Files have disappeared in documents folder but are in iCloud
How to I get the set up back to where it was?
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Phillips, thanks for the directions and reference material. Just Curious, to my knowledge there were no updates applied to my Catalina IOS on my Mac Mini overnight but when I hit the space bar and the screen came on in the morning my desktop icons were gone and that is when I noticed my document folder was empty except for the iCloud drive. Would this have been directed by some type of Apple intervention, or virus or what? I did not change anything in my could set up or preference or settings folders it just 'acted' on its on.
To check if there was an update applied to this computer >>
About this Mac >> System Information. One the left are Categories and look for Installations.
This should list all Installation including any Catalina updates. Check the Date in Last Column that corresponds by date to this apparent Restart.
If all the settings in Software Update residing in System Preferences are enabled including the Advanced Panel are also enabled - that may account for the update to have been Automatically downloaded and applied to the computer.
As for Viruses - there are no Windows-like Viruses that affect macOS.
There is Malware and Adware which does affect macOS.
This usually requires the User to Purposeful download software from " Bad Actor " Developers or Web Sites. They sometimes inject Adware / Malware into this software and it gets installed alhttps://www.malwarebytes.comong with the Intended Application.
To remove this software a good starting point is Malwarebyies from a reliable and frequent Contributor to these Forums.
Files have disappeared in documents folder but are in iCloud