What happened to my apps on samsung galaxy tab a6?

[Android Central Question]

Most of my apps on my sd card have vanished and most of the remaining apps have reverted to default settings. Ive tried restarting, unmounting sd card, signing out and back into google. Cant reinstall the apps as the data is already there so I just get an error. Its funny it cleared things limk my chrome history but didnt uninstall downloaded apps if they were installed to the device storage. This may have happened during an update. I dont want to have to factory reset - the data is here, the OS is just acting like it isnt. And no, this is not a case of simple missing shortcuts

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! If you go to the App Manager and select an app that was moved to SD, is there an option to move it back to the device storage?

 

[Sallywolf]

B. Diddy no, this is jot a case of missing shortcuts. Os was installing cnn for samsung and reinstalling some default apps i had disabled when this happened. It is as if half my user data is locked. Like if i go to the guest account (which i do t recall having enabled before) it shows even fewer apps installed, it is as if half my user data is lost in some 3rd accout that doesnt really exist

 

[B. Diddy]

Ok -- but I'm not suggesting it's a case of missing shortcuts. I'm wondering if the symlink between the app data that was moved to SD and the main part of the app that still has to reside on Internal Storage might have become disrupted. In that situation, the app won't work any more, since it's expecting to see the part that was moved to SD. Often in this situation, you'll see the app shortcut icon reverts to the generic Android icon, rather than the app's usual icon.

 

[Sallywolf]

No the shortcuts have disappeared and the missing apps are not in the app drawer. When i try to reinstall it tells me there is not space for any of the app that disappeared. When i insyall a new app however, then i have space and those work. Somehow my chrome tabs and settings reverted, but my history is intact. The wallpaper changer app i installed is still here cause it was on the tablet, but its settings are wiped. Every app is like this. Youtube reverted to the factory default version of the app, but i remained logged in. It makes zero sense

 

[B. Diddy]

That is strange. Have you already tried wiping the cache partition? This won't erase any personal data. https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-28352

 

[Sallywolf]

Sadly that did not help either. im just going to reset the os now