Chromebooks - Lost files in Downloads after sign in invalid

Hello. I've owned a couple of Chromebooks for at least 5 or 6 years now. Current one is Acer Chromebook 11, model C740 with 4G memory and 3215U processor. I've been most pleased until today, 2-3-2020. Horrors! After some usage early afternoon I logged off for a few hours and then logged back in again. Screen said wrong password. It wasn't wrong. Tried again and again. Noticed screen background had changed. Finally gave up and went with new password and continued. Very Bad move as it turns out! All seemed well as I received a Google email saying "Account Recovered Successfully" and also all bookmarks were still there, screen looked normal, maybe good to go?

No. A friend sent an email with a video attachment this evening so I had to download it to see it of course. When I went to open it I then realized ALL my previous files in the Download folder are GONE. I have a USB drive in place with some older files- which appear to be all still there, but unfortunately the important ones are now missing in the Download folder. The folder itself is still there. And yes, I should have backed them up, Chrome lulled me into a sense of well being, it's my fault there. But what possibly went wrong in a three hour inactive window between 2 and 5PM to corrupt my password and then subsequently cause what I'll refer to as a significant personal loss of needed data? Wasn't having any issues before shutdown at 2PM.

Looking at chrome://system I see a long list of errors and warnings under "profile Chrome user log", but I'm not a tech and it's all meaningless to me. "History" is still all there ..

I dread the answer as I did snoop around in Google Community and see that I'm not the first, and answers pointed to I'm out of luck. Nobody has responded to my dilemma in that forum. But is anything new out there in Chrome that can help me recover this? The email saying the account was recovered sort of makes me hope that somewhere these files are waiting for me to find them...

And PS- The box in settings to report usage statistics and crash reports is checked ON and has been on. Thanks in advance.

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JackE

>>> The folder itself is still there. >>>

Are there any folder view options that might hide older downloads and only show recent ones? If not, do you recall even one filename that could've been in the folder (other than your friend's recent video)? You could then search the entire local drive with the Files app. As long as a power wash reset didn't somehow accidentally happen, they should still be buried in there somewhere. Jack E/NJ

ChromeUserC740

Thanks for your reply JackE.

I did receive replies in the Google forum. The 100% consensus is the files are gone forever. A very hard lesson to learn.

Forum Link- https://support.google.com/chromebook/thread/27606529? I described the event in more detail. It's a bit out of order.

But on your advice I did go to the Downloads folder, now completely empty. I checked the box to show hidden files. I then did a search using all the first letters of the alphabet. "Nothing to see here". Under My Files > Downloads > More (the 3 vertical dots)> opening the last line graph shows 7.9G available with 2.6G in use. I'm wondering what this 2.6G is- If this is part of the OS would it show here? The box that opens is titled Settings > Storage Management with Device highlighted on the left task bar. It also says Downloads 0GB, Browsing Data 227MB, and Other Users 0GB. It wasn't a full reset over the crash, only the Downloads folder was lost.

I'll take full responsibility for not moving those files. I just don't know why it happened and wish the warning might have said try and reboot first before attempting to retype the (correct) password multiple times. I'm not a tech. I'm wondering too about static electricity, our house is very dry.

Thank you again JackE , most appreciated. I hope I did what you proposed.

JackE

Are you sure that you have the 'Files' application installed? And that Files is what you're using for your search? Open the App Launcher. Do you see the Files icon? Jack E/NJ

ChromeUserC740

Yes, same one since Day 1. Opening the App Launcher shows me 18 icons - I've never installed any manually that I know of. Files is there, middle of the third row, a blue circle with white folder. Opening the Files icon takes me to My Files> Sub headings are Recent, My Files (with downloads already open), Google Drive, and USB20FD. I've had that USB drive plugged in for some time now, some files are there that I stored previously, haven't used it for some time. Those files appear intact as far as I remember.

Am I in the right place? Thank you!

JackE

>>>After some usage early afternoon I logged off for a few hours and then logged back in again. Screen said wrong password. It wasn't wrong. Tried again and again. Noticed screen background had changed. >>>

Was it possible anyone else could've had access to the machine during this time? Sure seems like a reset, and/or another account was set up, and/or your password was used to create a new password. Jack E/NJ

ChromeUserC740

JackE,

No one else had physical access. When you say reset, are you referring to Powerwash? Since all bookmarks were retained that could not have happened?? I personally have never used Powerwash. The same Google account was maintained after "recovery" although I had to create a new password. Going to the Google account icon > Manage accounts > Choose an Account ... (there is only one account)> Manage your Google account. Within this account all appears to be correct and it does show the password change on Feb 3.

Looking in chrome://system there are an enormous amount of errors and warnings under chrome_ system_log and chrome_system_log. PREVIOUS. Many end with ...sandbox_support and duplicate id found. I assume PREVIOUS means Feb 3 at password change.

If this one is unstable then perhaps it's time to rethink using it. Up to now it has suited my needs perfectly, plenty fast enough for me and what I need it for. It has suffered some "mini" crashes along the way and shut down, and run out of battery a couple of times, but a simple power up and it was always good to go again. Never gave those instances a second thought.

Thank you.

JackE

>>>If this one is unstable then perhaps it's time to rethink using it.>>>

Yes. I'm at a loss to explain it. But I really don't think it was a hardware issue because---except for the errors, password anamoly, & lost downloads--- it seems to be fine otherwise. If I didn't know it had Chrome installed, I probably would've blamed it on a Win10 update. Part of the reason why I don't trust either Chrome or Win10 without backing up my really important files every day or two on an external drive. Never seemed to have to worry that much about this kind of issue before. Sorry I couldn't help you out. Jack E/NJ

ChromeUserC740

JackE,

Your interest in my problem was most appreciated, Thank you !!

I've learned from this, hopefully those lost files won't bite me hard later. What bothers me is finding out that this is not at all an uncommon problem for us not in the know. While yes, I should have backed up the files, I don't believe it needed to happen this way- that's My Opinion as a non tech person.

I say this because ... #1 The box is, and has been checked all along to report crashes to Chrome .. #2 Why crash my system over a password Chrome thinks is wrong. In other words why should Chrome think my security is being breached if someone is entering the same password multiple times. I should think that if someone is attempting to get into a system not their own they would be guessing at different passwords ...
#3 Why not a BIG warning after multiple password attempts to say you've used up your allotment, maybe shut down and try again later or ... #4 Why not present another option in addition to a password reset that MAY cause you to lose data/files- such as #3.

I don't know why Google's email said your account was recovered successfully. Those Download files were part of the account. So ..

Once again JackE, your friendly input was most welcomed. Regards, and many thanks.

JackE

>>>Screen said wrong password. It wasn't wrong. Tried again and again. Noticed screen background had changed. Finally gave up and went with new password and continued>>>>>>I don't know why Google's email said your account was recovered successfully. Those Download files were part of the account. So ..>>>

Thank you for your kind words. I think it only meant that your account & files were restored on the google server machines, not the files that were stored on your local chromebook machine. Another possibility is that one or more KB keys may have been sticking while trying to enter your old password that repeatedly failed. Then when you created the new one, you might've not used that same sticking key again. But then it still can't explain the screen change or deleted locally-stored files. Jack E/NJ

ChromeUserC740

JackE,

You are right of course. Ill pay attention for sticking keys as I continue to use this machine for a while. No NASA secrets here. Only key I've noticed sticking is the forward slash, it's always been that way- and didn't apply to the password. I'm afraid to do a full reset as I don't know what will happen. Is it just a question of losing bookmarks? Certainly don't have to worry about Download files anymore! I'll remove the USB drive when I do so. The emails have been on AOL since Verizon divested that service to them. Perhaps I should make a separate post about Powerwash. or Google the expected outcome, I did do this when i gave my brother my first Chrome machine, an Acer Cb3-111 (?) , but too long ago for me to remember the outcome

Thank you!

JackE

A powerwash should simply reset it to a factory-fresh out-of-the-box state. And the hassle you had to go thru to set it up the way you like. 'Should' of course is the keyword.

Jack E/NJ

ChromeUserC740

'Should' of course is the keyword.

Image: https://community.acer.com/plugins/emojiextender/emoji/twitter/smile.png

"

I couldn't agree more! I prefer my tension be appropriately placed in a Jason Bourne movie.

Thank you!

cheelnadie

ChromeUserC740 said:

Thanks for your reply JackE.

I did receive replies in the Google forum. The 100% consensus is the files are gone forever. A very hard lesson to learn.

Forum Link- https://support.google.com/chromeboo k -fix-the-issue I described the event in more detail. It's a bit out of order.

But on your advice I did go to the Downloads folder, now completely empty. I checked the box to show hidden files. I then did a search using all the first letters of the alphabet. "Nothing to see here". Under My Files > Downloads > More (the 3 vertical dots)> opening the last line graph shows 7.9G available with 2.6G in use. I'm wondering what this 2.6G is- If this is part of the OS would it show here? The box that opens is titled Settings > Storage Management with Device highlighted on the left task bar. It also says Downloads 0GB, Browsing Data 227MB, and Other Users 0GB. It wasn't a full reset over the crash, only the Downloads folder was lost.

I'll take full responsibility for not moving those files. I just don't know why it happened and wish the warning might have said try and reboot first before attempting to retype the (correct) password multiple times. I'm not a tech. I'm wondering too about static electricity, our house is very dry.

Thank you again JackE , most appreciated. I hope I did what you proposed.

Google gives you a place to securely store your files; Google drive.

The Downloads folder is called that because it's a place to download things temporarily, not to permanently store them. I usually download files on removable drive and store them with me.

LilWaif

Hi ChromeUserC740

So I called ACER at 1-866-695-2237 and you need to provide them the SNID of computer and if not under warranty they know the problem and they said to pay either $20.00 for one month or $9.99 for one time fee for issue on computer.

So this is actual a know problem that ACER knows about, but has not disclosed.

IF anyone has a warranty still valid for ACER Chromebook can someone update all of us. I have the same problem

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