Weird folder behavior after switching to a new user account


  1. Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       #1

    Weird folder behavior after switching to a new user account


    Hi there.

    I use OneDrive (blue cloud symbol) to synchronize Files in a SharePoint Site (Microsoft 365) between my devices.
    OneDrive is easy to set up, but I had to switch to a new user account and probably did something wrong.
    I was skeptical about what happens to my data when I switch the user account so I thought it would be a good idea to rename the old OneDrive folders to let OneDrive create new folders and move my data back when the new account works.

    There were 3 OneDrive folders in my user folder...
    OneDrive
    Company Name (containing the Files from the SharePoint Site)
    OneDrive - Company Name

    First I unlinked my computer in OneDrive settings. After that I renamed the 3 folders to something like...
    OLD OneDrive
    OLD Company Name
    OLD OneDrive - Company Name

    I logged on with my new OneDrive user account, disabled Files On-Demand and moved all data from Documents in "OLD Company Name" to Documents in the new created folder "Company Name".
    After OneDrive finished synchronizing all Files I decided to move the 3 old folders out of my user folder to prevent saving in wrong locations.
    At this point something weird happened: 2 of 3 Folders were moved but the "OLD OneDrive" folder remained in my user folder while also appearing at the new location.

    The behavior in windows explorer for the remaining folder "OLD Onedrive" in my user folder is even more weird:
    Displayed location: C:\Users\Username\OLD OneDrive
    Displayed Path: C:\MovedFolders\OLD OneDrive (the location were I wanted to store the renamed folders)
    But when I click the "OLD OneDrive" folder in my user folder the following folder is opened:
    C:\Users\Username\OneDrive - Company Name

    I'm totally baffled what has happened and I hope that my amateurish description makes sense to someone.
    I would like to get rid of the old folders but I'm afraid that deleting them could cause malfunctions. So hopefully someone enlightens me.

    Windows Version: Windows 10 Home 20H2

    Cheers
    HouseMouse22
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 781
    Windows 10
       #2

    HouseMouse22, I can't make sense of this!

    Usually to help someone out I'll do some research, find a fix and explain it to them, but your issue..?

    So I'll just have to give you some general (less likely to work, but still worth it) fixes.

    Is this 'folder' a shortcut? The easiest way to check in your position (where the folder directly leads to) is to open an elevated command prompt. > 🔎 cmd > right click > run as administrator now that we're here we must run the dir /a command.

    For anything deep in folders you might want to cd into that folder first. With your case I'd recommend it. cd C:\Users\Username (or whichever other folder parenting it is)

    Once you've run dir /a then you should see all folders inside the parent of the subject (OLD Onedrive) folder. Look for the OLD Onedrive folder and see where the path leads. Is it that path (when double clicking) it leads to?
      My Computer


 

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