If I upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 will I lose all my files?

Hello FrancisVU,

Good day! I'm John Dev a Windows user like you and I'll be happy to assist you today. I know this has been difficult for you, Rest assured, I'm going to do my best to help you.

Rest assured, all your important files and data will transfer by default. However, It's always a good practice to backup your important files first before performing any Windows upgrades or reinstallation.


Kindly let me know if this helps or if you have any further concerns.


Kind regards,

John DeV
Independent Advisor

Thanks.

However, as of Jan. 14 my computer cannot see external drives.

System restore doesn't work -- and I'm unable to type in chat window.

SO I CAN'T BACK UP MY FILES -- I'VE TRIED UPDATING AND EVERYTHING ELSE I CAN THINK OF-- AND NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO RESTORE MY COMPUTER TO WHEN IT COULD SEE MY EXTERNAL DRIVES.

Thanks,

Frank

Hello FrancisVU,

Thank you for updating me with that information. Please try the following methods below.

**Please check the link below if it helps.
https://www.windowscentral.com/how-troubleshoot...

**Press Start then click Settings(Gear icon)
Select Update and Security > View update history
Click Uninstall Updates
Under Microsoft Windows, select the recent January updates in the list then Click Uninstall
Wait for the update to uninstall
Restart your computer

Once uninstalled, please try to 'Pause updates for 7 days'.

If this doesn’t work, I recommend posting a separate thread about it so that users with the same problem can easily find it and be properly handled by other community members.

Kindly let me know if this helps or if you have any further concerns.


Kind regards,

John DeV
Independent Advisor

Standard Disclaimer: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

I'm afraid none of that works to allow my computer to see external drives.

Uninstall -- nor system restore -- nothing will repair my computer to see the external drives.

Therefore, I certainly can't upgrade to Windows 11 unless I am first able to BACK UP MY FILES.

NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO RESTORE MY COMPUTER TO WHEN IT COULD SEE MY EXTERNAL DRIVES.

Thanks again. Let me know if you hear of a solution.

Frank

Hello FrancisVU,

I'm sorry, I'm running out of possible fix and solutions. Since this is an open forum, let's see if another community member has a better solution to the issue.

Stay safe and have a great weekend.

Kind regards,

John DeV
Independent Advisor

Hi Francis. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.
I'll give you all possible fixes for External Drive not detected. Even if you've tried one please try it again in sequence and report back results. I'll be standing by to help you here:

Right click Start button to open Disk Management, scroll down to try to find the drive on the map by size and label, right click on it to assign a drive letter so it's detected in File Explorer.
For USB drive not detected issue, first try steps here: https://mspoweruser.com/solved-usb-device-not-r...
Go into Device Manager to look for the drive under Disk Drives. It may be listed by it's model or Serial which you can google to determine which is it. Click on the Device, then Driver tab, choose Roll Back if available. If not then choose Uninstall, restart PC to reinstall driver. If that fails choose Update Driver, first Automatically, then if that fails choose Browse > Let Me Pick to try all previous drivers.
If no newer or this doesn't help, then go to the USB category in Device Manager, open each Enhanced, Hub and Host controller, from Driver tab select Roll back if available, or if not choose Uninstall.
If your keyboard and mouse are USB, first program the power button to effect the needed restart after Rolling back or uninstalling the driver. Go to Settings > System > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings > Choose what Power buttons do to choose Shutdown.
Test the drive using diagnostics to know for sure it's condition: https://www.lifewire.com/free-hard-drive-testin...
Follow this up with a DIsk Check from the Command Prompt if necessary: https://www.groovypost.com/howto/check-hard-dri...
Check if the drive is detected in another PC. If so back up the data to a folder on it's desktop. Once you confirm all the data is off the external, wipe it with Diskpart Clean Command: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/85819-erase...
Then plug it back into the PC which cannot detect it, reformat in Disk Management:
http://www.wikihow.com/Format-an-External-Hard-...
If it's failing here is the best quality discount replacement I find right now:
https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Portable-Externa...

BACKUP SUGGESTIONS -
The safest and most reliable backup method is to sort your files into their User Folders (Documents, Desktop, Pictures, Downloads, etc) and periodically drag or copy them to external, which is otherwise kept unplugged to prevent ransomware attack. See tips for copying large groups of files here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2086566/the-many...
Then have a Cloud backup to capture real time file changes, and so your files are safe from ransomware, fire and theft and easily accessible via the internet just like email. Some suggestions to help ease into this habit: You can drag or copy 5gb for free into OneDrive app to store in the cloud where they are safe from fire and theft. You can also choose to sync the Desktop, Pictures and Documents folders (only) in OneDrive app Settings > Backup for real time backup. More here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/116029-turn...
If you install Google Drive Desktop, you can choose ANY User folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.) to sync up to 15g for free to their cloud in real time. You can also drag/copy selected files into Drive folder. More here: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/1083812...  
Save a System Image backup stored externally so if Windows ever becomes irreparable you can restore C in 20 minutes and be up and running. Here's the best free imaging app and how to use it: https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-re...
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

________________________________________________________

Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

By definition, upgrading means you will not lose any files.

However be aware that many people use the term "upgrade" improperly. They mean "changing to" when they say "upgrading. There are two way to "change to:" by doing an upgrade and by doing a clean installation.

If you do a clean installation, yes, will you will lose all your files.

You should also be aware that even if you do an upgrade rather than a clean installation, it's a big step, and when you take a big step, things *can* wrong. So you should be sure you have an up-to-date backup on external media of all the files important to you.

Hi Greg,

Thanks for taking the time to assist.

My external drives, usually always offline, such as MyBook can be seen on my other computers.. But here, can't be seen in disk management or anywhere else.

I've sent some active folders into Dropbox so I can download them to another computer. Likewise, sent small files to myself through email. However, this approach could take m e a year, and as I'm in active litigation, with filing deadlines, with an enormous international house flipping affiliate of an international financial enterprise, I'm inclined to speculate -- after trying everything else -- that they did this.

I hope not.

But I do believe there are techs out there -- somewhere -- who could fix my computer to see external drives.

Thanks, Ken. Problem is that my external drives, usually always offline, such as MyBook can be seen on my other computers.. But here, can't be seen in disk management or anywhere else. So I can't back them up.

I've sent some active folders into Dropbox so I can download them to another computer. Likewise, sent small files to myself through email. However, this approach could take me a year, and is just not feasible because I'm in active litigation, with filing deadlines.

I believe I've tried everything this far. But I do believe there are techs out there -- somewhere -- who could fix my computer to see external drives.

I'm not sure why you can't see your external drives, but see Greg Carmack's reply and follow his suggestions.

One other point. External hard drives are only one place to backup files. Have you tried thumb drives? DVD disks? Backup web sites and services like Carbonite? Networking to another computer and copying the files there?