Solved Windows 8 deleted account: Where did the downloads go?

So this started when I got irritated that there is a suffix on the name of the user account folder on my pc

then I tried searching the web on how to rename that folder

unfortunately, the steps required a different version of windows 8 and/or editing registry keys (which I don't intend to do since I may accidentally do more damage than good)

what I did was create a new local admin account then transfer the files and downloads from the old user account to the new one. I trusted the 'Keep files' option that it would keep my files (documents, pictures, videos...) then proceeded on creating a new account.

So I got my documents and pictures and videos and music but where are my downloads?



I've been searching for hours and even tried system restore (failed)

For the future reference here's a tutorial for changing the user profile folder name in Windows 7 and 8: User Profile Folder - Change User Account Folder Name - Windows 7 Help Forums. The tutorial applies to all editions of Windows 7 & 8. Exception: if changing the folder and / or username for the built-in administrator (step 22 in tutorial), you need Windows 7 Professional or better or Windows 8 Pro or better.

Then to your issue. I am sorry but you have lost your downloads and it's all your own fault, something you could have prevented if you had read the Windows dialogs instead of simply clicking the Delete account button. See the highlighted text in screenshot below:
It tells very clearly that only the contents of Desktop, Documents, Favorites, Music, Pictures and Videos folders will be saved.

The correct way to do what you have done is of course first create the new user, then move the data from old user to new user, check that everything is moved, and only then delete the old user.

As system restore does not touch user data it will not restore deleted user profiles. Only option to do that is to restore a system image backup. If you have no backups available, your old profile's downloads are gone except of course those you have saved in Public Downloads.

Kari

Oh well...

At least I learned a lesson in a very hard way.

however I am curious, is there any reliable (free) software out there that recovers deleted files?

Thank you for your speedy response.

Personally I have had some quite positive results in using Recuva to recover accidentally deleted files. Free download: https://www.piriform.com/recuva.

Kari