How to restore all files and app data after password reset

Question

Hi,

I've made a few mistakes with my time on this pc - for one, there's the backup page that I used to get once I entered my password to log in before reaching my home page, I thought that this would wipe my computer so I just ignored it to prevent this. Now comes today, my pc has a funny moment, which it does from time to time, and I come to log in and enter my password, all is good, until it says I have to wait 2 hours because of too many sign in attempts. That's normal, however, I didn't feel like waiting the 2 hours since I got on my pc to do something, so I started looking for ways to bypass this. I go into advanced startup as it was recommended on many sites, and that doesn't work. I then begin to change my password, which I do. I manage to get back into my pc eventually and I see that I have lost everything. I will confess that I was aware that before i set up my new password, there was a warning message, however, I thought I'd only lose access to websites that require my pin to retrieve information to log in, not everything, but I do see that I should have listened to the warning now, haha!

Can anyone help me retrieve my data?

Answer 1

You may be logged into a temporary account.

Before you do anything or move any files around

Restart (not shut down) your PC 4 times, each time let your PC get to the Desktop before the next restart, this will fix this issue a lot of the time.

Otherwise:

Please open Windows File Explorer

Navigate to C:\Users

Do you see two user folders that look like yours?

Open those folders and check inside Pictures, Documents... etc. and see if your files are there

If your files are there:

NOTE VERY IMPORTANT: Do Not copy your files into the Temporary profile you are currently in, when the situation is corrected, your files will be deleted with the Temporary Profile and will not be recoverable !!

Answer 2

To restore your files and app data after a password reset, you can try the following steps:

1. Check for Backups: If you have previously set up File History or any other backup solution, check if your files are available there. You can access File History through the Control Panel under "System and Security" > "File History".
2. Use System Restore: If you have a restore point created before the password change, you can restore your system to that point. To do this:
   • Restart your computer and boot into the Advanced Startup Options.
   • Select "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "System Restore".
   • Follow the prompts to choose a restore point and restore your system.
3. Check OneDrive or Cloud Storage: If you were using OneDrive or any other cloud storage service, check if your files are available there. You can log in to your cloud account from a web browser to see if your files are intact.
4. Recover Deleted Files: If you suspect that files were deleted, you can check the Recycle Bin to see if they are recoverable. If they are not there, you might consider using third-party data recovery software, but be cautious as this can sometimes lead to further data loss.
5. Resetting PC: If none of the above options work, you may consider resetting your PC. You can do this by going to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC. Choose the option to "Keep my files" if you want to try to retain personal files while reinstalling Windows.

Remember that if you perform a reset, it may still affect some applications and settings, so ensure you have backups of important data before proceeding with this option.

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References:

• How to use System Restore to log on when you lose access to an account
• How push-button reset features work