Kitz Forum
Computer Software => Windows 10 => Topic started by: Floydoid on April 24, 2021, 04:37:18 PM
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Got a bit of a niggling problem with Windows Explorer, had once or twice before but can't remember how I resolved it, in that when opening Windows Explorer, the system folder 'Documents' appears twice. The best way I can explain this is by attaching a screenshot.
Any suggestions?
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From looking at the icon of the folder on the right, it seems as if that one should be named "Downloads".
As I know absolutely nothing about BGW/M$ products, the above may, of course, be nonsense.
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I hadn't considered that.
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Burakkucat is absolutely right.
The Downloads and Documents folders are in the folder C:\Users\Username and I thought it wouldn't be possible to rename Downloads to Documents because it would cause duplicate folder names. However I have just tried this out and it is possible. Need to reboot after renaming the folder.
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They are fine in that folder.
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Yes, the ones in This PC are some kind of link or shortcut rather the folders themselves, which is presumably why this was possible.
Does the one that should be called Downloads still take you into Downloads?
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No, it takes you to Documents.
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You can change the Icon picture to a "Documents" one - Right click on folder to change "Properties" then customise tab - change Icon.
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The wrongly labelled downloads icon in the first image is pointing at the same location, as the Documents shortcut. I suspect it may be some obscure registry edit to fix it (which I'd have no problem with) but extensive searching online doesn't come up with any specific methodology that I'd entirely trust. So maybe I'll just leave it seeing as it's not a biggie, and see if it resolves itself (possibly when future updates are installed).
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I'm wondering if the default location for Downloads has been changed to Documents?
Have you tried downloading something to see if it goes into the correct Downloads or into Documents instead?
There is a way to change the default location for the Library folders but I can't for the life of me figure out where its hiding because Windows Search is garbage and hardly ever finds anything unless you use the exact terminology.
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There is a way to change the default location for the Library folders but I can't for the life of me figure out where its hiding because Windows Search is garbage and hardly ever finds anything unless you use the exact terminology.
Properties > Location
I'd backup the Documents and Download folders before trying that.
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For example you can goto - Libraries - Right click Documents - Properties - restore to defaults. As Digbey pointed out best to backup first.
If you have relocated your User folders to another drive... could result in moving them back to C:\users\etc
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I use another download location entirely and don't have the library icon link to it.
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See, the downloads icon thinks it's Documents, and I can't see any logical way to repair it.
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Whereas, under my user account, everything appears present and correct.
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So you have 2 locations for your files C:\users\Documents and E:\Documents
The E:\Documents has the wrong Icon :fingers:
If you goto libraries on left side and right click on Documents to show folder paths
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Yeah I've now just changed everything back to the default location - C:\Users\User\Documents, and moved everything from E:\Documents.
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The E:\Documents has the wrong Icon :fingers:
That's because it's the Downloads icon which has got corrupted and thinks it's Documents. I'll leave this discussion now as I don't think I'm explaining it well enough.
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:( If there's nothing in the folder , just delete it (E:\Documents)
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That's because it's the Downloads icon which has got corrupted and thinks it's Documents. I'll leave this discussion now as I don't think I'm explaining it well enough.
Perfectly obvious to me, what's supposed to link to Downloads is linking to Documents. What I can't fathom is how that would happen and how to fix it.
I tested changing the location of Downloads to Documents and it merges them in that case, so doesn't have duplicates like yours. Unfortunately once merged, you can't change them back so I can't test anything else.
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I found this for managing symlinks Junction Link Magic 2.0
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Ah ha, what I did earlier DID replicate the problem after all!
Basically if you change the Downloads location to be Documents it merges the two. Initially the downloads icon disappeared but when I rebooted it came back called Documents, just as in the screenshot above.
To make matters worse, when I did the above Windows said "if you change one system folder to point to another, this action cannot be reversed". Absolutely bonkers!
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https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/shell-folders-merged-music-videos-same-folder/
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Brilliant thanks - that's done the trick - I will store the reg fix file for posterity.
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I don't understand why Microsoft would let you do something that cannot be automatically reversed. I get that it would never be seamless as one of the folders would have to be fresh with you moving the files you want afterwards, but to just claim it cant be done period is dumb.
Then again its Windows 10, the number of dumb things they've done can no longer be counted on fingers and toes.
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It's crackers.
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Curiously, since applying that patch to rebuild the system folders, I have allowed KB5001330 to reinstall, and no longer get the boot loop annoyance as discussed here (https://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php/topic,25801.0.html).
Could be coincidental, or maybe MS have actually done something about it. The jury is out.