Can't straighten out my folders...their order is very messed up.

Anonymous
2013-07-05T16:46:28+00:00

I recently found that the folder "Desktop" was somehow located under "Searches".  I attempted to move it so that it would be under my name (as I'm listed under "Users".  Instead "Desktop" is now at the top of the folders file.

If you go to OS (C:) then "Users", then pick my name, on the left under "Folders" you will see:

Desktop

   My Name

   Public

   Computer

   Network

   Control Panel

   Recycle Bin

   All Photos

   Desktop Items (a folder I had created to put stray items in)

   and two other folders I created for my desktop

I really see this as a mess and I don't know how to move, rename or fix that "Desktop" folder.   I, of course, don't want to lose any of my work.

Thank you for any help.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-08-21T22:35:33+00:00

    Thank you so much for your help!!!!

    I was beginning to think this would never be fixed.

    There are still files that are messed up and contain strange things but I can go through them one by one and get it straightened out.

    Nothing else unless you know how to download Minecraft on a PC so that I can then download Traincraft... :) I'm trying to do this for my grandson but, while I can get Minecraft downloaded, I can't find the folders inside it that I need to access to download Traincraft or any other Minecraft maps or mods.  (Strangely enough I figured out how to do this on his father's Mac but I can't do it on my computer!)  If you know anyone who knows about this program, please point me their way.

    Again, thank you very much for all the time you spend helping me here and for all you taught me!  If there's a way to "rate you" on this site, let me know as I'd be happy to do that.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-08-21T20:30:17+00:00

    Well everything seems fixed. Are there any other issues?

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-08-21T13:27:56+00:00

    7.      To get a list of folders that can be used with the shell: protocol

    Start - All Programs - Accessories - Right click Command Prompt and choose Run As Administrator. Type (or copy and paste by right clicking in the Command Prompt window and choosing Paste).

    reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions" /v Name /s |findstr /c:Name|sort /+23

    Results:

    C:\Windows\system32>reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ex

    plorer\FolderDescriptions" /v Name /s |findstr /c:Name|sort /+23

    Name    REG_SZ    AddNewProgramsFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Administrative Tools

    Name    REG_SZ    AppData

    Name    REG_SZ    AppUpdatesFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Cache

    Name    REG_SZ    CD Burning

    Name    REG_SZ    ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Administrative Tools

    Name    REG_SZ    Common AppData

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Desktop

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Documents

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Programs

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Start Menu

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Startup

    Name    REG_SZ    Common Templates

    Name    REG_SZ    CommonDownloads

    Name    REG_SZ    CommonMusic

    Name    REG_SZ    CommonPictures

    Name    REG_SZ    CommonVideo

    Name    REG_SZ    ConflictFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    ConnectionsFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Contacts

    Name    REG_SZ    ControlPanelFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Cookies

    Name    REG_SZ    CredentialManager

    Name    REG_SZ    CryptoKeys

    Name    REG_SZ    CSCFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Default Gadgets

    Name    REG_SZ    Desktop

    Name    REG_SZ    Downloads

    Name    REG_SZ    DpapiKeys

    Name    REG_SZ    Favorites

    Name    REG_SZ    Fonts

    Name    REG_SZ    Gadgets

      Name    REG_SZ    Games

    Name    REG_SZ    GameTasks

    Name    REG_SZ    History

    Name    REG_SZ    InternetFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Links

    Name    REG_SZ    Local AppData

    Name    REG_SZ    LocalAppDataLow

    Name    REG_SZ    LocalizedResourcesDir

    Name    REG_SZ    MAPIFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    My Music

    Name    REG_SZ    My Pictures

    Name    REG_SZ    My Video

    Name    REG_SZ    MyComputerFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    NetHood

    Name    REG_SZ    NetworkPlacesFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    OEM Links

    Name    REG_SZ    Original Images

    Name    REG_SZ    Personal

    Name    REG_SZ    PhotoAlbums

    Name    REG_SZ    Playlists

    Name    REG_SZ    PrintersFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    PrintHood

    Name    REG_SZ    Profile

    Name    REG_SZ    ProgramFiles

    Name    REG_SZ    ProgramFilesCommon

    Name    REG_SZ    ProgramFilesCommonX86

    Name    REG_SZ    ProgramFilesX86

    Name    REG_SZ    Programs

    Name    REG_SZ    Public

    Name    REG_SZ    PublicGameTasks

    Name    REG_SZ    Quick Launch

    Name    REG_SZ    Recent

    Name    REG_SZ    RecycleBinFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    ResourceDir

    Name    REG_SZ    SampleMusic

    Name    REG_SZ    SamplePictures

    Name    REG_SZ    SamplePlaylists

    Name    REG_SZ    SampleVideos

    Name    REG_SZ    SavedGames

    Name    REG_SZ    Searches

    Name    REG_SZ    SearchHomeFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    SendTo

    Name    REG_SZ    Start Menu

    Name    REG_SZ    Startup

    Name    REG_SZ    SyncCenterFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    SyncResultsFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    SyncSetupFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    System

    Name    REG_SZ    SystemCertificates

    Name    REG_SZ    SystemX86

    Name    REG_SZ    Templates

    Name    REG_SZ    TreePropertiesFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    UserProfiles

    Name    REG_SZ    UsersFilesFolder

    Name    REG_SZ    Windows

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-08-21T13:27:45+00:00

    You seem to think I know a lot more than I do!  Most of this is very, very foreign to me.  But I guess that is why my computer is messed up. 

    Does the location tab now appear.

    1.       Okay, so now I have C:users\ceil\desktop which has the folders and now has a location tab.

    I was also able to now delete C:users\ceil\searches\desktop !  And it’s gone.

    2.      “You seem to have a lot of software that uses environment variables (the set command).” I have no idea what this means or why this is the case.

    3.      “The file paths look correct except Contacts is missing. Would any of your software (mail/firefox/address book?) have disabled the Contacts folder. Contacts is known by a number (called a GUID) rather than name.” 

    I use Outlook for email and my online DSL service is from our local phone company which provides my primary mailbox.  I have a few other email addresses (gmail, yahoo) that I use for various things so that I can keep things separate (so I use one address for household business type things, another for sewing, another for online forums, etc.)  Perhaps Outlook did it.

    4.      {56784854-C6CB-462B-8169-88E350ACB882}    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Contacts

    I get the message that Windows cannot find 56784854-C6CB-462B-8169-88E350ACB882/

    5.      Typing this in the Start Run dialog (not a command prompt) should recreate or open the folder. Press Winkey + R, then type

    shell:contacts

    This gives me a window with my name and the icon I chose when I first logged on (I suspect).

    6.      One can use the shell: protocol to open and create special folders.

    To open Documents and create if it doesn't exist

    Click Start - All Programs - Accessories - Run(or press Winkey + R). Type

    shell:personal

     When I did this my Documents folder came up in the window.

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-08-21T07:46:03+00:00

    It annoys me getting to the last page.

    Special folders sometimes need the Read Only (which has no meaning for a folder) or System (Windows asks are you sure if you try to delete) attribute set. As Read Only can't apply to a folder, Explorer reuses the storage (1 bit) to tell itself to treat the folder as special. Type in a command prompt.

    attrib +r "%userprofile%\desktop"

    Does the location tab now appear.

    You seem to have a lot of software that uses environment variables (the set command). As an example I don't have a single non windows entry. The standard ones looked correct on a cursory look.

    The file paths look correct except Contacts is missing. Would any of your software (mail/firefox/address book?) have disabled the Contacts folder. Contacts is known by a number (called a GUID) rather than name.

    {56784854-C6CB-462B-8169-88E350ACB882}    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Contacts

    Typing this in the Start Run dialog (not a command prompt) should recreate or open the folder. Press Winkey + R, then type

    shell:contacts

    One can use the shell: protocol to open and create special folders.

    To open Documents and create if it doesn't exist

    Click Start - All Programs - Accessories - Run (or press Winkey + R). Type

    shell:personal

    To get a list of folders that can be used with the shell: protocol

    Start - All Programs - Accessories - Right click Command Prompt and choose Run As Administrator. Type (or copy and paste by right clicking in the Command Prompt window and choosing Paste).

    reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions" /v Name /s |findstr /c:Name|sort /+23

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