Windows 10: Can't save txt files to Desktop

It started not long ago and is a problem I've never seen before. When I try to save a txt file, using Notepad or EditPad Lite, Windows shows a message that reads (freely translated from Brazilian Portuguese — I don't know how exactly it goes in English):
Save as
C:\Users\Paulo\Desktop\(intended name for the file).txt
File not found.
Check file name and try again.
I have now Windows 10 Pro 1709 (compilation 16299.192) and can't say if the problem started with this version or another one.

BTW, I created a docx file with Word 365 and a cdr file with CorelDRAW 2017 and could save them to the Windows Desktop normally, so it seems the problem is, AFAIK, related to txt files only.

Any ideas? TIA.

:)

 

SMS Shortcut

You must nave not created the file correctly. Did you create it on your desktop then transfer it to your phone? Make sure that it really is saving as a .lnk and not as a .txt. By default windows will hide the file extension so it might be saving as Shortcut.lnk.txt

 

How do you want to open this?

I would not use Word, it has too much formatting in the document; use Notepad for a plain text file with only a .reg descriptor.

Save the file to your desktop and then just double click on it to run the edit process.

If you still want to use Word, copy the script into Word and save the document as a "plain text" file to your desktop. You will need to edit the file name (to get rid of the '.txt' at the end of the file type).

Just click twice, slowly on the file and delete the .txt extension. Now you should have a .reg file (blue cubes). Double click on it and follow the instructions.

 

Run GrantPerms. GrantPerms Download

 

Browse to C:\Uasers\)UserName[\Desktop right click it and choose Properties. Go to the Location tab and click Restore Default. If this fails, go to the Security tab and check the permissions to allow you Full Control.

 

Just to confirm, on my up-to-date Win10 I can right-click the desktop and choose New, Text document. I can also open a file in my text editor [Notepad++], work on it then use Save as and point to the desktop.

 

bro67, on the sites where I found it they say GrantPerms works only with Windows XP/Vista/7/8. Is it safe to run it on Windows 10?

spunk, the Restore default option didn't do it, and the Security area shows everything set to o Full control already. But after the Restore default thing I also unchecked the Read-only (folder files) option and finally could save one txt file I created with Notepad.

But then I created a new txt test file with EditPad Lite and couldn't save it there. Same with Notepad. So I looked at the Desktop properties and found that the read-only option was again checked. So I unchecked it, but again couldn't save the test txt file.

I tried the solution here: Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10 User Accounts Tutorials, but the tutorial shows this warning: This context menu will only work with English Windows 10 installations. I'll check later for Brazilian Portuguese.

I googled for "Windows 10 cannot save files to desktop." Among the results, there is this one that points to some OneDrive bug: Windows 10, cannot save a text file to the C:\ folder, access - Microsoft Community. But it's too much complex for me.

Oh, BTW, I could save the test txt file to a folder named Textos (Texts), which is located at a second hard drive and is on the desktop a shortcut.

 

It also works with Windows 10. Farbar's tools are only on bleepingcomputer .com. Forget what the random third party websites are telling you. I have used it many times on Window 10 machines with zero issues. You also need to follow the instructions in the other post. Arguing about your machine when none of us have access to it, places all burdin back on you.

 

I ran GrantPerms (as an administrator) to unlock the User and Public Desktop TNA.
I think this is something wrong with Windows 10 itself, because I had another weird problem today. I started installing LibreOffice (64-bit, latest stable version) and all went well until two warnings appeared, both related to the creation of desktop shortcuts for the applications (see images below). At this point the installation process rolled back and I had to end it without installing the suite.







With that desktop problem and now this software installation failure in mind, I googled and found and ran the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter from Microsoft, also TNA.

So I decided to try to install that suite again, but I unchecked the option to create desktop shortcut and... voil ! Installation completed!

Then I went to one of the programs in the suite and could create a desktop shortcut via Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).

So my conclusion is there is something bad specifically with the way Windows 10 is dealing with the desktop in my system.

 

Update

I ran both sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth. The results are:

SFC
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

DISM
No component store corruption detected.
The operation completed successfully.

 

Make sure, that Controlled Folder Access is OFF. If it is OFF, turn in ON, then set it OFF again.

Change Windows Defender Controlled Folder Access Settings - Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

 

I think a lot of the issues with the desktop is Microsoft's desire to keep the desktop/screen as clean as possible unless actually using programs. I seem to recall some writers mentioning that a few versions ago. Some time ago the default location for all downloads was on the desktop which made it quite cluttered but it was changeable, usually in the browser/s being used.

 

This is probably solution to your problem Paultx. If problem persist after turning it off an on again, maybe you're using third party app (with no valid signature) for editing txt files. Try adding that app to allowed

It's in the same tutorial linked above *Smile

 

Although the Ransomware area isn't present here in Windows Defender, I could follow your instructions in the Virus & threat protection settings area — and it solved the problem! Thanks, TairikuOkami and you all.

Now I will try to install the aforementioned suite like in my first try to see how it goes. Please, don't close this thread yet, 'cause if something goes wrong with program installations I'll get back here for more help. TIA.

 

Controlled Folder Access is new for the Fall Creators Update (1709), you won't have it if you at on an earlier version.