User folder missing

Susan Dodds 421 Reputation points
2026-09-22T14:41:10.7666667+00:00

On a computer that has failed, the hard drive is apparently missing a user folder.

The hard drive has not been plugged into another machine at this time. It is being accessed via USB adapter and windows explorer.

There are 2 other users and the public user folder under the users directory.

Under folder properties for the profiles, there's 3 unknown users (the 2 users and default profile I assume).

I am told there was an additional user and user folder but the folder is not there.

The user needs something recovered that was created between backups.

What steps can I try to recover the user folder that won't potentially destroy potentially deleted data?

Thanks

Windows for home | Other | Recovery and backup
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  1. DaveM121 936.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-22T15:14:44.2233333+00:00

    Open Command Prompt by right clicking its icon and select 'Run as Administrator.

    Run this command in Command Prompt and press Enter (replace C with the correct drive letter).

    attrib +r -s -h "C:\Users" /S /D

    If there is a user folder that is not visible in the Users folder, that command will make the folder visible and this command does not affect the users data.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-22T14:41:32.9033333+00:00

    To avoid overwriting recoverable data, start with read-only checks and do not copy files back to that drive.

    1. Check whether the folder is only hidden.
      • Open File Explorer and browse to C:\Users on the attached drive.
      • Turn on hidden items:
        • In File Explorer, open Settings > For developers > File Explorer > Show settings next to Change settings to show hidden and system files.
        • In File Explorer Options, under Advanced settings, select Show hidden files, folders, or drives.
        • Select Apply.
      • Also check File Explorer options if the profile folder was hidden from normal view.
    2. Search the entire attached drive for the missing files or folder name.
      • In File Explorer, select This PC.
      • In the Search This PC box, enter the missing file name, the expected user folder name, or a file type such as documents or pictures.
      • If search does not find anything, run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter:
        • Right-click Start > Search.
        • Enter Control Panel.
        • Open Control Panel > search for indexing > Indexing options.
        • Select Advanced > Troubleshoot search and indexing.
    3. Check common alternate profile locations.
      • Look under C:\Users for another profile folder that may contain the missing data.
      • If the system was upgraded or reset previously, check whether a Windows.old folder exists on the drive and then browse to its Users folder.
    4. If the original Windows installation still boots and the profile was corrupted rather than deleted, create a new administrator account and copy files from the old profile.
      • Sign in with the new account.
      • Open C:\Users\<Old_Username> and copy files to C:\Users\<New_Username>.
      • Do not change File Explorer view options to show hidden protected operating system files while doing this.
      • Some apps may need to be reconfigured or reinstalled afterward.
    5. If the missing data belongs to a domain or managed environment, check whether Folder Redirection or Roaming User Profiles were used.
      • With Folder Redirection, files such as Documents may have been stored in another location, including a file share.
      • With Roaming User Profiles, the profile may exist on a file share rather than only on the local disk.
    6. If a temporary or replacement profile was involved before the machine failed, do not copy recovered files into that temporary profile path.
      • First locate the original profile data under C:\Users or another profile location.

    The safest recovery approach from the attached drive is: inspect for hidden folders, search the whole drive, check Windows.old, and check for redirected or roaming profile storage before attempting any write operation.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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