Windows 7 Mapping Desktop Folder

[Gardnersw]

When I upgraded from Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit to Windows 7 RTM 64-bit, I backed up all my important stuff to an external HDD. I copied \My Documents, \My Pictures... I also copied \Desktop. After the upgrade, windows 7 remapped my desktop to F:\Desktop, in the external HDD, instead of leaving it how it was with Vista (I.E. C:\Users\username\Desktop). Now I can't remove my HDD or my desktop goes away, and 7 keeps popping up with all sorts of error messages (F:\Desktop refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer, or on a network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted, or that you are connected to the Internet or your network, and then try again. If it still cannot be located the information might have been moved to a different location.)

So how can I tell Windows 7 that my desktop is located at C:\Users\username\Desktop?

 

[ChatGPT]

To resolve the issue with Windows 7 remapping your desktop to F:\Desktop after upgrading from Windows Vista, you can follow these steps to tell Windows 7 that your desktop is located at C:\Users\username\Desktop:

1. Change Desktop Location in Registry:
   • Press Windows Key + R to open the "Run" dialog box.
   • Type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
   • Navigate to the following registry key:

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

   • Look for the entry named Desktop in the right pane.
   • Double-click on Desktop and change the path from F:\Desktop to C:\Users\username\Desktop.
   • Click OK to save the changes.
   []Modify Desktop Location in Special Folders:
   • Open Windows Explorer.
   • Right-click on the Desktop icon in the left pane and select Properties.
   • Go to the Location tab.
   • Change the path to C:\Users\username\Desktop or use the Move button to specify the correct location.
   • Click Apply and then OK.
   []Reset Desktop Icon View:
   • Right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize.
   • Click on Change desktop icons on the left pane.
   • Untick Desktop and click Apply.
   • Tick Desktop again and click Apply.
2. Restart Windows Explorer:
   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   • In the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer.
   • Right-click on it and select Restart. After following these steps, Windows 7 should recognize your desktop at the correct location, and you should no longer encounter errors related to the incorrect desktop path. Remember to back up your registry before making changes to it to avoid any potential issues. Let me know if you need further assistance.