When your hard drive fails then the "Windows 10 data lost after restart" problem may occur.
• System Crash: Your system may have suffered a severe crash and will not load your configuration files on reboot.

How to Fix “Restarted My Computer and Everything Is Gone in Windows 10”

Next, you can learn five different ways to solve the "restarted my computer and everything is gone in Windows 10" problem. Each method is aimed at a different cause. You can read on to learn the detailed information and choose the solution based on your own needs. And you can also learn the best solution to prevent data loss and other computer problems caused by this problem.

Fix 1. Check the Build on Your Device

The first method is to check the build on your device. This method is suitable for solving the "Windows 10 data lost after restart" problem due to system update-related reasons. The build of your system refers to the progress being made on the software development of a device. If the build number of your device is far behind the latest update, it is a signal that your data may be undiscovered because your OS needs an update. You can follow the steps below to check the build on your device.

Step 1. Press Win+R to open the Run window and type winver in the box, then click OK or press Enter.

Step 2. Then you will see the build installed on your device.

Fix 2. Check If the Old Files Are in Windows.old Folder

The second method is to check if the old files are in Windows.old folder. The Windows.old Folder is often where old files are kept after upgrading any version of your Windows. The chances are that after you restarted the computer and everything is gone, windows 10 old files are still in your Windows.old Folder. You can follow the steps below.

Step 1. Press Win+E to open File Explorer on your Windows.

Step 2. Locate the Drive where you installed the new OS.

Step 3. Scroll down to find the Drive to locate your Windows.old Folder.

Step 4. After locating your file, you can restore the files in it as you see fit.

Fix 3. Switch the User Account

One of the causes of the “Windows 10 data lost after restart” problem mentioned above is your system suffering a severe crash and will not load your configuration files on reboot. The system must have loaded a temporary profile after you restarted the computer, and everything is gone in Windows 10. Don't worry, you can undo this malfunction manually. Please follow the steps below.

Step 1. Open the Start menu by clicking the windows key or start button on your taskbar.

Step 2. Select the icon or picture representing the account on the Start menu.

Step 3. Switch the user account by clicking on your original account.         

Fix 4. Run Antivirus Scan

If the "restarted my computer and everything is gone in Windows 10" problem is caused by a virus infection, you can remedy it by running an antivirus scan with your system. Some antivirus software will help discover and restore your data after the virus infection has been dealt with.

Step 1: Right-click the Windows icon on the toolbar and then choose the Settings option.

Step 2: Under Settings, click Update & security.

Step 3: Move to the Windows Defender option on the left side and then click the Turn on Windows Defender Antivirus button on the right side.

Step 4: On the new window, click the Virus & threat protection option.

Step 5: Click Advanced Scan > Custom scan > Scan now.

Step 6: A pop-up window will show the drives available for scanning. Check the box next to the drive.

Fix 5. Perform System Restore

System restore is an important tool for Windows system file recovery. It helps you reverse changes like Windows files, installed software, drivers, windows updates and setting made to your OS. Please note that this method is available only when you have enabled System Restore before. Then, you can follow the steps below to perform the system restore.

Step 1. Open the Start menu, search for System Restore in the Windows 10 Search box.

Step 2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Protection tab and click System Restore.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions and select the desired Restore Point when prompted. Then click Next to execute the operation.

The Best Solution to Prevent Data Loss from this Problem

To prevent data loss and other computer problems caused by this problem, the best way is to backup your important files regularly. In this way, even if the files are lost or accidentally deleted, you can use the backup image to restore your files quickly.

AOMEI Backupper Standard is a free and professional backup software that provides several backup solutions (File Backup, System Backup, Disk Backup and Partition Backup) to meet your different backup needs. It also has the following advantages.

• Schedule backup: It can automatically backup your files with fixed intervals you set such as Daily, Weekly and Monthly. So, it can prevent data loss effectively.
• Incremental backup: When you perform the scheduled backup, you can select the incremental backup method that will only backup the changed parts to save backup time.
• Multiple paths: It allows you to backup your files to multiple paths, such as local disk, external disk (HDD/SSD), USB flash drive, NAS, and CD/DVD, even clouds (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more), etc.
• Different systems: It supports different Windows operating systems, such as Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11, XP, Vista, etc.

Then you can follow the graphic tutorial below to perform the scheduled backup to prevent data loss and other computer problems caused by the "restarted my computer and everything is gone in Windows 10" problem.

Step 1. Download AOMEI Backupper Standard, install and launch the software. Select Backup > File Backup.

Step 2. Click Add File or Add Folder, then select the files or folders that you want to backup.

Step 3. Click the inverted triangle at the right edge of the second bar and choose a destination path for your file backup.

Step 4. Click Schedule Backup at the bottom. In the General tab, you can select the frequency you want. Then it will backup your files automatically with the frequency.

Step 5. Confirm all your operations and click Start Backup to automatically backup files to prevent data loss.

Notes:

• Options: You can manage settings like comments, email notification, backup mode, splitting, compression level, etc.
• Schedule: You can choose different backup frequencies to backup your files automatically, including Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event triggers and USB plug in. The last two are available in Professional and higher editions.
• Scheme: It allows you to select various backup methods. And you can enable automatic backup cleanup feature that can automatically delete your older backups with a customized rule, which is especially suitable for computers with limited capacity.

Summary

This article describes the reasons why the "restarted my computer and everything is gone in Windows 10" problem occurs and 5 useful solutions to fix it. To prevent data loss and other computer problems caused by this problem, we recommend you to use the free and professional backup software AOMEI Backupper Standard to backup your files regularly.

It allows you to set different frequencies to backup your files automatically and you can backup your files to multiple paths in different Windows operating systems. This way, even if your files are lost or deleted by mistake, you can use the backup images to restore them.

In addition, it is an excellent synchronization software as well. It allows you to sync files to disk, cloud, network, etc. Besides the Basic Sync function, it also offers several sync functions including Mirror Sync, Two-Way Sync and Real-Time Sync. You can download this software to experience more features.