Renaming any folder produces "Could not find this item". Clicking "Try Again" always works. Why?

Anonymous

This is not the same issue as similar postings that have to do inability to delete folders that contain zero byte files.

If I try to rename any folder in my system, I get "Could not find this item" with the choices "Try Again" and "Cancel". When I click "Try Again", it always succeeds. So - my system isn't crippled - but it is so totally annoying. I can even right-click on my desktop, and choose "New... Folder" and type in a name, and I get "Could not find this item". The interesting thing is that the item's name does change even before I click "Try Again".

If I have a folder named "Folder1" and I rename it to "Folder2", I get the error that "Folder1" Could not be found - which is actually true, as it is already renamed to "Folder2".

Why is Windows 7 looking for the old folder name after renaming? I've also disabled AVG's live scanner to no avail.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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Anonymous

I finally got it.

I used the same solution for the similar issue in Windows Vista. Once i got to my company laptop, i exported this 2 registry keys.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions

Merged into my pc and voilà !!

The 'shell' command also works again (ex: shell:personal brings up the account folder)

I uploaded the reg file and you can get it here http://cid-fb5a28bc4a1cc9b6.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/Folder%5E_fix%5E_win7%5E_x64/FolderDescriptions.rar

This is for Win7 x64. Use it at your own risk.

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95 additional answers

Anonymous

2010-10-03T23:08:40+00:00

Sadly not an answer for me as I use Windows 7 32 bit, so presumably this will not work? Anybody have a 32 bit answer?
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Anonymous

2010-08-21T19:21:47+00:00

I found this fix in two separate forums - same file. I backed up my registry and held my breath and - lo and behold! - yup, it worked.

So I'm thanking both contributors (worth a double post I think). Now my backup application will work . It quit when I couldn't make folders.

So thanks and have a virtual Molson's on me!
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Anonymous

2010-08-13T16:32:05+00:00

I am having the same folder rename problem and it is the middle of August. I first noticed the problem on Aug 9, after coming back from a week of vacation. So Microsoft does not seem to be part of this discussion. Very bad!

I checked and I dont have the updates KB980408, KB981506 or KB982405. Varredor's fix is blocked by my companies Websense settings.

A coworker has this exact same problem with a new Window 7 64 install done yesterday. We both have the problem that we can't navigate to our personal folders from the start menu or the personal folders icon on the desktop. Luckily creating a shortcut works. I wonder if there is a single update that is causing all my problems.
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Anonymous

2010-08-11T04:48:57+00:00

Thanks Varredor, works for me. I do wish the fix didn't do so much to the registry, but I just couldn't take the error any more so used it. Hey, if I've got to rebuild from scratch, I'm no worse off than I was before the fix! Thanks again.
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