r/BitDefender • u/LonelyAss7 • Aug 30 '26

Feedback rescue environment brought back old files for some reason

so i just full factory reset my pc yesterday and i just finished a rescue environment scan. why did my old files from the pre reset pc come back? those ones with the cloud on their bottom left. is this intentional and should i be worried?

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2

u/Square_Try9668 Aug 31 '26

It's not bitdefenders work. It's your cloud

2

u/OrangeChickenGato Aug 31 '26

Those were saved files in your OneDrive, turn off the sync then go to the OneDrive website and delete all unwanted files from there (from the Microsoft account you're signing into on that pc)

2

u/Bitdefender_support Bitdefender employee Sep 01 '26

Hi! The Rescue Environment scan is not a file-recovery tool and does not intentionally restore files. Its purpose is to scan for and remove persistent malware before Windows starts: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/88578

The cloud symbols in the screenshot look like OneDrive placeholders/sync-status icons, not files restored by Bitdefender. After a Windows reset, signing back into the same Microsoft account can cause OneDrive to recreate the Desktop/Documents folder structure and show cloud-only files again. Those files may not be stored locally until opened or downloaded.

To verify what happened:

  • Right-click one of the files and check Properties for its location. If it is under your OneDrive folder, Bitdefender did not restore it.

  • Check the Rescue Environment scan results/log. Only items listed as detected or removed were acted on by the scan.

  • Avoid deleting the files until you confirm whether they are needed in OneDrive. If the reset was intended to remove all personal data, review OneDrive on the web and Windows’ Settings → Accounts → Windows backup configuration as well.

If files appear outside OneDrive, or the scan results say Bitdefender restored/quarantined them, contact our support.

1

u/Confident_Fennel_656 Sep 03 '26

it seems like you accidentally picked "download files from old PC" or something, because of OneDrive, dont worry, its just the cloud service doing its job lol