Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder

deemby · 07 Jul 2017

Hi. Since my PC has been updated to creator, files from my desktop are not going where I intended. When I right click a file on my desktop, I am invited to "send to" and I select "Documents" (screenshot1). Instead of sending the file to the folder expected, containing my sub files (screenshot2), it is sent to the "Users" folder stored in "Local Disc C" (screenshot3). From there it goes to sub-folder "d_emb". (screenshot4). D_emby is my windows ID but I did not create this folder. From there it is sent to the mystery "documents " folder (screenshot5),and finally when that folder is open, there is the test folder that I sent from my desktop together with other stuff that shouldnt be there (ie Ididnt intend to send it there). I would be grateful for any advice. If I deleted the d_emb folder containing the second"documents" folder would that solve the problem or is some tricky editing involved?
Thank you

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-1.-send-documents.png

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-2.-documents-folder-pc-documents.png

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-3.-local-disk-c-users.png

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-4.-pc-local-disk-c-demb.png

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-5.-pc-local-disc-c-documents.png

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-6.-pc-local-disc-c-users-d_emb-documents.png

mrgeek · 07 Jul 2017

Where do you expect the 'Send to' command to send the files ? Your C:/Users folder shows no other user than 'd_emb'. This was the truncated user name created by Windows from your MS acct when you did the July Upgrade. Let's start with which folder do you expect these files to go to ?

Berton · 07 Jul 2017

Also never delete any documents or pictures until you've determined whether they are the only copy or truly are duplicates. I consider all the Folders seen in Libraries should be the same as under the User's name, more or less are shortcuts.

deemby · 07 Jul 2017

Hi. Before the upgrade, files from the desktop went to the documents folder that appears in "My PC" as per screen shot 2, now they go the one in local Disc C/users/d_emb/documents. Stuff sent to Documents before the upgrade.

deemby · 07 Jul 2017

Point taken. Thank you

Try3 · 07 Jul 2017

deemby said:

Hi. Before the upgrade, files from the desktop went to the documents folder that appears in "My PC" as per screen shot 2, now they go the one in local Disc C/users/d_emb/documents. Stuff sent to Documents before the upgrade.

These are the same place. The This PC, Documents entry is a shortcut to C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents.

There are no duplicate copies of files involved. You are merely using two different methods for viewing the same place.

If files only appear to be going to one of the two places then refresh the folder using F5 or right-clicking & selecting Refresh.

Denis

deemby · 08 Jul 2017

Hi Denis.

F5 doesnt appear to change anything,right click doesnt produce a refresh option (or I'm doing something wrong). Files arent repeated, it just that I have two documents folders. One has all the stuff that I sent from my desktop before the update, the other is taking all the stuff I sent from my desktop after the update so they must be different folders surely?. I have been warned about deleting folders and I guess that the one that resides in user/d_emb is the one that windows wants to put stuff in, but what about the other one? Windows would have put those files there before the update. My screen shots show the different contents of the two folders

Try3 · 08 Jul 2017

F5 would only change what was shown if what was shown had not been up to date so that is not a problem. If you right-click on a blank area of a folder then you are supposed to get this context menu - not an immediate concern though.

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-context-menu.png

If those are the refreshed contents of each folder then your user folder "Locations" [assigned paths] were corrupted in the update. Check them at Relocating user folders in Windows 7 and Windows 10 -
http://answers.microsoft.com/message...a-31444b2c530e

Denis

deemby · 08 Jul 2017

Hi Denis. I looked at the link but didnt quite follow as the other guy has two drives. I know that I am flogging this hard but I hope the two new screen shots help. One documents folder is in C:\users\d_emb\downloads created 13 April 14:32. No idea why it would appear in downloads - could it have been a copy that the guy who had to sort my PC out made after the creator update currupted my system administrator files?) The other documents folder is located where I believe you expect it to be, in C:\users\d_emb created 13 Apr 16:39.
If most of my files are in the first location, can I drag them up the directory tree and then delete the presumably empty file? I take note of the warning given by another member but the two document files are clearly seperate entities

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot1.-folder-i-want-files-sent-my-desktop.png

Files moved from desktop end up in mysterious second documents folder-shot-2.-folder-filled-my-desk-top.png

Try3 · 08 Jul 2017

I'll walk you through it [see below] but the procedure in the link I gave you applies to your situation as well. The fact that you are not intending to "relocate" to a different drive is not a problem. You are using the procedure to check & correct the existing "user folder" "Locations" on a single drive but most people would use the procedure to "relocate" their "user folders" to a different drive. The procedure is the same in both cases.

Please go to C:\Users\d_emb and look at each of the folders - Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Music, Pictures, Music, Videos, Contacts, Saved Games.

For each one, right-click, Properties, Location tab.

Check that the path given is the one you intend - so the C:\Users\d_emb\Desktop tab should show its path as being C:\Users\d_emb\Desktop.
If any of them are missing or do not have a Location tab then that is significant.
I think you are probably going to find that Documents/Downloads do not have a Location tab or they have the same path. There might be others in the same condition which is why I am suggesting that you check them all.

For any problem folders that have a Location tab you can normally enter the correct path to it in the Location tab to correct the problem.

If there is a clash of folder paths then Windows refuses to do the correction for you and you have to do the correction in the Registry as described in section 2 of the link I gave you.
Such as clash would occur, for example, if both Music and Videos had previously been set to the same path.
In my computers, I have a deliberate clash because I have deliberately set both my Desktop & Downloads Location paths to point to my Desktop. So I would have to use the Registry procedure to change them.
In your case, what I think you are going to find is that both Documents & Downloads are pointing to the same folder - C:\Users\d_emb\Downloads. So Windows is going to refuse to allow you to enter a correction to the Documents Location tab.
But if the Downloads Location is correct and the only problem is that the Documents Location points to C:\Users\d_emb\Downloads\Documents then you should simply be able enter its correct path C:\Users\d_emb\Documents and everything should be fixed.

So you will need to use the Registry to fix the problem [section 2 of the linked procedure but repeated here]. In the RegEdit address bar you can just paste in this path to get straight to the relevant place
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Then double-click on the right-hand side on, for example, Personal {for the Documents entry, all the others have sensible names} and type in the correct path C:\Users\d_emb\Documents {you would normally have to check that C:\Users\d_emb\Documents existed first but I know it does from your diagrams}.

If you need any help working through that just post back and tell me which are the problem user folders & at which point you are stuck.

Denis