Windows 7 Mislinked Desktop Icons

[summersurfer]

This is going to be rather complicated to explain but here goes my best attempt... I have the OS installed on the C drive. I have all of the documents mapped to a seperate but still internal E drive. I have done this with both XP and Vista and there have been no problems.

Windows 7 linked it correctly but now my desktop is cluttered with all of the folders on the E drive (Contacts, Desktop, Downloads, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, etc). First thought is 'oh, these are shortcuts and I will just delete them.' These are actually directly linked to the E drive and deleting one of these icons deletes the folder from the E drive. So I had to Restore all of them from the Recycling Bin.

My next attempt to fix it is to Right click on the desktop and go to Personalize. I clicked Change Desktop Icons and 'User's Files' is not selected. So they are not showing up because of any Desktop Icon setting.

My final attempt to fix this is I deleted all the folders from the desktop. This deleted the folders from the E drive as expected. I had them backed up on an external harddrive. I transfer the folders back to the E drive from the external harddrive and they show up on the Desktop again as soon as they transfered. It also has a link for AIM and Skype. Neither of these appear on the E drive. When I get the Properties for these links, they tell me they reside at C:\Users\Public\Desktop which does not exist.

Here is the info for my computer:
Version 6.1.7100 Build 7100

I'm not sure what other information would really help solve this issue other than a complete clean install which I just got done doing and would perfer and alternate solution. I want to be able to remove the folders from the desktop but not the harddrive. What controls the folders that the computer puts on the Desktop? Another weird thing. Under my Document folder (the folder that is in the Start Menu that has my name on it), the E drive shows up and is not deletable. I am not sure why that appeared either but I am sure it has something to do with this whole mess.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you're facing an issue where the folders from your E drive are appearing on your desktop without being shortcuts. This seems to be a unique problem with the folder synchronization between the E drive and your desktop. Here are some steps you can try to resolve this issue:

1. Remove the Folders from the Desktop Without Deleting from E Drive:​

• Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and select "Personalize."
• Step 2: Choose "Change Desktop Icons."
• Step 3: Ensure that "User's Files" is not selected. If it is selected, deselect it and click "Apply."

  2. Modify Registry to Change Desktop Folder Location:​

  Before proceeding with this step, it's essential to create a backup of your registry.
• Step 1: Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Step 2: Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders.
• Step 3: Look for entries like Desktop, Contacts, Downloads, etc., and ensure their values point to C:\Users\\Desktop.
  • Step 4: If any of these values point to the E drive, change them to point to the correct location (C:\Users\\Desktop).
  • Step 5: Restart your computer to apply the changes.

    3. Reset Desktop Settings:​

  • Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and select "View."
  • Step 2: Click on "Show Desktop Icons" to toggle it off and then on again. This might refresh the desktop icons.

    4. Check User Folder Location:​

    It's unusual for the E drive to show up under your User folder. To check and modify this:
  • Step 1: Right-click on the Start menu and select "File Explorer."
  • Step 2: Navigate to C:\Users\\.
  • Step 3: Check if there's any folder that shouldn't be there (like the E drive). If so, you can move it or delete it.

    5. Verify Desktop Icon Settings:​

  • Step 1: Right-click on the desktop and select "View."
  • Step 2: Ensure that "Show Desktop Icons" is checked. By following these steps, you should be able to separate the desktop icons from the folders on your E drive while ensuring the folders remain intact on the E drive. If the issue persists or if you need further assistance, feel free to provide more details or ask additional questions.