Windows 10: How to access desktop files from a previous hard drive

I recently switched hard drives due to some unrelated issues with a cpu/motherboard. I had to do a fresh install of windows, and I am now running it through a different drive My C drive is now a different drive. My old drive F drive currently is still installed, and has all of my files from before. The only thing I cannot manage to find though is the desktop files. I had some files on the desktop of what is now the F drive that do not show up. I'm a bit confused as to why they're not there if I didn't lose any other data. I can access the Dektop folder of the F drive, but the contents insi

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How to access desktop files from a previous hard drive

I recently switched hard drives due to some unrelated issues with a cpu/motherboard. I had to do a fresh install of windows, and I am now running it through a different drive (My C drive is now a different drive). My old drive (F drive currently) is still installed, and has all of my files from before.

The only thing I cannot manage to find though is the desktop files. I had some files on the desktop of what is now the F drive that do not show up. I'm a bit confused as to why they're not there if I didn't lose any other data. I can access the Dektop folder of the F drive, but the contents inside are not what was on my desktop at the time i dealt with the hardware issues. Specifically, the folder that it shows on the desktop was from potentially years ago.

I remember having one-drive populate my previous desktop when it was set up initially. Was I running some sort of virtual desktop or something? I checked my one-drive online but can't see anything from when my F drive was the primary drive.

Edit: Looking at the restore options in onedrive, the previous desktop's files are not showing up there either. The hard drive swap would have happened about 18-20 days ago and onedrive can supposedly restore up to 30 back.

 

Stored files in Hard Drive

You can use Windows search. Just search for *.* on a desired drive. When list is done just arrange them by size LOL.

You can do it via command line as well and make an output text file showing files and their sizes (but without arrangement)

 

Location is not available F:/ is not accessible. Access is denied. External hard drive

Hi,

Most of the time, when your external hard drive shows that error message, it suggests that you don’t have the privilege of accessing to the disk partition. We need to get a permit to take ownership of the drive. Follow the steps below:

• Open File Explorer.
  
• Right-click your hard drive, then select Properties.
  
• Go to Security tab.
  
• Click Advanced, then select Edit.
  
• On the Owner tab, modify the ownership of the specified account.
  
• Click Apply, then OK.
  

Update us with the outcome so we can provide further assistance.