Windows 10 Hidden Documents/Help?

[Multiplayer]

Hi all,

 

I had a friend of mine have some issues with his original windows 10 install.

Somehow, his whole MBR table wiped itself. I went through with him trying to rebuild the table, tried sfc / chckdsk, etc. kept coming back as 0 windows installs.

 

with no resolution, he decided to reinstall windows 10 on top of his already existing OS files/documents. He did not reformat, just put a whole new os on top. Now, once we're inside the new install, I'm unable to locate his previous windows files. I've turned off the hidden attributes, I looked under disk management for additional partitions (none), but his 250GB ssd (232GB after system) is showing 72GB free.. so clearly there's something there. I went under windows 10 system storage breakdown, and there's 102GB 'other' folder. How can I find these mystery files - if at all?

 

Thanks!

[Xander Cousins]

If you had to install a second copy of Windows 10 their should be a Windows Old folder somewhere in your computer storage. as it done that with me. so it should be visible if you turn on the Hidden attributes. should be called Windows.old as i currently have x2 of Windows.old (I kinda break my os a lot  )

[Multiplayer]

2 hours ago, Alex Colson said:

If you had to install a second copy of Windows 10 their should be a Windows Old folder somewhere in your computer storage. as it done that with me. so it should be visible if you turn on the Hidden attributes. should be called Windows.old as i currently have x2 of Windows.old (I kinda break my os a lot  )

I have his windows.old, hidden folders are on, but totaling up the visible documents only add up to ~32Gb of the missing 102GB. The files also don't seem to be all there. Am I missing something or is there something else I can do?

 

[Levisallanon]

windows probably doesn't recognise the file system.
Try loading up a linux boot disk/usb and see if you can find the files with that.

[Xander Cousins]

@Multiplayer Would these missing 102GB just be normal Documents, video n Pictures or are we also talking about missing programs etc? 

 

Because if it is missing programs aswell then some shiz are going to be scattered in the %Appdata% and other places aswell. but it's odd the your saying the "Whole" Windows.old folder is summing up to 32GB out of the 102GB as it literally stores everything if I recall from by experience with using them 

[Multiplayer]

4 hours ago, Alex Colson said:

@Multiplayer Would these missing 102GB just be normal Documents, video n Pictures or are we also talking about missing programs etc? 

 

Because if it is missing programs aswell then some shiz are going to be scattered in the %Appdata% and other places aswell. but it's odd the your saying the "Whole" Windows.old folder is summing up to 32GB out of the 102GB as it literally stores everything if I recall from by experience with using them 

Documents in particular that I'm missing, but there's literally nothing but system files shown. I've expanded hidden files/system os protected files, at this point, the drive just must be so badly fragmented. It did shutdown mid use and kinda cut out on him, so it would make sense if a drive let go.

[Xander Cousins]

@Multiplayer did you dive fully through the folder or just opened it and saw system files, program files etc. They wont show their unless you dive through the user folder and onto your desktop. Some files could be missing but other mearly compress'd

[Xander Cousins]

If you want some out side help you could try installing team viewer. If ya do pm and i can send ya info to contact myself on a discord im apart of. 

 

Do be aware team viewer allows me to take control of your computer but you can close the connection at any time.