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Windows' automatic file repair erased more than half of my hard drive. Where are the files?

Marcelo 0 Reputation points
2025-10-28T14:01:16.41+00:00

After the latest Windows 10 update, I was swapping my primary hard drive for a secondary one when Windows asked me to automatically fix the errors. Since it's reliable, I let it do it. It took 5 hours, and in the end, my 1TB hard drive was practically empty. Did Windows delete my files or move them elsewhere? It was 700GB full, but now it's 700GB empty. Where did my files go?

Windows' automatic file repair erased more than half of my hard drive. Where are the files?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Recovery and backup
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  1. Ian-Ng 6,125 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-12-05T18:53:09.2633333+00:00

    Hi @Marcelo, 

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Based on your sharing, you experienced following the Windows automatic repair. It is highly likely that your files are still recoverable and have simply been displaced or hidden by the system. 

    The repair process you authorized was likely the Windows Check Disk utility. When this tool finds inconsistencies in the file system, it attempts to stabilize the drive by moving the raw data into a hidden system folder or by resetting the file index. Although the drive appears empty, the data usually remains physically on the disk until it is overwritten. 

    First of all, please stop using the affected drive immediately. Do not save new files, copy folders, or install software onto this specific hard drive. Any new data written to the disk risks permanently overwriting your lost files. 

    Phase 1: Check for the Hidden FOUND Folder Windows frequently dumps recovered data into a protected system folder that is invisible by default. You must change your view settings to see it. 

    1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the affected drive. 
    2. Open the "Options" or "Folder Options" menu from the toolbar. 
    3. Select the "View" tab. 
    4. You need to change setting here: Select the option: Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
    5. Click Apply and OK. 

    Look for a folder named FOUND.000 or FOUND.001 on the root of the drive. If this folder exists and is large in size, your data is inside. The files may be renamed to generic titles (like FILE0000.CHK), and we can use specific tools to restore their original formats

    Phase 2: Apply data recovery software

    If the FOUND folder is not present, the file index was likely reset. You will need to scan the drive for raw data. 

    1. Download a reliable data recovery tool (such as Recuva, Disk Drill, or EaseUS). 
    2. Important: Download and install this software on your primary C: drive, not the affected external drive. 
    3. Run the software and perform a "Deep Scan" on the affected drive. 
    4. If files are found, recover them to a separate storage location on your main computer. 

    Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link 

    Please attempt Phase 1 first and let me know if you locate the FOUND folder.

    Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out.

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