Windows 10: How Delete an Old "Users" Folders

Hi, I build a PC in 2014 and installed W7 and I changed the user profile folders path in the registry for new users to be created on a drive "E:\Users" different from my small ssd "C:" drive.

I have already updated to W10 and I am having some small problems, but I can not do a repair because of my "special users folders" configuration it does not allow me keep my files and programs. its said that Windows is installed on a different drive.

So I decided to edit my registry "User Profile Folders" and reverted to the original path and create new users on the drive "C:" which seems to work ok, a new public user folders was created also in the drive "C:" and I also deleted the Old users and all its folders.

But the old "E:\Users" system folder can not be deleted!!! ...there is no users there but I can not deleted.

So I would like to knows if somebody have an idea about how can I delete this folder because I do not need it anymore, as I have already a new one "C:\Users" system folder, where all my new users are created already.

There is only one folder inside the old "E:\Users" system folder, and is and Old "Public" folder which is also empty, but I can not delete either this one.

I have try to do a repair update with this new configuration but stills does not allow me to keep my files and programs, and I believe is because I am still having this all "E:\Users" system folder.

I hope some one can help me.

Thanks, Carlos.

:)

 

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Hi, here's the 'correct' way to move the users profile:
Users Folder - Move Location in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

(See method 2).

However you have already made a number of changes, so you would not be able to apply that immediately. This could make life difficult.

You are correct that an in-place upgrade repair attempt where such folders have been relocated will fail in that obscure and non-indicative way.

It won't be the simple existence of the folder on E: that is the problem, but probably remaining registry issues relating to this. Deleting the folder would be the trivial part - e.g. boot to a command prompt outside Windows.

 

Thanks, I have no users to move as I delete all the old Users and create newones on the "C:" Drive.

But I have notice also, that my "C:" Drive does not appears as Drive "0" in the Disk Management tool, but instead is Drive "E:" which appears as Drive "0" and my "C:" Drive appears as Disk 2 as I have 3 Drives total.

I do not know how this happens, when the Drives numbers where changed, but I remember to build my PC with only the "C:" Drive on it, and I added 2 mores drives later on, so at the very beginnin the "C:" Drive should have to be the Drive "0" as it was the only Drive installed, but then something must have change it.

Perhapps when I changed the Users Profile Paths to the new drive and create new users on that Drive the system changed the number of the "E:" Drive automatically to 0, as its was the main Users Drive, but I am just gessing.

Anyway, is there a way to change the "C:" Drive number back to "0"?

...perhapps this is the reason the system detects that the OS is installed on a differents Drive, the Drve 2 instead of Drive 0, eventhat it stills have the "C:" Drive letter.

Thanks, Carlos.

 

Hi, I understood you did not need to move users, merely to illustrate that the recommended procedure for doing so was somewhat involved. By making registry changes, it is thus possible an inconsistency remains to which Win 10 in-place upgrade repair objects. Of course I've no proof of that.

Could you post a screenshot of what you're seeing with diskmgmt.msc? Thanks!
Note too that Win 10 adds more partitions. I rather think considering disk numbers is irrelevant; if in-place repair couldn't identify the partitions I think you'd get a rather different error. (But then, I'm not a fan of MS's error messages which too often don't point in hte right direction).

 

Hi, perhaps my mistake was to follow the same procedure I used, when I had W7, to change the users back to the "C" Drive, I just modify some registry keys to change the User Profile Path, following a procedure in Windows 7 Help Forums , instead of following the W10 process you just show me.

Anyway, that is the image of my disk management. Disk 0 and Disk 1 are Raid 1 Volumes, and Disk 3 is my SSD "C" Drive.

I am beginnig to believe there is not solution but to reinstall everyrhing again.

Thanks, Carlos.

 

Hi, unless you have a useful system restore point, or use disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect free) and can restore to a point before yuor changes, your options appear to be:
a. Create a new user, and spend a while making that behave as your user used to be. Whether that works and is reliable will depend on what changes you have made to the registry... unpredictable
b. Bite the bullet and reinstall. (Before which, I suggest you image what you have so you can extract anything you've forgotten to back up from that).

Note that if you have loads of programs installed, Laplink (for a price) offers a potentially helpful program which I've used successfully. It's time vs money - assuming your changes have no adverse effect.

 

...the new users I have created are working fine so far and the PC seems to be ok too, in fact I have only 3 issues that are the reasons I want to try to make repairing install:

• some windows built-in apps do not install or upgrade, and they just disappeared from my PC and from the Windows Store. But I can install any other app from the windows store.
• the MMC can not shows any details for events in Windows/System section, but it show the details of the events on the other sections. like the Application ones.
• I can no a do a repair installs without the option of keeping my files.

Anyway I thing I will wait to the W10 Anniversary Update and see if something gets better, then I try to reinstall everything.

Dalchina, do you think that I can reinstall just Windows 10, but backup just my Programs I have installed so then I can restore all of them after I reinstall W10? ...should I open a new thread? ...I will take a look on your suggestion of Laplink, thanks!!!

Thanks, Carlos.