Sh:t !! I moved my desktop folder and my whole cpu when haywire!!

teddyFBI · #1 10-14-2005, 01:30 AM

So I very accidentally dragged and dropped my "Desktop" folder into my "Cookies" folder. This caused nearly all the icons on my desktop to disappear (b/c the desktop folder was no longer where the computer thought it was).

Realizing my mistake, I simply went into the Cookies folder and dragged the Desktop folder back out, dropping it right back where it was before.

Big problem: none of my icons came back -- not only that, but the desktop started acting very very weird. It won't let me put existing icons on the desktop, nor create new ones on there.

I took it to 2 dif computer tech help labs, and they each told me roughly the same thing: that when I moved the Desktop folder, it messes up all sorts of internal pathways, and it's not as simple as dragging it back to where it had been b/c the pathways are sometimes permanently corrupted.

They both suggested I reinstall Windows. This sucks and would take an entire day.

MAIN QUESTION: does the explanation I got from the tech people seam at least plausible??
Reinstalling wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'd like to avoid it if I can.

FouTight · #2 10-14-2005, 08:43 AM

I can't really admit to doing anything like this before, never really occurded to me to try and move my desktop. What version of windows are you running anyways.

and for the record, a reinstall should take 30-45 minutes, not a full day.

teddyFBI · #3 10-14-2005, 08:55 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I can't really admit to doing anything like this before, never really occurded to me to try and move my desktop. What version of windows are you running anyways.

and for the record, a reinstall should take 30-45 minutes, not a full day.

[/ QUOTE ]

XP. Yeah, more like a few hrs in my case, cuz I have to back everything up etc. Strange thing was that when I accidentally dropped the desktop folder into cookies, windows warned me that I shouldn't do that, and asked me if i wanted to cancel the action. I selected YES I WANT TO CANCEL, but it did it anyway.

FouTight · #4 10-14-2005, 09:51 AM

it probably said "Do you want to continue" but thats neither here nor there, although you have me about half ready to try and do it myself just to read the message!

Do you have mutliple partions on your drive? this makes backing up and restoring 100% easier.

#5 10-14-2005, 10:12 AM

If you really don't want to re-install...I would try a repair it seems like an easy enough problem to fix as no files were corrupted or anything. I would still backup my data before trying though...it's a pain but you should keep backups anyway [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

***There are two types of computer users, those you never lost anything and those who make backup.***

#6 10-14-2005, 10:31 AM

<font color="red">***BIG WARNING***</font>
I haven't tried this, I'm at school had some free time and browsed the registry of this computer.
Attempt whatever I suggest AT YOUR OWN RISK. Messing with your registry can mess up your computer more than it is, if you don't know what you're doing. If I'm wrong and you follow my advice it could mess it up much more. In the event that I am wrong and you mess up your computer following my suggestions you agree that it's your fault and that you are the sole responsible for having [censored] up your PC. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
<font color="red">***END BIG WARNING***</font>

Ok, now that I've covered my ass [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Your Desktop folder should be located at :
C:\Documents and Settings\{currentuser}\

In the registry there are keys that specify the Desktop path. It shouldn't be the one affecting you, it's located here:
HKLM/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/User Shell Folders/

The key that specify the folder for the shared desktop should be : %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop

More importantly there's a key for YOUR desktop which is located at :
HKCU/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/User Shell Folders/

That one should be :
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop

If it's already set to that then I don't know how to help ya [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

John Feeney · #7 10-14-2005, 10:49 AM

Could you just do a sytem restore to a point before you messed it up?(accessories-->system tools-->system restore... in xp pro anyway)

MyMindIsGoing · #8 10-14-2005, 11:17 AM

"MAIN QUESTION: does the explanation I got from the tech people seam at least plausible??"

To some point, yes. It is kinda the same thing if you use two paths to the same dir, all kinds of stuff can happen. I read somewhere long time ago that it could happen.

"Reinstalling wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'd like to avoid it if I can."

If the icons is the problem, just create new ones. I assume they were all shortcuts to various programs anyway. I have never been a fan of icons on the desktop, I have it as clean as possible, not even a background image.

Have you tried just making a new account and using that instead in the current installation of windows? Should fix the problem since all accounts [unless you want them to be the same] have diffrent desktops and settings in general.

If that won't work I would reinstall windows, witch is not a very big deal realy. You will get a new fresh installation and could take the oppertunity to install all latest drivers and upgrade your programs.

#9 10-14-2005, 02:31 PM

mmmh nice I didn't think about creating a new user and deleting the old one...that's definitly a good solution which would probably solve the problem he's having. It doesn't seem like he modified the shared desktop.

teddyFBI · #10 10-15-2005, 11:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Could you just do a sytem restore to a point before you messed it up?(accessories-->system tools-->system restore... in xp pro anyway)

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the suggestion: System Restore didn't work. It kept coming back with errors telling me the restore process had failed.