I changed my User into the Desktop shortcut

[jasperlapidge01]

I have a peculiar situation. I don't know how but I managed to turn my User (Jasper) into the desktop shortcut. This means that everything I have on my user is on my desktop. It is hard to explain. So if I go: Local Disk (C)\Users, there is public and Jasper (my name), but instead of clicking on Jasper and Documents, Downloads and Desktop ect. being there, Jasper IS
the desktop shortcut. I know it's an awful explanation but I can't attach images. Please help.

 

[Colif]

You should be able to upload screenshots to a site like imgur and share those links here.

so you changed the location that the desktop uses to populate the desktop?

if so, go to c:\users\username
right click on desktop shortcut
choose location
click restore default button
Click apply

 

[jasperlapidge01]

You should be able to upload screenshots to a site like imgur and share those links here.

so you changed the location that the desktop uses to populate the desktop?

if so, go to c:\users\username
right click on desktop shortcut
choose location
click restore default button
Click apply

I hope this helps in some way. https://imgur.com/gallery/VynvU

 

[Colif]

that an interesting problem, in the japser folder, is there a desktop folder? The default location of desktop should be C:\users\Jasper\Desktop, so if you can finds the actual desktop folder you can change its address to that instead - Try searching C drive for it, showing hidden files and folders.

When you selected reset defaults, did you say Yes to move folders as ideally you say No as it may try to move hidden folders which is why it doesn't work. You don't want to move contents, just reset default address. I should have mentioned that.



Try running system restore back to a time prior to the changes, it should fix the misdirection
to find system restore is half the battle.
Go to settings/update & security/recovery
under Advanced startup. click restart now
this restarrts Win 10 in a blue menu
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose system restore
pick a date, hopefully a recent one before problem began
PC will restart and roll system settings back to how they were.
Hopefully fix this

If that just has similar errors, its a tricky error to fix. One way is create a new local user on PC, and make it admin. But one step to giving it full access of all your folders is normally to copy the user folder of old one over new, and that could just recreate this problem.
Alternate is just take ownership of the folders and redirect the new library locations to the old ones. Do you have more than 1 hdd? If so, I would move the locations of all the library folders onto another hdd (its easier for rebuilding after a windows disaster this way anyway) so when you create a new user, the documents/music/pictures/videos of old user are easy to find

 

[jasperlapidge01]

that an interesting problem, in the japser folder, is there a desktop folder? The default location of desktop should be C:\users\Jasper\Desktop, so if you can finds the actual desktop folder you can change its address to that instead - Try searching C drive for it, showing hidden files and folders.

When you selected reset defaults, did you say Yes to move folders as ideally you say No as it may try to move hidden folders which is why it doesn't work. You don't want to move contents, just reset default address. I should have mentioned that.



Try running system restore back to a time prior to the changes, it should fix the misdirection
to find system restore is half the battle.
Go to settings/update & security/recovery
under Advanced startup. click restart now
this restarrts Win 10 in a blue menu
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose system restore
pick a date, hopefully a recent one before problem began
PC will restart and roll system settings back to how they were.
Hopefully fix this

If that just has similar errors, its a tricky error to fix. One way is create a new local user on PC, and make it admin. But one step to giving it full access of all your folders is normally to copy the user folder of old one over new, and that could just recreate this problem.
Alternate is just take ownership of the folders and redirect the new library locations to the old ones. Do you have more than 1 hdd? If so, I would move the locations of all the library folders onto another hdd (its easier for rebuilding after a windows disaster this way anyway) so when you create a new user, the documents/music/pictures/videos of old user are easy to find

1. No there is no desktop folder in \jasper as \jasper is desktop
2. When clicking reset default and then *yes*, I get *can't move parent into child*. And when clicking *no* I get *can't move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that can't be redirected*
3. There a no previous versions as it is a new ssd (arrived 04/03/18)
4. Yes, I have a 3tb hdd for mass storage and a new ssd for os and general programs like chrome and discord.

I hope this is useful.

Edit: I should add that I have very poor internet (around 100 - 300 KB/s) so reinstalling all my programs/games would be no small task.

 

[Colif]

If you haven't already moved the library locations:
open file explorer (win + E key is shortcut)
create folders on hdd called Jaspers documents, music, video, pictures , downloads ( a folder for each BTW)- Note: If you don't have anything in some of these folders, just create what you need.

you do this 1st as sometimes it can decide to use the entire hdd and thats almost as fun to fix as your current problem.
navigate to a library folder such as Documents
right click folder, choose properties
click on the location tab
choose move
find the Jaspers documents folder on hdd you created earlier
choose select folder

Make sure it says right place and not just hdd name. correct if need be.

click apply and it will make that folder the location of your documents and move them all there. that will mean you don't lose everything.

I suggest a full reset as it will delete the user folders and rebuild new ones when you create new users after reset. Its the only way and faster than a fresh install (most of the time)

once you copy anything else off C, go to settings/update * security/recovery
click Reset this PC
click full reset (I think its called). The other option is keep files/settings but that includes logons so nope.
PC will restart and reinstall win 10. Resets only touch C drive so the hdd is left alone and ignored.

Once win 10 finished and you have a new user, you will need to take ownership of the folders on hdd, as Win 10 can tell that your user isn't same one that made documents (different user number or something).

Only do this to the folders you created as library locations so you can use same steps as above to point new folders at old ones - https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-take-ownership-and-get-full-access-to-files-and-folders-in-windows-10/

 

[jasperlapidge01]

that an interesting problem, in the japser folder, is there a desktop folder? The default location of desktop should be C:\users\Jasper\Desktop, so if you can finds the actual desktop folder you can change its address to that instead - Try searching C drive for it, showing hidden files and folders.

When you selected reset defaults, did you say Yes to move folders as ideally you say No as it may try to move hidden folders which is why it doesn't work. You don't want to move contents, just reset default address. I should have mentioned that.



Try running system restore back to a time prior to the changes, it should fix the misdirection
to find system restore is half the battle.
Go to settings/update & security/recovery
under Advanced startup. click restart now
this restarrts Win 10 in a blue menu
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose system restore
pick a date, hopefully a recent one before problem began
PC will restart and roll system settings back to how they were.
Hopefully fix this

If that just has similar errors, its a tricky error to fix. One way is create a new local user on PC, and make it admin. But one step to giving it full access of all your folders is normally to copy the user folder of old one over new, and that could just recreate this problem.
Alternate is just take ownership of the folders and redirect the new library locations to the old ones. Do you have more than 1 hdd? If so, I would move the locations of all the library folders onto another hdd (its easier for rebuilding after a windows disaster this way anyway) so when you create a new user, the documents/music/pictures/videos of old user are easy to find

 

[jasperlapidge01]

If you haven't already moved the library locations:
open file explorer (win + E key is shortcut)
create folders on hdd called Jaspers documents, music, video, pictures , downloads ( a folder for each BTW)- Note: If you don't have anything in some of these folders, just create what you need.

you do this 1st as sometimes it can decide to use the entire hdd and thats almost as fun to fix as your current problem.
navigate to a library folder such as Documents
right click folder, choose properties
click on the location tab
choose move
find the Jaspers documents folder on hdd you created earlier
choose select folder

Make sure it says right place and not just hdd name. correct if need be.

click apply and it will make that folder the location of your documents and move them all there. that will mean you don't lose everything.

I suggest a full reset as it will delete the user folders and rebuild new ones when you create new users after reset. Its the only way and faster than a fresh install (most of the time)

once you copy anything else off C, go to settings/update * security/recovery
click Reset this PC
click full reset (I think its called). The other option is keep files/settings but that includes logons so nope.
PC will restart and reinstall win 10. Resets only touch C drive so the hdd is left alone and ignored.

Once win 10 finished and you have a new user, you will need to take ownership of the folders on hdd, as Win 10 can tell that your user isn't same one that made documents (different user number or something).

Only do this to the folders you created as library locations so you can use same steps as above to point new folders at old ones - https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-take-ownership-and-get-full-access-to-files-and-folders-in-windows-10/

This one worked thanks.