Documents Folder disappears from D drive after moving

Windows 10 Pro 1909 64 bit

Problem: Moved Desktop, Documents & Pictures from %UserProfile% folder on C drive to new location on D drive. OneDrive syncing was turned off. Operation success. The next day the same folders were missing from D drive, only present in OneDrive location.

Details: Good news is this is a brand new computer, clean install Windows 10 Pro 64 bit (vr. 1909). I am doing this first thing, no data yet in any folders that were relocated to D drive.
I actually moved ALL of the special folders in my C drive %UserProfile% folder folder to the D drive location, all but the OneDrive folder. The only folders that disappear from D drive are the ones synced by OneDrive.
Bad news is that my first attempts failed because OneDrive syncing WAS NOT turned off.
Referred to this thread for instruction:
Move Location of Documents Folder in Windows 10

Once I realized my problem caused by OneDrive NOT turned off I referred to the following to resolve Windows Registry problem I created:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/...ils-in-windows
Cannot restore Documents folder to Default Location of C Drive

After completing the registry workaround the missing folders were back in original C drive location.
I then disabled OneDrive syncing, successfully relocated all folders, (except OneDrive), to desired location on D drive, they even had the original custom icons. Then I re-enabled OneDrive syncing.
The next day the folders synced by OneDrive only appear in OneDrive folder on C drive, which is now the ONLY folder left in %UserProfile% folder.
I probably DID NOT have OneDrive turned off during the registry fix.

Can I fix this?

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Attached a currant snapshot of registry, User Shell Folders.
This looks, complicated.

Turning on OneDrvie "backup for Deskttop/Documents/Pictures will always "grab" those folders & move them under the OneDdrive folder. That's how it works. It does not maintain any sort of database of locations.

That much I know. If you unlink fyour PC from OneDrive & reenable, you have the optioin of relocating the OneDrive folder during setup. You could try moving the OneDrive folder to D:\. Others have used junctions in the OneDrive folder pointing to the folders on D:\.

Dalchina, thanks for your response.
“I've seen a few too many reports of significant user errors resulting in big problems when doing that and other issues having done so. “

I take this as another way of saying “don’t fight Windows”! A few questions as to how to undo what I have already done. The documents folder move is the only oddball procedure I have taken on this brand new Windows install on new PC, new OS SSD.

If I disable OneDrive syncing and use the locations tab and “restore default” location for each of the special folders back to %UserProfile%, will I have eliminated the problems I created?
Or should I do another clean install of Windows 10?

“c. Create your own My Documents, My Media, My Downloads etc folders on D: (say)
e. If you wish, add those to your libraries (esp. if it's a multi-user PC)”
I will admit that I need to learn about the concept of “ libraries”, what do I need to study so that I understand what you are suggesting in your step e. Can you point to a link?

Thanks for the links.
Most important question, would you personally choose to reinstall Windows 10 to this current SSD?
(if you were dealing with my new computer). I have not yet begun to load programs and data, I was actually about to install Acronis 2020 when I discovered my disappearing folders problem had returned.

Dalchina

“Try the restore to default tutorial and see how it looks.”

There is no Libraries tab in left pane of File Explorer window. The tutorial will not apply to my situation. I attached a screenshot of my current File Explorer window, the condition of the navigation pane tells the story.

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Dalchina

I was able to complete the restore to default tutorial. I was able to select “show libraries” in file explorer window and then restore to default. That worked.
There are no additional items in my User Account window, still only the OneDrive that I never did move to D drive.
Is there a difference between say “Documents” Library and “Documents” folder in User Account window?
Where do I go from here?

dalchina said:

Try the restore to default tutorial and see how it looks.
.

A quick test shows that this doesn't undo folder redirection.