Windows 10: AppData folder and other system folders muddled and moved

Hello, I've got a problem with my AppData folder and similar folders after I tried to move certain other folders.

This began when I tried moving the 'Camera Roll' and 'Saved Pictures' folders from the 'Pictures' folder - after trying to delete them, they kept reappearing, I read they cannot be deleted but can be moved. A week or so back I moved them to 'AppData' I think. At least, that's what I thought I did....

From what I can tell, the AppData folder no longer exists, it has been renamed 'Camera Roll'. This folder is located in C:/Users/USERNAME/ - when in this folder, the 'Camera Roll' folder shows, but when I enter the Camera Roll folder, in the address bar I see: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData

So it seems to have renamed it somehow, but only visually. This folder contains:
/LocalLow/
/Roaming/
/Saved Pictures/ - shows AppData\Local in address bar when entering this folder.

In an attempt to solve this, I tried moving the 'Camera Roll' and 'Saved Pictures' folders back to their original location and just live with them always being there. So in addition to the above 'Camera Roll' aka AppData folder I also now have:

Pictures/Camera Roll/ - Empty
Pictures/Saved Pictures/ - Contains some folders I assume should be in AppData or Roaming(?)
Pictures/Saved PicturesLow/ - Contains one Microsoft folder I assume should be in AppData/LocalLow/

I hope this isn't too confusing (it is for me!). At this point, I don't care about the useless original Camera Roll and Saved Pictures folder, I just want my AppData etc folders back to normal.

Thank you for any help you can provide. *Smile

:)

 

Is it safe to move the AppData Folder?

No, it's not safe. It has to stay in its original location on the C: drive. Other user profile folders can be moved, like Documents and Music, but not that one.

 

Cortana and moving appdata folder

I tried doing that and now the start menu, notifications and right clicking on icons on the taskbar work on my other windows user account. However that account still has issues: The windows store doesn't work and when I clicked it in my apps it's icon
disappeared. Same thing happened with calculator and other apps.

 

Hello again, since I haven't received any replies perhaps a visual aid is necessary to explain? I'll try to be as succinct as possible this time *Smile

So about a week ago, I wanted to move the Camera Roll and Saved Pictures folders from the /Pictures/ folder since they keep coming back and cannot be deleted. To keep them out of the way but in a known place, I attempted to place them in the /AppData/ folder. When in fact what seems to have happened is that they have been merged in some way with subfolders in this directory.

Contents of /AppData/ (this was name as 'Camera Roll' but I manually changed the name back to "AppData" and this seems to have stuck thankfully.




As you can see the folder /Local/ is missing - in fact the contents of /Local/ are in the Saved Pictures folder seen here in /AppData/

Contents of /AppData/Saved Pictures/





In addition to this, the problem continues after I tried to move 'Saved Pictures' back to it's original location in /Pictures/

Contents of /Pictures/





Contents of /Pictures/Saved Pictures/ - Contains similar contents to /AppData/Saved Pictures (aka /Local/)





Lastly, contents of the folder /Pictures/Saved PicturesLow/





I have tried moving/merging the contents of corresponding folders - i.e. the two versions of 'Saved Pictures' but am unable to since some files are in use by Windows, which demonstrates that these files are active and not just redundant copies. I don't know if they are exactly the same files and the location is just a mirror of the other, I have no idea. It's all a big jumbled mess.

I hope that explains things a bit more clearly, but I'm not sure if it did!

Hopefully someone can offer a solution?

 

Hello, kellymarie. Welcome to Windows TenForums.

Sorry to say you shouldn't be manually moving folders around like that, especially to AppData folder. And it's difficult to reverse as you can see. Personal file storage places should be accomplished via the Settings app.

Quite honestly I'm having my first cup of coffee and not quite awake. Let me think of the best approach for you to fix this. I'll get back to you soon. Perhaps someone else may come along in the meantime. Hang in there.

 

Do you know how to use Command Prompt? Please answer that first, then do below.

Go to this MS page and run this: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...older-problems

 

Hi HippsieGypsie, thanks for your help. Yes I have used command prompt before although I'm not versed in it beyond a few simple uses.

I downloaded and ran the troubleshooter in the link but it didn't seem to change anything. The folder structure is the same as it was before.

Just to stress. I wasn't attempting to alter anything to do with the AppData folder or it's contents, I just wanted the Camera Roll and Saved Pictures folders out of the way from the main Pictures folder since they are unused, and I had read that since they can not be deleted they can instead be moved. In choosing AppData to store them in I assumed they would be closeby if needed, but out the way. I didn't realise when asking where to put these folders when moving them it was in fact asking me which folders they would become and be merged with which is what I think is what has happened. It was very confusingly worded given moving a folder location would usually ask for where you want to place it, not WHAT you want it to become!

 

I know you meant no harm, but sometimes we get ourselves into messes. We'll get it fixed.

Right click on the folders you originally moved > Properties > Location tab > Restore Default.

Edit:

If that works, then use the "Move" option to move where you want.

 

/AppData/ (I renamed it back to AppData, but it is actually 'Camera Roll' when clicked on properties it shows the 'correct' name of Camera Roll. Tried to changed default location back to /Pictures/ - Received the follow message:

"Failed to build the list of regular subdirectories under C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Elevated Diagnostics" Access Denied.

- After this I now have a new folder: /Pictures/Camera Roll/Roaming/Microsoft/ - contains various other sub-folders!

/AppData/Saved Pictures/ has no Location tab.

/Pictures/Saved Pictures/ - Location tab, clicked on Restore Default - This is the default so nothing happened, clicked ok.
/Pictures/Saved PicturesLow/ - No location tab.

 

" At this point, I don't care about the useless original Camera Roll and Saved Pictures folder, I just want my AppData etc folders back to normal."

The easiest thing to do in the first place would have to make Camera Roll and Saved Pictures, Hidden folders, easily accessible by changing View. But that's water under the bridge.

If you have a System Restore point, try that. If not, you can try this -
Manually recreate the deleted folder (Local)/R-click it/choose "Restore previous version"/follow prompts. Hopefully, this will restore the location AND files. If new location is empty, you can then move the folders over from Saved Pictures. Then delete Saved Pictures and Camera Roll after you empty them (let them get recreated next time you open Photos). Good Luck

 

Ugh! I was afraid of that. AppData is getting close to, if not a part of system files, which once it's part of doesn't want to release it.

I don't think it will fix it, but you may try this:

Use DISM to Repair Windows 10 Image Performance Maintenance Tutorials

Do you have a system image backup or did you turn on System Protection to use a restore point by any chance? If not, I'm afraid you'll have to perform a system restore.

Many here use system backups:

I use this: Create System Image in Windows 10 Backup Restore Tutorials

Others use this: Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect Backup Restore Tutorials

Here's System Protection, which is off by default:

Turn On or Off System Protection for Drives in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials

Depending on your system, choose one of the options in this tutorial. Make sure you back up all of your important files first.

Reset Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

It won't let me manually make a folder called Local in AppData, it just asks me to merge with the existing one.

I do have system restore turned on. The earliest restore point is 06/11/2017 which I don't think helps because I think I first moved the folders on the 04/11/2017 (Saturday).

I have only had the computer a couple of weeks, so maybe I will just reset Windows as per your last link HippsieGypsie. I already have all my files backed up and it will just be a case of re-installing all my programs again, which I have at hand since I only did it a couple of weeks back. Bothersome but lesson learned I suppose.

I will report back when I have decided what to do and if it was successful. Thank you both for your help, it's very much appreciated *Smile

 

You're welcome, kellymarie.

Sorry for my long post. Didn't know how much you knew. I see you're an advanced user.

Good luck with your restore. BTW, to be sure > You do know that Fall Creators Update version 1709 was released, yes? Just checking cuz of the dates you mentioned.

 

I'm up to date with Windows Update as of today, but not entirely sure what that specific update is - I was on Windows 7 before this new laptop.

 

Windows 10 is now has biannual feature updates much like 7 SPs. You may check your version > Settings app > System > About.

Please do update us on your progress. Good luck.