File Explorer issue

WinXNewby · 12 Nov 2018

In File Explorer when my friend clicks on the Pictures shell folder in the left-hand column, all her titled folders with their files appear normal - as expected.

However, under the shell Music folder and indented, there's a rectangular Pictures icon in this left-hand column. When we click on this Pictures icon, all the folders and files which are stored in the Pictures shell folder appear (again). If we delete an image from here, it deletes it from the proper Pictures shell folder. It seems something like a link to the Pictures folder.

How to safely return the File Explorer to normal?

Try3 · 12 Nov 2018

Is it a shortcut to the Pictures folder? Use +PrntScrn to post a picture of the whole screen here if you are not sure [there is a picture-posting icon in the toolbar when you are writing a post here so you can click on that to add it to your post].

Then open RegEdit and go to this entry [by pasting the whole of the next line into its address bar]

Code:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

and then post what it shows for the My Pictures entry on the right-hand side.

Denis

HeM · 12 Nov 2018

WinXNewby said:

...However, under the shell Music folder and indented, there's a rectangular Pictures icon in this left-hand column. ...How to safely return the File Explorer to normal?

Right click on Pictures (in Music folder) > Properties > Location tab => Restore default button > OK.
Answer "Yes" to appearing messages.

If Pictures icon is just a shortcut (a link to real Pictures), you'll see a Shortcut tab instead of Location tab, in Properties. That means, you can safely remove it, if you like.

If none of the above (no Shortcut or Location tab under Properties), then Pictures icon (in Music folder) is a copy of real Pictures folder. In that case, this [If we delete an image from here, it deletes it from the proper Pictures shell folder] could not have happened, so apparently this is not your case.

Note: Before any action, it's better to report what you see and post screenshot(s), as @Try3 has mentioned.

WinXNewby · 14 Nov 2018

Thank you for the wonderful answers which I am looking forward to trying when I meet my friend next Tuesday. I certainly intend posting a screenshot then which will make it easier for you to understand -- and maybe you'll be able to say how the oddity happened so it can be avoided in the future.

WinXNewby · 27 Nov 2018

I'm adding a screen shot of the problem (I hope!).

We were too scared to go into the registry (Try3's advice) but we looked to see if our Pictures icon under Music was a shortcut (HeM's advice) which it didn't seem to be. My friend is more gung-ho than I am and she decided to simply drag the Pictures icon into the real Pictures shell folder. It seemed to work fine. Thank you for your advice.