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Tried to move Music folder, now it redirects to the main user file and I can't change it back.

Anonymous
2023-07-28T01:21:24+00:00

Hello.

I was trying to move some of my folders around - my laptop has two drives, and one has significantly more space, so I wanted to move my Pictures and Music folders to the other drive. The Pictures one went perfectly, but when I tried to move the Music one, it didn't work right, so then I tried to move it back.

Now my computer has turned the default user folder (I think?) into the Music folder??

I tried to undo it, but now it just keeps giving me this error message over and over...

I don't know what went wrong, and I don't know how to fix it, either...

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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Brian Tillman 25,445 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2023-07-28T02:03:56+00:00

Hi. I'm Brian and I will do my best to help you.

How did you try to move it? Did you change the Location value in the Properties dialog?

Perhaps the better way would be to edit the registry value that controls the location of the folder. If you need to know how to do that, there are a few articles that explain it. See

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/move-or-restore-d...

In the second article, scroll toward the bottom.

Note that one of the web sites I referenced isn't a Microsoft web site but it appears to contain accurate information and no potentially unwanted apps. It may, however, contain ads and use cookies, so be aware.

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  1. Brian Tillman 25,445 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-07-28T02:24:08+00:00

    Yes, it should separate it. Create a Music folder on the other drive, then change the registry key described in the article to point to that folder.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-07-28T02:22:27+00:00

    Ah, okay!

    If I did that, would it actually separate it from the user folder? Because my laptop currently believes the user folder is the music folder... (Like, if I put the path for the user folder into the address bar in file explorer, it'll just take me to the "music" folder)

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  3. Brian Tillman 25,445 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-07-28T02:19:36+00:00

    The locations of folders like Documents, Music and Pictures are part of your Windows user profile kept in a database called the registry. Changing the location changes that registry value. When you tried to move it back, you pointed it at the folder that usually contains the Music folder so the two folders appear intertwined. The first of the two articles I cited has the method for moving the Music folder to another drive.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-07-28T02:08:23+00:00

    I tried to move it with the Move button in the Properties menu. The first time it made the folder get mixed up with the user one (I guess I clicked the wrong thing or something?), and now when I try it just gives me that error message - and so does the Restore Default option.

    And for the second thing, uh... I don't think I understand? I've never really heard of registry values before. ...If it's okay I ask, what is that?

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