This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In several programs, when I need to set a folder location for example, and open the Browse Dialog, I'm only shown the Desktop folder. I can't access any folder outside of "Desktop". It doesn't make a difference to run the programs as admin.
Specs:
Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 22H2
Installed on 21/09/2022
OS build 22623.730
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22636.1000.0
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Thanks. Can you run a ProcMon trace (while running the script file), save the PML log (all events), zip it, and upload the trace to your OneDrive? I'll compare it with my trace. Instructions: Start ProcMon trace, then run the script file. Once the browse dialog appears, switch to ProcMon and stop the trace.
I did this, and yes, the same problem happened.
My Documents was not moved, it is in:
C:\Users\USERNAME\OneDrive\Desktop
where it always was.
Thanks. Can you run a ProcMon trace (while running the script file), save the PML log (all events), zip it, and upload the trace to your OneDrive? I'll compare it with my trace. Instructions: Start ProcMon trace, then run the script file. Once the browse dialog appears, switch to ProcMon and stop the trace.
Zipped log file for the trace.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AszYG_5La9y8je0ARw6ZfIloAb6Mqw?e=qQfeFq
If there is a way to filter this trace to limit it to the script file execution, I will do that. I did close all the applications that I could before performing the capture.
Thanks. OneDrive seems to be the culprit. The workaround is to stop syncing your Desktop folder with OneDrive.
Important: Before proceeding, copy the files in those special folders to another folder or external drive. Please don’t copy them anywhere under Desktop/Documents/Pictures. This is because disabling OneDrive backup for a folder erases the local copies of the files. Copying them to a different location beforehand will ensure that you don’t need to download them again from the OneDrive cloud.
Thanks. OneDrive seems to be the culprit. The workaround is to stop syncing your Desktop folder with OneDrive.
Important: Before proceeding, copy the files in those special folders to another folder or external drive. Please don’t copy them anywhere under Desktop/Documents/Pictures. This is because disabling OneDrive backup for a folder erases the local copies of the files. Copying them to a different location beforehand will ensure that you don’t need to download them again from the OneDrive cloud.
- Right-click the OneDrive icon in the Notification area and click Settings.
- Select the Backup tab, and click Manage Backup
- In the Manage folder backup dialog, click on the Stop backup link for "Desktop"
- Click Stop backup in the confirmation dialog that appears.
Your analysis is correct. Turning off the sync of Desktop resolved the problem. I did not need desktop sync to OneDrive, and I had forgotten it was on. I will note though that my OneDrive configuration has not changed for months so it is likely there is a very recent Windows software change that exposed this problem. It was not obvious to me that OneDrive configuration would have been a factor in this problem.
Thank you for your original script suggestion and then your analysis and solution for this problem!!!!
