File Explorer file structure customization

dbsoccer · 12 Sep 2022

21H2
I've just loaded W10 and am in the process of adding back my old files, apps, programs, etc. I want to create an Explorer file structure that better fits my preferences. The attached file is a snip of the explorer folder structure as it was when I installed the software. It appears to be circular. I would have thought that C: would be at the top and I would drill down from there to get to where I want to go. Of course this is unnecessary, most of the time, so it appears MS has provided portals to enter the full structure part of the way down - thus saving time.

My question is how flexible is the structure as it appears? I see OneDrive is inserted in various places. I don't intend to use OneDrive (again). I'd like to customize it but don't want to break something important in the process. Is there a base structure that all this circular stuff is based from that would be a starting point?

Thanks.

dalchina · 12 Sep 2022

It's not circular, just a bit confusing in its apparent repetitiveness.

Think of the nav pane presentation as groups. Often those are

Quick Access

My PC

Libraries

Network

File Explorer file structure customization-1.jpg

These don't represent the file hierarchy on the disk. That's (usually) in the right pane. E.g.

OneDrive- if you don't plan to use it- and it can be irritating- you can completely remove it- uninstall it.
(Tutorials available for Onedrive)

Assuming you have just clean installed Win 10, you should first make backing up your priority starting now - or earlier.
Start using disk imaging regularly and routinely.. e.g. Macrium Reflect (free ) + large enough external disk for image files.
A naive user rushes into configuring left right and centre and installing everything in sigh before creating their first disk image.

You really want to save yourself time and effort- make sure you don't have to go back too far if something goes badly wrong- and it can.

With that in mind, plan for where you are going to put your data to make backup and recovery easy.
If you have two disks- simple, start by using 1 primarily for data, the other for your O/S and installed programs.

dbsoccer · 12 Sep 2022

Thanks dalchina. Yes I understand what you're saying about backing up the image. I have Macirum Reflect loaded and plan on using it for doing periodic system imaging starting ASAP. I want to get a couple essential things back up and running so I can get on with the daily parts of life (email, Quicken, etc.)

And, yes, repetitiveness is a better word than circular. I was hoping to change things to remove the repetitiveness/confusion. I'll check out the tutorial on Onedrive.

Is there a recommended reference manual for W10? I say this knowing everyone probably has their own favorite so can't agree on a single one.

When you say two disks I am assuming you mean to physical disks and not two partitions on the same piece of hardware. Correct?

Try3 · 12 Sep 2022

dbsoccer said:

Is there a recommended reference manual for W10?

Not really.
I suggest using TenForums & its tutorials as a central reference.

You can avoid a lot of the confusion by always going straight to
C:\Users\%UserName%
to see your user folders in their actual location [rather than as a library or as ThisPC (Folders (6) displays them - those things are just views of folders not real folders].
- You can paste that path, funny symbols and all, straight into the File explorer address bar to get there and then you can drag & drop that folder to Quick access for future convenience.

All the best,
Denis

Welcome to TenForums.

It's really worth making time to browse through the Tutorial index - there's a shortcut to it at the top of every page.

- At the foot of the Tutorial index is a shortcut to download it as a spreadsheet.
- I download a new copy each month.
- By downloading it as a spreadsheet I can benefit from Excel's excellent filtering capabilities when I search for topics of interest.

- Tutorials are also listed by category at Tutorials - there's also a shortcut to that at the top of every page.
- Both tutorial lists are searchable.
- You can also search for TenForumsTutorials in many general search engines, such as Google, by adding site:tenforums.com/tutorials after your search term. For example,
taskbar toolbars site:tenforums.com/tutorials

You can search TenForums using the search box in the top-right corner of all TenForums webpages or using Advanced Search - TenForums
- You can also search TenForums threads in many general search engines, such as Google, by adding site:tenforums.com after your search term. For example,
Search for drivers by HardwareID site:tenforums.com
- [This is what the search box in the top-right corner of TenForums webpages does automatically]

dalchina · 12 Sep 2022

When you say two disks I am assuming you mean to physical disks and not two partitions on the same piece of hardware.

I was keeping it simple, as an example. As you have a desktop, but lacking specifications of your disks, you might, for example, have a smaller SSD and larger HDDs.

If you have only one system disk, or if it's very large, naturally you can also create a partition on it to keep data away from the O/S so it's unaffected by O/S maintenance e.g. clean installs, restoring images...

Note: it seems you are running Win 8.1 ....?

Is there a recommended reference manual for W10?

This question has been asked several times before. I searched tenforums for you:
Best in-depth manual/book for Windows 10?
New Windows 10 user - Looking for an overall guide to Windows 10
Download the Windows 10 Preview User Guide

Ghot · 13 Sep 2022

@dbsoccer

You can make it look like this if you want to...

File Explorer file structure customization-00000-hard-drives.png

dbsoccer · 13 Sep 2022

Megahertz helped me recover a 2TB HDD for doing back ups. This was just recently completed. I have since made a system image of my C: drive albeit an without much to look at. I will also enable File History. I am currently copying files from my back up sources to the newly recovered BU drive so until that it done I'll hold off on enabling File History.

In the meantime I'm still trying to make some sense out of the File Explorer file structure. It appears I have Onedrive now uninstalled. I had nothing stored on Onedrive so it was not an issue. I still seem to have a few too many folders with the names of things like 'Documents' and 'Desktop'. Particularly confusing is the Documents folders are not the same folders. One was tied to Onedrive. One was tied to C: and I haven't figured out where a third one originates but data that I put in one doesn't end up in all three. I don't see a need to have so many 'Document' folders for a newly installed OS. It is all very confusing and it's not clear as to why MS created this confusion. Maybe someone can explain. I would like to clean this up and delete some of the duplication but I want to know why they are there and if deleting them causes issues.

Try3 · 13 Sep 2022

dbsoccer said:

I don't see a need to have so many 'Document' folders for a newly installed OS. ... I would like to clean this up and delete some of the duplication but I want to know why they are there and if deleting them causes issues.

There is no duplication.
I explained that in my previous post.
You can remove the folder-like glorified shortcuts from ThisPC
Add or Remove Folders from This PC - TenForumsTutorials
You cannot stop the occasional appearance of the top view shown in your docx showing your username at the top of the tree. But, just like the entries in ThisPC, it is just a view. Your real folders are where I said they were.
Oh, and How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files - TenForumsTutorials People are more likely to respond to posts if they can see everything you want them to see in the post instead of having to download then read another file.

dbsoccer said:

It is all very confusing and it's not clear as to why MS created this confusion. Maybe someone can explain.

MS hate us and revel in our confusion.

All the best,
Denis

dbsoccer · 14 Sep 2022

Thanks Denis, I study your post in greater detail. I'm becoming a fan of the tutorials. I can live with how it exists but if I can simplify things, all the better. E.G. no 3D stuff for me. I see that most, if not all folders are based in C:/user/<name>/ *** Knowing this and a better study of your post and the tutorial maybe I can change the structure on my machine and I can stop whining about it.

BTW: I noticed you claim some ties to 'The proper part of London'. I had a short stop over in London years ago and we enjoyed a brew at the Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden. Not sure if that is part of the proper part of London or not. We wanted to experience a true English pub, it being our first trip to the big city and, since we had dinner at a restaurant in Covenant Garden our waiter suggested this pub. It was a short walk down some cobblestone streets and back alleys. It was a fun experience.

Ghot · 14 Sep 2022

@dbsoccer

Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10

Remove Quick access from Navigation Pane in Windows 10