How to stop a program from adding a Quick access shortcut?

Hi! I use Google Drive File Stream to access my Google Drive content locally.

GDFS mounts a cloud drive, assigning it a letter (G: in my case). If you open that, you find a single entry "My Drive". As such, I have a Quick access shortcut to this "My Drive folder".

GDFS insists, periodically, in adding a shortcut in Quick Access to G: (which makes zero sense, considering you already have one under "This PC").

Is there a way to stop it from doing so? I have tried assigning read-only permissions to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Ribbon for every account except the one I sign in as. This includes, administrators, system, everything. Only my account (lasher) has full control, all others are read only. Nonetheless, the shortcut reappears periodically.

lasher said:

GDFS insists, periodically, in adding a shortcut in Quick Access to G: (which makes zero sense, considering you already have one under "This PC")....

The rationale is that Quick Access shows a list of all recently accessed folders just in case you'd find it useful. Your Google drive appears because you recently accessed it, as will other folders as you visit them.

Is there a way to stop it from doing so?...

Only by unticking 'show frequently used folders in Quick access', but that will turn it off for all folders, not just your Google drive.

Bree said:

The rationale is that Quick Access shows a list of all recently accessed folders just in case you'd find it useful. Your Google drive appears because you recently accessed it, as will other folders as you visit them.
Only by unticking 'show frequently used folders in Quick access', but that will turn it off for all folders, not just your Google drive.

Nope, that's not it. I've already deactivated that, as I don't care for the "automatic" judgement of Windows in this regard.
If I unpin the entry, it stays unpinned for a while and then reappears. Tipically after a reboot or after GDFS updates itself automatically and (presumably) restarts its service.

I've just tried: I stopped GDFS after unpinning that entry. I restarted it and the entry reappeared.

I hope I'm allowed to bump this. I find it annoying as hell.

bro67 said:

I just ignore it since it is just a Symbolic link being placed in that place holder.

If you want a permanent solution. 2 Methods to Disable or Remove Quick Access in Windows 10

Thanks for your reply. I was familiar with the methods to disable Quick Access. But I find it useful. I simply wished for a way to stop Drive File Stream to put a link there, which is something I find disrespectful of users especially considering the nature of the link that gets placed there (something that forces you to do two clicks instead of one).

bro67 said:

Your answer is in the link I posted.

Having the same issue. The link posted is not relevant for this.

The goal is to get rid of GDFS automatically adding a shortcut to Quick access menu in Windows file explorer after restart (after being unpinned manually before restart). Not to disable Quick access menu as a whole.

Sven said:

Having the same issue. The link posted is not relevant for this.

The goal is to get rid of GDFS automatically adding a shortcut to Quick access menu in Windows file explorer after restart (after being unpinned manually before restart). Not to disable Quick access menu as a whole.

Thanks. I exhausted my words in trying to explain the problem.