Windows 10: Cannot update and desktop apps have all gone literally overnight!

All my desktop apps/icons have disappeared; when I attempt to go into an app from task bar it vanishes; when I attempt to go into an app from start it says "you need a new app to go into this windows defender link"; I cannot update windows or turn on firewall/security EVERYTHING went haywire overnight!!!

:)

 

Why did the startup window get cleared?

I didn't missed any step, the list was gone and gone , even after using lot of programs the programs were not listed in that list.

 

Running Optimize literally does nothing; in PS it yields an error

After doing a clean install of Windows 10 20H2 (OS Build 19042.906) and fully updating it, and updating all of the Dell drivers from Dell.com, I tried the following Optimize and Defrag options from How to Optimize and Defragment Drives in Windows 10 (tenforums.com/tutorials/8933-optimize-defrag-drives-windows-10-a.html):

• OPTION ONE: To Optimize Drives in Optimize Drives Tool: Steps 2, 3, and 4,
• OPTION TWO: To Optimize Drives in Command Prompt: Step 2, and
• OPTION THREE: To Optimize Drives in PowerShell: Step 3

The four steps attempted from Options 1 and 2 resulted in no notice action; i.e., it appeared as though nothing happened after executing the commands.

When I ran Step 3 of Option 3, I received the following error message.

What does this mean and now what do I do?

Thanks!

 

All files gone - windows update overnight

Woke up this morning to find all our laptops had been updated by windows overnight, and all our files were gone?!?!

After a heartstopping moment, and some intense searching, I've found them all under C:/users, but they are still not showing up under My Documents, My Pictures etc.

Also, all my desktop settings have been lost and all my applications have lost my settings and seem to think they are brand new?!

Help!!