Windows 10: Duplicate subfolders in User folder

Hi there. Have been working with Build 10074 for several days. Just realized yesterday that my main user folder has duplicate sub-folders (2 Documents, 2 Music, 2 Videos, 2 Downloads, 2 Pictures). They are the same size, have the same properties). Whichever one I delete, makes the other one unusable, where there is an error message like it doesn't exist. Is this a Registry problem? Now I am dual-booting on this particular installation with Windows 7. When I boot into Win7 and access that User folder, it only shows SINGLE entries, no evil twin. Strange… What can I do? I have thought of creating a new user, moving my files into those new sub-folders, then deleting the original user. However, the main user with the duplication is a Microsoft account as opposed to a local account. So that complicates everything. Thanks in advance for your tips.

:)

 

After upgrading to Windows 10, admin account is disabled(I see it but I can't active it)

If nobody has a better solution, this is what I did:

Open a window for each account folder.

Win-R \AppData in each account, or check Hidden items under View and open \AppData.

For each subfolder in the old account set the owner and all child owners and child permissions to the new account.

Drag the subfolders at proper levels to the new account folder.

Drag any extra files to their proper subfolders to the new account folder.

Skip some duplicate files; replace other duplicate files when default.

Open \Windows.old and \Windows and their \ProgramData.

Drag Public art, Wallpaper, and User Account Pictures to proper \Windows subfolders.

It's pretty awful that Microsoft doesn't explain any of this or warn that all accounts and data aren't migrated. See windows 8 has deleted my windows.old/programfiles ?!!!.

 

Win 10 suddenly moving/duplicating files to C:/Users

hmmm weird.. but this might give you more info:

Duplicate subfolders in User folder Solved - Windows 10 Forums

 

Hello gallicbear,

If you like, you can see if using OPTION TWO in the tutorial below to restore the default location of the affected user folders may sort this for you. Afterwards, you should be able to delete the duplicate folders that do not have a "Location" tab in their properties page to remove them for good. *Smile

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...n.html#option2

 

If Brink's suggestion does not work (I think I tried that), it is a 'known' issue -- I have fed MS the information I had.
See: Double Users Folders after 10061 - Windows 10 Forums

This is an anomaly only from the 'ThisPC' presentation standpoint.
If you navigate to your %USERPROFILE% (i.e. C:\Users\Dad), the 'duplicates' are not really there.
I haven't figured out the why or where, but I'm leaning to it being due to the change in Libraries (they were defined in .libraries files under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Libraries (if my recollection is still any good).

Libraries now seem to be GUID'd, as best I can tell.

This change might be due to File Storage (backup & restore?) or OneDrive (online storage / sync data) considerations - not sure.

It's a nuisance, but it doesn't hurt to have them for now. MS will have to fix it, unless a member posts the registry modification. The folks on the other thread have resolved to just leave the things alone *Wink

 

Thanks, Shawn. Unfortunately it didn't do any good. The duplicates are still there.
And I appreciate your contribution, Slartybart. I'll sit tight for now and wait for things to get taken care of my MS in a future update. I'm running 10074 on another machine, and there is no such duplication. So it probably depended on the info 10074 'saw' when it installed itself and how it processed it.

 

Gallicbear,

Did you check the properties page of each folder, and delete the folder that didn't have a "Location" tab?

Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing this to see if it may reveal a culprit. *Smile

 

That's interesting ... the 'duplicate' user folders only show up when I select 'Show all folders' and expand my user location in the list.

For the record,
a) I clean installed using an ISO created from the ESD and installed Win10 on a native VHD (not in a VM) - dual boot to VHD. There was nothing for setup to see. But that might make a difference too *Wink

b) I just tried restoring default Libraries - nada, no change.

c) I used the express install option and sign-in using my MS account.
There is another anomaly with 10.074 ... it created C:\Users\Slart (from ?) and the full name from my MS account (Bart Fast).
Maybe Windows thinks the two are different accounts and is trying to present the folders for that account (i.e. Gary's Documents ... Gary's Videos). If that's true, then it will get sorted when MS resolves the 'same sign-in ... two different account' issue. Or perhaps Windows should be presenting the Public folders but is confused.
Lots of guesses there *Wink

Screenshots are good, someone might see something that leads to a solution or workaround.

Side note: I've tried moving the location of the User system folders, deleting the old folder, restoring the default location, ... everything I could think of that affects the special folders, even deleting the Junctions and the User system folders (not recommended unless they are empty). No attempt solved the issue. Windows recreates the User system folders and the 'duplicates'.

Soooooo I'm in wait and see mode too.

Left Explorer shows Bart Fast (from Desktop User icon) - 'duplicates' are presented (30 items - five 'extra' items from the dups)
Right Explorer show Slart (from C:\Users\Slart) - 'duplicates' are NOT presented (25 items)

Interestingly, the items count is correctly represented

 

Thanks, Shawn. Yes, I checked. Both subfolders have valid location tabs. Here is the screenshot. Hope it's clear enough.

 

As a test, set Windows to not show hidden files to see if the duplicates are still there.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...show-hide.html

 

Thanks for trying, but it makes no difference, Shawn.
And here is something interesting: I don't have anything in 'Music'. So I deleted both, and I re-created a folder 'Music'. When it fitted itself in with the other subfolders, it duplicated itself immediately...

 

Try deleting them, then restart the PC without recreating the folder to see how that does.

 

I think it has something to do with syncing other devices.

I tried moving one of each to another drive and it ended up making duplicates of those as well!





It's hard to pin point! *Sad

 

Good try, Shawn. I did that. The deleted ones are gone when I reboot. However, when I recreate the deleted one, it duplicates itself.
What I did notice when I rebooted is that at the logon screen, there is mention at the bottom left screen of two users: my own and 'default user'. I wonder if that messes up things. Because I never did create such a user.

 

Didn't mean to ignore you, Edwin. Thanks for your input. Off hand, I am not syncing anything, except that I use this laptop with a microsoft account. The other PC has a local account and runs 10074 does not have those duplications.