Windows 10 Resets to Default Settings

[Margo1]

Hello. I turned on my computer 15 minutes ago and there was a dimmed message stating that my computer was restarting. After it restarted, a message came up and said that I had to sign out of my MS account, which I did two times. However, my computer brought me back to the message a third time so I dismissed it.

When I was able to get to my Home screen, I noticed that most of my installed icons representing my installed programs were gone as were my bookmarks. I had to start up my McAfee trial  again and set my default back to Google Chrome. Also, my Control Panel shows that programs that I downloaded are not under the Control Panel anymore. It seems my computer went back to the beginning when I first received it.

What happened and is there a way for me to bring back the computer to what it was before all this happened without having to reinstall everything?

[mdklassen]

> What happened

Did you (or somebody else with access to your computer) click "Reset my PC" or "Restore my PC" ?

> Is there a way for me to bring back the computer to what it was before all this happened without having to reinstall everything?

I think that it has already "reinstalled everything", leaving you with no way to "roll-back".

[Margo1]

I did not click the "Reset my PC" or "Restore my PC". I simply turned my computer on in the afternoon and the programs, settings, and bookmarks were gone.

I did, however, download a Flash Player update. I am wondering if this could have caused the problem. I attempted a System Restore, but it was not successful. I want to see if there is anything I should do before going into Safe Mode and doing a System Restore again.

[mdklassen]

> I did, however, download a Flash Player update. I am wondering if this could have caused the problem.

Since your computer is running Windows 10, that update came directly from Microsoft -- not from Adobe.

Of course, nothing is impossible, but I truly doubt that this update could have caused your problem.

> I attempted a System Restore, but it was not successful.

Please elaborate.  Error-messages?  No "restore points" found?

[Margo1]

After attempting the System Restore, a message stated "System Restore failed to extract the file. Restore point was damaged or was deleted during the restore." 

I am thinking of performing the System Restore, but I first have to get to Safe Mode. I had this same problem with my Windows Vista computer. If I did not get into Safe Mode first, I could not perform a System Restore.

[Margo1 · Accepted solution]

For anybody who will be having this problem in the future, my particular problem was caused by the Adobe Flash Player update, which my 30 day trial of McAfee downloaded to my computer. It caused corruption to my User Account, so Microsoft created a new User Account for me, and transferred my files (which I feared had been erased completely) to my new User Account.:smileyhappy:

I had a feeling that the Adobe Flash Player update was the cause, but I couldn't do a System Restore, even though I put my system into Safe Mode. I am not sure if System Restore would have worked, but I wish it would have.