"Downloads" link being placed in "This PC" navigation bar

- Running windows 10 LTSC. This install is less than three months old.

- "Downloads" folder in question is the stock folder of Windows, on C:

When I click on the "Downloads" folder, and then look over at the navigation bar, under "This PC" "Downloads" appears in the list above all the drives. I prefer to have only drives in this list and I removed all the other folders that normally appear such as "Downloads", "Users", or whatever was there, using a program called Winareo Tweaker. I have never had issues before.

Now, recently, if I open explorer from ANY folder other than "Downloads" this issue does not happen. ONLY when I open explorer from "Downloads" link. It does not matter how I go about it. If I click "Downloads" from the users folder or if I make a shortcut to "Downloads" and run that I get "Downloads" showing in "This PC" navigation bar.

I have since tried adding and removing "Downloads" using Winareo Tweaker and nothing. Removing does nothing. Adding adds a second instance of downloads to the list. Again, this only happens if I open "Downloads" directly. If say I open some other folder and navigate to "Downloads" the problem is not present.

What can cause this specific issue where it only occurs if I open explorer from ANY "Downloads" link and yet all other instances of explorer do not have this issue? I fail to believe it could be the Winareo program. I have a secondary machine nearly exact to this one and it does not have this issue.

Thanks.

Screenshots might help clarify your situation. Can you show:

• How your Navigation Pane options are set?
• Targets for shortcuts to Downlads

I'm confused by several things, as well as being unsure of which of several methods Tweaker uses to hide/remove folders. Can you clarify:

Again, this only happens if I open "Downloads" directly.

1. How are you opening Downloads "directly"?
   
   1. shell:Downloads
   2. shell:Local Downloads
   3. shell:UsersFilesFolder\Downloads
   4. C:\Users\<UserProfileFolder\Downloads>

vs.

If say I open some other folder and navigate to "Downloads"

1. Navigating to where?
   
   1. A shortcut you created?
   2. shell:UsersFilesFolder\Downloads
   3. C:\Users\<UserProfileFolder\Downloads>

Opening downloads folder directly means clicking on a shortcut to downloads folder. Sorry for not being clearer. If I open "This PC" and navigate to "downloads" in the "user" folder, there is no issue. If I click any downloads folder shortcut I get the issue. So, in other words, the only way this issue occurs is when an explorer instance begins with clicking any downloads shortcut. If the instance beings from any other folder, there is no issue.

In Winareo Tweaker Scroll down until you see heading "File Explorer" and look for "Customize This PC Folders". This is the only thing I use this program for. I am actually quite sure it was not caused by this program but I thought I'd mention it anyway. As far as I can recall I never meddled with any navigation bar options in Windows options at all other than adding folders--looking now, to check, I can't even find navigation bar options.

The target for downloads folder shortcut is as follows: C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads

One thing I should mention is ever since using Win 10 I always unlock admin account and use that as my account because I can't stand all the clicking just to run a file. This is done simply using the cmd prompt.

The below Images is if I open the downloads folder by clicking any downloads folder shortcut.


The below image is if I open "This PC". Now, were I to navigate to downloads through this explorer instance, the issue is not present.


- - - Updated - - -

By the way Keith, thanks again for the "create desktop shortcut" from a while back. I use that and it works very good.

- - - Updated - - -

Berton said:

I consider Quick Access and Libraries or entries between This PC and C: to be shortcuts to the same-named folders in C:\Users\LOGGED IN USER Name as shown in right-click and Properties of each item.

Agreed. I always take shortcuts from those folders. Like "downloads" for example. If I make a shortcut from "Users"......."Downloads" folder and then run that shortcut, the issue occurs.

Addinng these Policy values will completely hide the Downloads folder under This PC, even when invoked directly:

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum]
"{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}"=dword:00000001
"{088e3905-0323-4b02-9826-5d99428e115f}"=dword:00000001

Howver, the path displayed in the Address Bar will display the namespace path,

This PC > Downloads

rather than the true file-system path:

:) That hit the spot. Thank you. After a reboot the issue has vanished. I don't know how people like yourself hold all that information in your head but I am grateful.

Happy holidays.

Popyacap said:

:) That hit the spot. Thank you. After a reboot the issue has vanished. I don't know how people like yourself hold all that information in your head but I am grateful.

Happy holidays.

You're welcome. I don't keep everything in my head, but if I create that illusion, who am I to argue?

Happy Holidays to you as well.