Windows 10: Entire Program Files (x86) folder deleted - coincided with 1607 update

Hi,

My entire Program Files (x86) folder was cleared out a few days ago, I only noticed because my shortcuts no longer have icons. I have lost 400gb worth of files, and cannot recover all of them. Mostly made up of Steam/GOG downloads, so could redownload the games if needed, however I would have lost my save data. Also there were some other apps which I could replace, but still this is a concern.

I checked Windows Update, and the 1607 release (Update for Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (KB3199209) was pushed out to me around 19/10 - which may have had something to do with this?

Upon reading Google, I found out the Windows 10 sometimes deletes files it deems "incompatible" and then stores in Windows.old - however, this would not have worked...as I don't have 400gb free on my C drive.

Is there any way I can track what caused this deletion? I won't blame Windows 10 unless I can prove it (the dates of update is a big coincidence).....is there an audit tool or similar that would capture deletions data?

Note: I have done a deep scan of my PC for viruses with Kaspersky and Malwarebytes on maximum sensitivity and no viruses present. Nor are the files store in their Quarantines, as the space was completely freed up.

Thanks for any help

:)

 

"Glyph Client" Prevents Upgrade to Creators Edition (Windows 10, Version 1703)

Go to C:\Program Files (x86)
and delete the entire folder called GLYPH.

 

Removing Buffalo TurboPC EX Series

Hi All,

If Buffalo Turbo PC EX series in not listed in program and files/ . or Add/ remove files. Check and Manually delete the file from Program files and Program files(x86)

C:\program files\buffalo Or

C:\program files(x86)\buffalo

Delete entire buffalo folder and check your issues. It may be fixed now.

 

I doubt even MS is capable of a software bug of this magnitude. Do you have a backup to recover from? If not, you may as well do a clean install and reinstall all of your programs.

 

I do have backups, in that the software that was deleted was predominantly Steam/GOG content which is all stored in the cloud, so can easily replace.

I was able to get *some* of the programs back via Recuva, but not everything.

Thought it was very strange that the mass deletion was completed localized within the Program Files (x86) folder of just one drive, and the timing was when that Windows Update rolled out on 19/10/16.

Would there be a log of the actions taken when an update is installed? It's still relatively recent

 

Somewhat reminds me of this thread on reddit.
My 64 bit Windows 10 install is acting like 32 bit, and also maybe deleting program files without permission. : techsupport
The TC of that also reported randomly losing a entire Program Files folder.

 

If you haven't run disk cleanup and deleted your Windows.old folder:



You might be able to revert back.




just make sure your 86x folder is there:




And open it to make sure the programs are still there;

 

Thanks Cliff - unfortunately the volume of data deleted exceeded the amount of free space I had on my C drive, so if this was a Windows initiated deletion of incompatible software, it would have failed here. There is nothing in my Windows.old

I have never seen anything like this, a targeted deletion within one folder....the folder itself wasn't deleted, which makes me think it was a Windows driven clean out. For example, last time I had content in my Windows.old folder following an upgrade, it had in effect "moved" some of the contents of my Program Files folder into Windows.old - leaving the actual folder in place. The content that was moved was deemed "incompatible"

Not sure what the prescribed behavior of Windows is during an upgrade, when it is unable to move the contents into Windows.old due to disk space issues - does it just plain delete?

 

Thanks for the Reddit link - there are definitely similarities here

I am using a Windows 10 64 bit install, but I didn't have the slowdown issues that the user was reporting. Task Manager is all clear, RAM/CPU usage all normal.

I also have Kaspersky Total Security and Malwarebytes running at all times, and I don't have them set to auto-delete when they find an issue, just to alert me. Even so, I still did an independent full-scan with both pieces of software to rule out the presence of malware, and got the all clear.

 

Actually, it would have worked, because Windows doesn't need free space to move a folder or set of folders from one place to another. It just re-creates the tables that tell the system where things are. In fact, the whole x86 folder might still actually be there, but not linked to the system. Is the system GPT or MBR? a CHKDSK might repair this.

Hm... I just thought of this, if the whole x86 folder were wiped, and if it were 400gb, your whole system drive would have suddenly sprouted 400gb of free space. Did that happen?