I recently reset my Windows 10 (latest update) PC and selected Keep My Files. When the reset had finished my Documents and Downloads folders were gone. Is this behavior by design? Would the Reset procedure have moved them to some backup location?
Although I have never had the problem you are having a couple things come to mind.
If you remember the file name's you could try to search for them in the windows.old folder.
Did you change the file location of your Documents folder to another drive or partition, If I remember correctly when I reset Windows it reset the folders to their default location on my C: drive.
I am logged into the same account. There is no Windows.Old folder - I think I deleted it, woops. The documents and downloads folders were in the default locations and had never been moved.
If you are definitely supposed to keep the same documents and downloads folders with the same content after a reset, that is good. If I have to reset again I think I would move documents and downloads elsewhere in the tree just for reassurance.
It'd be best, rather than move, to copy anything you don't want to lose or that exists nowhere else to either an External USB HDD or a USB Thumb/Flash drive. Also possible to copy groups of files to DVD-/+R discs up to just under 4.2GB or just under 8GB for the DVD+R/DL [Dual Layer] discs. Then there's the 25GB Blu-Ray discs if one has the drive for them.
With original upgrades to Win 10 and to build 1511 if I recall there were quite a lot of posts about lost document folders.
Here's just one.
Documents deleted after update
If you search for more such threads, you may find an idea that helps. I recall one problem was of being logged in with a temporary profile.
The key to using a PC is always always to back up. Back up before and after a major upgrade or update. There are always risks. Some people find their PC's become unbootable.
This is why we constantly and strenuously recommend the routine use of disk imaging e.g. Macrium Reflect (free).
This can even help you recover your PC if your disk fails completely (you have to buy a new disk of course!) - or transfer your data and programs to a new PC (program transfer requires another program as well).
This gives you a recovery path likely not to need technical help.
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