Windows 10: re-boot loses documents folder, desktop shortcuts...

I re-booted and now file explorer shows 1 file in my documents folder. 70 of the 100 desktop shortcuts are gone. None of my startup application as shown in Task Manager were started. OneDrive says I need to create an account; I've been using OneDrive for a couple years. Are all of these resources actually gone?The reason for the re-boot was to log in as another already defined user. I've installed Windows updates regularly, most recently within the last couple of weeks, but It didn't give the option of restarting without updating. Still, it makes no sense that even a re-boot

:)

 

Downloads folder is the Documents folder

Hi Chris,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

I suggest you to Restore to Default the folders and document settings and see if it helps.

Step 1:

Please follow below steps and check if it helps.

• Go to Download folder.
• Right click on the Download Folder and go to Properties.
• In Properties go to Location tab.
• In location Tab Click on Restore Default.

Step 2:

Please follow below steps and check if it helps.

• Go to Documents folder.
• Right click on the Document folder and go to Properties.
• In Properties go to Location tab.
• In location Tab Click on Restore Default.

After performing above steps change the settings as you required and check if it helps.

Hope these information helps, please get back to us for future support, we’ll be glad to assist you further.

Thank you.

 

documents and desktop folders mixed up

Yep, took another look at your .reg file.

Not only are the Documents folders under This PC (Personal & {f42ee2d3-909f-4907-8871-4c22fc0bf756}) pointing to ...\OneDrive\Documents, but so is {754AC886-DF64-4CBA-86B5-F7FBF4FBCEF5}, which is hte Desktop folder under This PC and thus the source of files seen on your Desktop.

So the SendTo shortcut is fine, it just the wrong folder is designated as your Desktop.

Not sure if you turned off the desktop.ini files as I suggested. If not, vrify actual folder names in PowerShell or a Command Prompt.

• If the correct Desktop folder is named "Desktop" & under your UserProfile folder, you can delete the value named {754AC886-DF64-4CBA-86B5-F7FBF4FBCEF5}. It doesn't exist on a clean install & isn't created until the Desktop is redirected.
• If your desired Desktop folder is different from the default, edit path for the value {754AC886-DF64-4CBA-86B5-F7FBF4FBCEF5} to that of your desired Desktop.

After a log off/log on, you should be good.

 

Desktop Icon - Actually a source folder not shortcut

Thank you for reply.

Maybe I should clarify a bit. I know 100% that it's not a shortcut because when I move the Documents Icon from my desktop back to the Documents, it says Same Source File. Also, there is no arrow like on a normal shortcut.

This is the way I have my folders organized in my file system:

Documents, then under here, I have hundreds of additional individual folders. So if I were to delete "Documents" I would pretty much lose everything on my laptop. The "Mother Folder" is "Documents". Somehow this Mother Folder is ALSO now on my Desktop
- but not just as a shortcut. I still see the Mother Folder in my laptop files too. It's like repeated.

Thank you!