Documents folder emptying itself


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Everything I place in the Documents folder is automatically deleted after a short time, maybe a couple hours or so (Not sure, haven't timed it.).  I don't even know where to begin to troubleshoot this.  Googled around a bit, and found nothing exactly like this.

 

It's the regular Documents folder in 8.1, not the SkyDrive.  Speaking of which, I've tried both settings for "Automatically save documents to SkyDrive", on and off.  Same issue happens.

 

Whatever other details are needed, I'll try and provide.

 

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I would probably try changing the default to somewhere else and also make sure that you can create a file there.    

Also suggest creating a second profile and see if the same occurs there.     

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I have the same problem except my folder just gets deleted for no reason.

 

tdsskiller

hitman pro

malwarebytes

Avast quickscan

 

All scans come up clean.

 

Try making another folder on your hard drive called "Documents" and see if the issue follows.

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Get Process Monitor from SysInternals.  Put a file in your Documents folder, and set a filter in ProcMon to monitor it (and only it--otherwise you'll get inundated with irrelevant data).

 

When the file gets deleted, you should be able to see what process deleted it.

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Do you have SkyDrive turned on? If so, go look on the web version and see if your missing files are there. I experienced wonkiness with the Documents folder and saving from certain apps so I turned it off for now.

EDIT: I missed that you mentioned SkyDrive. I will clarify I had to completely turn the integration off not just the document syncing. I removed all my synced stuff and Win 8 device profiles from my MS account and everything seemed to behave after that. I just left the "Save documents to SkyDrive by default" switch off.

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any startup services or programs and look a bit off? you should scan with a proper antivirus, defender won't cut it.   also any chance the files are being hidden

 

are they going into the recycle bin? (if so try turning on "delete confirmation" in the recycle bin)

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Get Process Monitor from SysInternals.  Put a file in your Documents folder, and set a filter in ProcMon to monitor it (and only it--otherwise you'll get inundated with irrelevant data).

 

When the file gets deleted, you should be able to see what process deleted it.

 

Amazing Advice. Thank you! I got it configured now.

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Process Monitor are powerful but its quite hassle to use,

i usually use the older tools: Filemon (also from SysInternals) if i just looking for file operations related processes.

 

ProcMon is just a combined version of FileMon, RegMon, and some other utilities, plus some better filtering.  You can't even download them anymore, as far as I know (as least not from the original source).  I wasn't going to suggest a tool that has been superseded by something else, and is no longer maintained.

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Everything I place in the Documents folder is automatically deleted after a short time, maybe a couple hours or so (Not sure, haven't timed it.).  I don't even know where to begin to troubleshoot this.  Googled around a bit, and found nothing exactly like this.

 

It's the regular Documents folder in 8.1, not the SkyDrive.  Speaking of which, I've tried both settings for "Automatically save documents to SkyDrive", on and off.  Same issue happens.

 

Whatever other details are needed, I'll try and provide.

 

 

Do you have carbonite installed by chance?

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Sorry for the delay.  Thank you all for your replies.  So for whatever reason, the issue hasn't happened for about a few days, which is something of a new record compared to the past month.  I haven't uninstalled anything, nor changed any settings.  As soon as it happens again, I'll try and see what Procmon says.

 

 

Do you have carbonite installed by chance?

 

No, I don't.

 

 

any startup services or programs and look a bit off? you should scan with a proper antivirus, defender won't cut it.   also any chance the files are being hidden

 

are they going into the recycle bin? (if so try turning on "delete confirmation" in the recycle bin)

 

Files aren't going into the recycle and they aren't hidden.

 

 

Do you have SkyDrive turned on? If so, go look on the web version and see if your missing files are there. I experienced wonkiness with the Documents folder and saving from certain apps so I turned it off for now.

EDIT: I missed that you mentioned SkyDrive. I will clarify I had to completely turn the integration off not just the document syncing. I removed all my synced stuff and Win 8 device profiles from my MS account and everything seemed to behave after that. I just left the "Save documents to SkyDrive by default" switch off.

 

I've left the Save to SkyDrive on at this point.

 

 

Get Process Monitor from SysInternals.  Put a file in your Documents folder, and set a filter in ProcMon to monitor it (and only it--otherwise you'll get inundated with irrelevant data).

 

When the file gets deleted, you should be able to see what process deleted it.

 

I will try this.

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Sorry for the delay.  Thank you all for your replies.  So for whatever reason, the issue hasn't happened for about a few days, which is something of a new record compared to the past month.  I haven't uninstalled anything, nor changed any settings.  As soon as it happens again, I'll try and see what Procmon says.

 

 

 

No, I don't.

 

 

 

Files aren't going into the recycle and they aren't hidden.

 

 

 

I've left the Save to SkyDrive on at this point.

 

 

 

I will try this.

 

 

Make sure you in processmon you go under filter and check "Drop filtered Events" This will ONLY record the filtered folder. Other wise even though you don't see them, it will be record all other events and eventually you will run out of memory.

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