Windows 10: user folder went missing

after messing with some folder file permissions, the D:\Users\User folder went missing along with all my documents contained in the User folder. I have ran some recovery software and the files were located as "deleted". however, when restoring these files to a different drive, they were returning errors when attempting to open. Are the files corrupted forever or is this more of a folder or OS corruption issue that may be remedied in some form. thanks!

:)

 

Location Tab Missing from Almost All Folders

I assume your referring to the Location tab in the Properties of user folders .... Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures, etc

If the tab is missing, it would suggest you're not looking at/accessing the actual user system folder, but simply folders that have the same name(s).

Do the folder listing(s) in Windows/File Explorer have the user system icon, or are they just plain common everyday folder icons?

Try restoring the icons to their default location C:\Users\username\

Note : "Restoring" doesn't mean simply copy/move > paste. The registry has to be adjusted accordingly. This forum has steps to do just that ...
Restore Default Location of Personal Folders in Windows 10

Looking at this part, and having second thooughts ...

Yo don't "create" user system folders, you have to re-locate them from the original system location (as indicated above).

But if you're referring to everyday-usage user-created personal folders ..... they don't have a Location tab.

 

How can I recover missing files from C:\User\<user> folder in Windows 11?

It sounds like you might be experiencing a corrupted user profile issue, which can cause data loss in some cases.

Here are a few steps you can take to recover your missing files:

1. Check the Recycle Bin: Sometimes, files and folders can accidentally be deleted and end up in the Recycle Bin. Check the Recycle Bin to see if any of your missing files are there. If they are, right-click on them and select "Restore."
   
2. Use a data recovery tool: If the files are not in the Recycle Bin, you can try using a data recovery tool such as Recuva, <commercial product suggestion removed by Moderator> to recover them. These tools scan your hard drive for deleted files and attempt to restore them.
   
3. Check other user profiles: If you have multiple user profiles on your PC, check to see if the missing files are located in another user's profile. Sometimes, files can be accidentally saved in the wrong profile.
   

Regarding your question about deleting temporary profile folders, deleting them should not affect your user profile. Temporary profiles are created by Windows when it is unable to load a user's profile correctly, and deleting them will not delete any data from the user profile. However, it is important to note that deleting the wrong folders or files can cause data loss, so be careful when deleting anything from your hard drive.

 

Vista Ultimate - 'User' Folder Location

No tried that.

Can copy the entire folder to D; but Windows still points to C as the location. Can change personal folders location to a folder on D;, but this still leaves hidden files etc on C;. Thus meaning there are 2 Users folders. Have managed to change the Public folder location to D;, with some registry tweaks, but this doesnt seem to work for the entire folder.

any more suggestions