I reverted my laptop back to win10 and now I can't access my downloads

bob2 · 3 Weeks Ago

My windows 10 computer has repeatedly been asking me to update to windows 11, and I kept on saying no, even delaying the updates a month in advance each time it asked me, because it doesn't have all the features I like. Recently, it updated on its own with no one telling it to, so I reverted back to windows 10.

After doing that, I can't access my downloads folder, or even most of my internal folders. Its not like the data is missing, but more, if I try to open the downloads folder, the file explorer will search through all of the files and get stuck. I can't even access files I downloaded after reverting.

I'm quite annoyed at whoever decided to force laptops to update, because my computer is now unusable.

Anyway, does anyone know possible ways of fixing it?

My laptop is a Lenovo Thinkpad from 2022. I currently have windows 10 home. I'm not sure which specific version of windows 11 it was; I didn't think to check before reverting.

The specific version of windows 10 home:
22H2 (OS Build: 19045.3930)

Berton · 3 Weeks Ago

bob2 said:

I currently have windows 10 home. I'm not sure which specific version of windows 11 it was; I didn't think to check before reverting.

The specific version of windows 10 home:
22H2 (OS Build: 19045.3930)

Based on timing your Win11 was either Version 22H2 or the latest, 23H2.

As for because it doesn't have all the features I like, Win11 pretty much has what Win10 has but just moved around and programs that work in Win10 also work in Win11. Some things in Win10 Control Panel are now on the right-click of the Win11 Start button. File storage is still much the same, maybe the reverting back to Win10 got it messed up somehow.

TairikuOkami · 3 Weeks Ago

11 likes to move everything into onedrive, if you no longer have it, links might have been messed up.

Restore Default Location of Personal Folders in Windows 10

dalchina · 3 Weeks Ago

Hi, the means of blocking the upgrade to Win 11 (which should be opt-in, but some report it happens automatically) has been widely posted on the internet for some years- a simple search will find it.

See:
How to Specify Target Feature Update Version in Windows 10
- as you have Home use the registry option.

Do you use Onedrive as suggested above? I.e. do you have a MS account with Onedrive active?
Remember that you can log in to your Onedrive account using a browser if necessary.

A good number of members here completely uninstalled it, as I have, being complicated and intrusive.

if I try to open the downloads folder, the file explorer will search through all of the files and get stuck.

- so it's not a permissions issue- you can open the folder- the problem is after that.

File explorer shouldn't search unless there's some text in its search box. What do you see that makes you think it's searching? It may be trying to rebuild a thumbnail cache but failing somehow, for example.

Post a screenshot if there's something to see of interest.

After doing that, I can't access my downloads folder, or even most of my internal folders. Its not like the data is missing, but more, if I try to open the downloads folder, the file explorer will search through all of the files and get stuck. I can't even access files I downloaded after reverting.

Try booting to Safe Mode and accessing the folder. Do you see any change?

Samuria · 3 Weeks Ago

If your files were on 11 the permissions will all be set for 11 did you will have to take ownership

dalchina · 3 Weeks Ago

- if you do need to do that see:
Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10

bob2 · 3 Weeks Ago

Just to add a bit more information:
I didn't really explain very well. When trying to open downloads, or any other internal folder, but downloads was the first one I noticed this with, the green bar at the top which shows how far through the file explorer is with loading the contents of that folder, almost completely to the end and then stops, without showing any files at all. Does that make sense?
Usually the green bar goes across instantly, and on another computer which has an external drive, it takes a few seconds for the bar to go across and show the files. Now, on my computer, the green bar moves very slowly. It takes about a minute to get like 95% of the way there and then stops.
I don't think the files have been deleted, in fact, I have some desktop shortcuts to individual files in downloads and I can open them. I think it must be a problem with file explorer.

JLArranz · 3 Weeks Ago

Try opening a command prompt as Administrator and running the following from it:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

SFC /scannow

They might take a while. For a problem here the first command took 30-40 minutes, the second one about 5 minutes.

dalchina · 3 Weeks Ago

Thank you for your clearer explanation. I almost never see a green progress bar such as you describe, even with large folders.

I note I told you how to block any possible update to Win 11. I don't see any acknowledgement.

I also suggested you try booting to Safe Mode for comparison. I don't see any acknowledgement.

As for the green progress bar see this:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...4-410c8707f4fb

A number of people found that helped.

More here:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...d-0c111284b4e8