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Library Folders and Onedrive

Anonymous
2018-10-24T10:15:48+00:00

I am trying to set up a computer for a non computer literate user for administration duties and make as simple as possible. I also need to make sure that ALL files are copied to the cloud on OneDrive.

One confusing (for the user) is multiple folders with the same name which I am trying to clean up. The Original Documents Folder is there (C:\Users*username*\Documents) created during install and now OneDrive is active there is a second (C:\Users*username*\OneDrive\Documents) which becomes the default save location for Office. They are both in the Documents Library so views can see both location together

There are two problems. If she opens the 1st folder specifically and finds no files in it she will switch to panic mode. If she does save files in there then these won't be backed up. One example is the HMRC PAYE utility backs up to specific UNC paths and does not understand the concept of Libraries

If I change the Location  using the Tab of the former a warning comes up that a) the files cannot be separated in the future (obviously) and b) the restore default cannot be used.

Is the latter fixable in the registry or are the default values held somewhere and get overwritten by the move and are there other issues with this change.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-10-24T16:04:31+00:00

    Relocation of User folders can always be untangled in the Registry. It's actually a fairly common problem here --- users accidentally select the parent folder (thinking the desired folder will be automatically created). Then a Registry edit is required.

    The relevant Registry key is:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

    Additional entries may appear as folders are redirected. This is because there are actually twelve system folders inserted into This PC.  In my screenshot, I have played with redirecting Documents. That is why both 'Personal' and '{d3162b92-9365-467a-956b-92703aca08af}' appear here.

    So, in your case, I would redirect the folders found in the User's profile folder to the OneDrive folders. Then the folders become normal folders (without a 'Location' tab) and can be deleted. Likewise, modify the Library definitions so that they only reference the OneDrive folders. Then, the folders under This PC, OneDrive, and Libraries should all be the same.

    Here's a handy reference with the first column being the entries found under:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace

    The second column the name, and the third being the FolderDescription ID, which may appear under User Shell Folders instead of the name:

    GUID : {088e3905-0323-4b02-9826-5d99428e115f}

    Name : Local Downloads

    FDID : {7d83ee9b-2244-4e70-b1f5-5393042af1e4}

    GUID : {0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}

    Name : 3D Objects

    FDID : {31C0DD25-9439-4F12-BF41-7FF4EDA38722}

    GUID : {1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}

    Name : My Music

    FDID : {4BD8D571-6D19-48D3-BE97-422220080E43}

    GUID : {24ad3ad4-a569-4530-98e1-ab02f9417aa8}

    Name : Local Pictures

    FDID : {0ddd015d-b06c-45d5-8c4c-f59713854639}

    GUID : {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}

    Name : Downloads

    FDID : {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}

    GUID : {3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}

    Name : My Pictures

    FDID : {33E28130-4E1E-4676-835A-98395C3BC3BB}

    GUID : {3dfdf296-dbec-4fb4-81d1-6a3438bcf4de}

    Name : Local Music

    FDID : {a0c69a99-21c8-4671-8703-7934162fcf1d}

    GUID : {A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}

    Name : My Video

    FDID : {18989B1D-99B5-455B-841C-AB7C74E4DDFC}

    GUID : {A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}

    Name : Personal

    FDID : {FDD39AD0-238F-46AF-ADB4-6C85480369C7}

    GUID : {B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}

    Name : Desktop

    FDID : {B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}

    GUID : {d3162b92-9365-467a-956b-92703aca08af}

    Name : Local Documents

    FDID : {f42ee2d3-909f-4907-8871-4c22fc0bf756}

    GUID : {f86fa3ab-70d2-4fc7-9c99-fcbf05467f3a}

    Name : Local Videos

    FDID : {35286a68-3c57-41a1-bbb1-0eae73d76c95}

    You can quiclly access these folders by typing 'Shell:<Name>' in the Address Bar of Explorer, i.e. Shell:Local Dockuments

    Keith

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-10-24T21:49:26+00:00

    Keith

    I have now done the Location Move on the folders affected

    One change has shown up. Previously even though a Folder location was changed the original folder remained, you suggested deleting it after removing it from the Library. In the past I have left it where it was to allow programs that refer to the Documents folder via the UNC path to still have somewhere to drop files.

    However after the move I found the Library now only had one path listed (in OneDrive) and it had been removed from the original location. So the result is as you suggested but I didn't have to do it.

    I know there was an issue with build 1809 deleting files when it removed the folder (there were none in mine anyway) but this computer is build 1803.

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