Several users have reported losing their files, documents, and installed programs after installing Windows 10 1809. While this isn’t happening to everyone and could be avoided through a full backup, the problem is certainly a serious one. Microsoft has confirmed that the company is “actively investigating” the problem. But if you have already lost your data in the excitement of a new Windows 10 version, you can easily recover the lost files.
How to restore your files and photos deleted during the Windows 10 1809 upgrade process
Since the upgrade process has only deleted and not moved the files, they are easily recoverable using a recovery tool. Some users have reported (via SW) using Recuva for the process and have successfully retrieved all their data. You can download the free version of Recuva from CCleaner and restore your lost files. But you can use any other recovery tool for the process too; just make sure not to do anything before running the recovery tool to ensure you restore all your deleted files.
Related [Update: Microsoft Responds] Latest Windows 10 October 2018 Update Is Wiping Out User Data (Create a Backup Before Proceeding)
It should be noted that we haven’t encountered this problem during our own installation of Windows 10 1809 and cannot confirm how widespread this issue is. But, since several users have reported this same problem, we would highly recommend you to create a backup through Control Panel System and Security Backup and Restore before you install Windows 10 October 2018 Update.
New Windows 10 rollout strategy is proving to be quite a hassle
Microsoft took a unique rollout approach with the latest Windows 10 October 2018. While the company said that the broader rollout will begin next week, on October 9, every user who wanted to have access to the latest version could simply hit the “check for updates” button in Windows Update to install the latest version.
This is in contrast to the previous updates when the company would only make the latest versions available to a select few devices, usually the newer ones. While the last few updates also brought their own compatibility and other issues, at least they weren’t available to the public right away. Not to forget that the terminology “check for updates” is flawed since a user is probably only interested in seeing if the latest version is available, not taking it as an “upgrade to the latest version right away” button. (We fell for it, but beware before you hit that button).
With all that said, if you are interested in testing all the new features, there is no reason why you shouldn’t. Just make sure to create a full backup and you should be good to go. Head over here to download the ISO files directly, and check out this guide for the installation process.
