Windows 10: Cannot create a folder as Windows says it already exists

1) In May I created a folder on my mothers computer called "2016 Pics." When I visited her this past week the folder and it's contents were missing. I did file/folder search for the folder with no luck. each time I try to make a new folder with this same name Windows says the folder already exists. I tried in safe-mode and via a cmd prompt, all with no luck. There is no "hide folders" software on the computer so I am at a complete loss on this. It's a Win 10 Home system.

2) I also want to disable the Drag & Drop feature as my mother seems to drag & drop folders or files into the wrong folders far too often. I'd rather she use edit>copy, edit>paste. Any help on this issue would also be helpful.

Thanks

:)

 

lumia 620, how to make lists of songs in music player

A new folder cannot be made Playlist, because a window appears saying that such folder already exists. However, it is nowhere to be found. When I create a playlist with one song as you described it appears in the phone but not on the computer.

 

lumia 620, how to make lists of songs in music player

A new folder cannot be named Playlist, because a window appears saying that such folder already exists. However, it is nowhere to be found. When I create a playlist with one song as you described it appears in the phone but not on the computer

 

1) Try booting from a suitable boot medium (a Win 10 disk or USB drive would do) and (e.g.) from a command prompt if you're using a Win 10 boot disk have a look at the folder where you think that folder is.

That will overcome ways it might be hidden by the OS or many other programs.

2) a quick web search offers:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/disabl...rop-in-windows
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/config...p-move-windows

Never tried this so see what you think.

 

dalchina offers good options ...

Try this without booting to another device / OS

Command Prompt (Admin)

cd \

dir /a /s /o:g *Pics

 

@ dalchina,
Thanks for the tips on "Drag-n-Drop" I think I did web search and came up with at least one of these sites. And at quick glance they were not offering a simple reg tweak to completely disable the feature so I passed it by. Still have not read them through. My Bad on this issue as I ended up placing an unnecessary burden on you all to find something for me.

With respect to the "mysteriously hidden folder," I am no longer at my mother home, so it will be a bit more difficult to perform your suggested action. I do have TeamViewer on her system and can remotely control it in order to perform Slartybart's suggestion, but since your suggestion requires booting to a disc or USB It will not be possible until I get on her computer again.

I will be replying with respect to Slartybart's suggestion soon, but until I can find a simple boot method with easy access to a cmd prompt I will have a difficult time walking my 79yr old mother through the steps of creating the boot media and using it.

Thanks for the suggestions thus far.

Brian

 

I'll wait for your update Brian.

I've often dropped folders in the wrong place when the mouse flakes out (or I do *Wink)

If the pics somehow got deleted, there are other options - but that's getting ahead of the troubleshooting.

Bill
.

 

Managed to run the command dir /a /s /o:g *Pics and it did find a folder named "2016 Pics"
The only problem is I cant browse is, not sure the syntax to use to view the folder given it name has a space in the title.

 

Ah, had to read your post a few time - thought you could not access the folder at first, but I think you are right - the space is causing you difficulty

In Command prompt, you have to add quotes around anything that has a space in it or else the interpreter stops at the space.

As an example

cd C:\Users\Dad\Pictures\2016 Pics stops processing at C:\Users\Dad\Pictures\2016
so
cd "C:\Users\Dad\Pictures\2016 Pics" gets you to the folder

Once you know the path of the folder, you could also navigate there in File Explorer

Please post the full path of the 2016 Pics folder
or post a screen shot of the dir command you used to find it.

If there is a reparse point, it would be identified like this
08/02/16 12:46 <JUNCTION>

 

The path of the folder is E:\My Pictures\2016 Pics
after opening E:\ in a cmd window I use the dir command you gave me (dir /a /s /o:g *Pics)
Inside the folder were two other folders which were both empty
I tried to delete it, but did not know the correct syntax to do so
I assume that the following should work: rd "2016 Pics" or delete "2016 Pics"
It is odd that it is visible in the cmd window but not in the File Explorer.

 

Yeah, this gets a bit tricky if what I suspect is happening actually happened. The thing is, it's not a normal action a user would take to get it in this shape

Don't try to delete anything until you know for sure ... ren (rename is a better choice for experimentation)

Please give me eyes on the dir list ... post a screen shot.

Here's how you can grab a screen shot that shows the issue and attach it to a new post.
Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Ten Forums - Windows 10 Forums

Can you navigate to E:\My Pictures in File Explorer?
My Pictures is usually a junction and it's protected by Windows.

The junction usually points to C:\Users\Dad\Pictures where Dad is your user login.

 

The system used to be Windows 7 and I had setup the users folder to the "E" drive to keep it off "C" It's a completely different HD.
Navigation to E:\My Pictures in File Explorer is possible, but like I said, this particular folder is not visible. 2013 Pics, 2014 Pics, 2015 Pics folders are visible.

I cannot give you a screen capture tonight. I was on my mothers computer via TeamViewer earlier. I will try to do this tomorrow.

 

Thanks, so it's only the "2016 Pics" folder that can be seen in Command, but not seen in File Explorer - right?

What this means to me is that "2016 Pics" really does exist, but is presented to File Explorer as a different folder name.

If you can match what Command sees to what File Explorers sees, you should be left with a mis-match
Command Explorer 2013 Pics 2013 Pics 2014 Pics 2014 Pics 2015 Pics 2015 Pics 2016 Pics newPictures
In the example above, newPictures is the overlay name of "2016 Pics"

It might be painstaking to match the folders one by one - hopefully there aren't too many or you find a mismatch quickly.

Once you identify the mis-match, then it's just a matter of figuring out the method of the overlay.