Windows 10: OneDrive creates a Desktop subfolder on my PC desktop in Windows 10

Hello,Every time my Desktop and Documents sync to OneDrive, OneDrive creates a subfolder called Desktop on my Desktop, i.e., Desktop > Desktop. The subfolder is empty. The full path to that subfolder is: My computer name\Users\my name\OneDrive\Desktop\file folder, where file folder is the name of one of my document folders.I've spent hours trying to fix the problem without success. Deleting the subfolder doesn't work; it reappears soon again. Renaming it doesn't work; OneDrive changes the new name back to Desktop. As a last resort, I paused OneDrive and deleted all of my OneDrive file

:)

 

OneDrive is subfolder of Desktop in the Registry.

You don't specify the key you found that entry under, but I'm guessing it's:

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Then you say:

• " I have found the GUID of OneDrive is a different hex number."

But you don't tell us how you "found" this or the value of the GUID, but I'm guessing it's:

• {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}

Both are related to OneDrive. {A52BBA46-E9E1-435f-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6} is the KnownFolderID of the OneDrive folder. The ID/Path value is only found under HKCU\...\UserShellFolders if the file sytem location of the OneDrive folder has been changed from its default of %UserProfile%\OneDrive, which can only be done on setup or when re-linking your PC after un-linking. {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6} is the CLSID of the virtual folder that is inserted into the Virtual Desktop namespace via:

• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

This is what allows OneDrive to appear in the Navigation Pane and on the Desktop. That is why it's the GUID you find most frequently in internet searches --- people frequently want to remove it from the Navigation Pane. Before I make any suggestions, would like more info:

1. In the Explreor Address bar or a Run dialog, type shell:OneDriveEnter. Does a folder open, eror occur, or nothing happen?
2. Does the folder D:\Desktop\OneDrvie exist? Amy content?
3. Does the %UserProfile%\OneDrive folder still exist? Any content?
4. If you access OneDrive online via your MS account, and it contains folders/files, can you locate the corresponding items anywhere on your PC?

The one thing you might try is deleting the {A52BBA46-E9E1-435f-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6} value under HKCU\...\UserShellFolders, creating (if it doesn't exist) a folder named OneDrive in your user profile folder (the default location), restarting your PC, and then seeing if your can start OneDrive.

 

OneDrive is subfolder of Desktop in the Registry.

Windows 10 Pro v.19043.1237. I have screwed up User Default folder locations including OneDrive. I would like to un/re-install OneDrive as it will not start. But I cannot uninstall it. Looking at Registry I can see I have successfully put the User folders on D:\ But OneDrive is set as a subfolder of Desktop. The registry Value Name is {A52BBA46-E9E1-435f-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6} and the Value data is D:\Desktop\OneDrive. I have found the GUID of OneDrive is a different hex number. Do you think I should edit something or is it possible to put a new entry in registry. Or is the a less messy solution to my problem. One that doesn't involve re-installing all my software. Thank you for reading this far! Regards Pete, Dover UK.

 

Windows 10 - OneDrive

Right click on the app and one of the properties has an option to not automatically start it. Uncheck, restart the computer, and it should stop. If you want to go another step further, find the OneDrive app in the start menu, right click on it and uninstall.

If that is still insufficient, there is a batch uninstaller for OneDrive available online. I can copy the code here if you need it.