Another 'lost' folder

I seem to be having a really bad time with my desktop recently - meaning the desktop is ok, I am not:

Somehow, my 'user' name has been changed - which I have just realised when searching for files, getting one drive working etc. 'Almost' everything is in the new name, but not everything.

Say - Old 'user' name was PAT and this is now changed to PATRICIA. I believe this is how my Documents folder became 'moved' and not retrievable - tried to renew Location, but am being told cannot do this as the folder contains a file that cannot be moved!! Anyway, enough on that for now - the change of User name is puzzling because there are some old folders/files with the old name that I wish to access and cannot - although having said that I did somehow get to one old folder by accident and its' name is: C:users\PAT\SkyDrive\2017\Documents\christmastrip\, I meant to make a full note of where it was, but forgot, and now I cannot remember how I found it albeit by accident.

But, there is no User account called PAT anymore so not sure where to go from Users, or for that matter Windows Explorer.

It appears that there has at some time in the not too distant past been an imp in my computer messing around with files and folders. Any suggestions please.

AndreTen said:

I would make a backup of whole system (Macrium reflect is used by many here), and clean install the system.

Someone else messing with your computer is not a good feeling.

You'll get more detailed instructions if you decide to do this

I fear too that a whole system back up and re-install is necessary but, as in a previous thread, through 'a hand slip' my Documents folder which should be in with Music, Pictures etc. has ended up in my One Drive folder and will not re-locate due to their being "a file within this Folder that is not moveable" and I do not know enough to ascertain if this Folder will 'remain' in One Drive from where I could, hopefully restore the Files individually to the 'newly formed' Documents Folder in the new install, or loose the contents altogether?

I have downloaded an article from the net that is, hopefully going to explain the complete Folder and File structure within Windows 10 so that I can know a little more.

Interestingly, it came to mind that the last October (fall) Windows update installed automatically on to my computer, I did not think it had done any harm, but perhaps this is, in part, anyway a result of the problems then ie loosing Folders and Files.

Hi, I 'think' what has happened is - I had at some stage a re-install done at the computer store, and not knowing my login details they set up a 'new' Microsoft account. Then me, with no real understanding of what I was doing somehow messed everything up. There is no one else that ever uses my computer so if it is as suggested, most likely to be 'human' error then this is the only explanation I can think of. This will, of course have the Admin Status required, but I thought I had come to terms with things as they are, however, although I have now got a Documents file in This PC, when I save a new document to that Folder I get a really extended name for the file stating : ThisPC/Users/'Me'/One Drive/Documents/My Bank etc. etc. so I guess what I have is a shortcut in This PC which refer back to the Documents Folder in One Drive and not the shortcut in This PC. I have removed some of the files from the Documents Folder in One Drive and tried again to re-locate but it is still telling me there is a file that cannot be moved.

So, if I can (can I?) create a Folder called Documents in This PC can I leave all my past files in the one in One Drive and start afresh with the new Documents Folder in This PC, a bit muddled I know, but I cannot face a complete re-install at this time.

Many thanks for your continued support and suggestions to this silly old Woman

AndreTen said:

If you synced your User folders to Onedrive, there are instructions from Microsoft how to move your folders back to local drive:

MS instructions

This includes some changes to registry. Backup your data and follow instructions carefully.

Thanks for that, read everything twice, checked everything twice, and took it very very slowly, changed Default value, there was nothing said after that such as save, apply etc. so just restarted computer as required - nothing has changed, the location of my DOCUMENTS personal folder is still in One Drive!! and not on MY PC and any document created as the long name including the One Drive Location, so, I guess I am stuck with it there!!

As before, many thanks for suggesting all the help on here.

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Berton said:

It usually works, but not always, to go to C:\Users\USERNAMEHERE and if not present create a new Documents Folder under that then Copy or Move your files to it. The Documents Folder in Quick Access and under This PC but above the C: drive may only be shortcuts to the actual Folder, right-click one and check the path.

You are right, in that when I go to C/Users/me there is a Documents Folder but this only contains one entry for 'desktop'. The folders in 'folders and This PC' all contain the location to the Documents Folder in One Drive. Can anything be done in this situation?