Solved How to restore My Documents? Hard disk Containing My Doc broke down.

[wingstorm]

The hard disk containing my My Documents folder broke down completely recently. While windows is still running off my main hard disk, I notice that my My Documents folder is missing. Under Documents, I have Public Documents, but not the My Document Folder. How can I restore it? (Without making a new account, reinstalling windows...etc.)

I'm using Windows 7 professional
The Hard disk in question is unrecoverable and I have to get it replaced. My MAIN hard disk is still working. Hence this problem

Please help! Thanks you.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Was your My Documents folder redirected to the second hard drive?

 

[kado897]

Hello wingstorm and welcome to Seven Forums.

I assume that you are not talking about recovering the data but returning My Documents to its default location. You may be able to find something in method 2 of this tutorial. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

 

[Brink]

Hello Wingstorm, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You may be able to do OPTION TWO in the tutorial below to restore your C:\Users\(user-name)\My Documents folder.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

EDIT:
LOL, Keith beat me to it.

 

[wingstorm]

Was your My Documents folder redirected to the second hard drive?

Yes. Due to the limited size of my main HD, I redirected it to my 2nd drive (e drive) a year or so ago.

Hello wingstorm and welcome to Seven Forums.

I assume that you are not talking about recovering the data but returning My Documents to its default location. You may be able to find something in method 2 of this tutorial. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

Hello Wingstorm, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You may be able to do OPTION TWO in the tutorial below to restore your C:\Users\(user-name)\My Documents folder.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

EDIT:
LOL, Keith beat me to it.

Thanks for the Link. I'm working on it now.

To clarify, I can't see the My Document folder under the Library, Document at the side of the folder. The Public Documents are still there and under Document.

Will post an update soon! Thanks for the quick replies!

 

[Brink]

Wait, do not do the tutorial above.

You didn't mention that this was missing in your Documents library. For this use the tutorial below to include your C:\Users\(user-name)\My Documents folder into your Documents library instead to add it back to the library.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/585-library-include-folder.html

 

[wingstorm]

Oh dear... Didn't catch your reply in time.

I did the above tutorial... "User Folders - Restore Default Location" and now I got a Documents folder INSIDE the Document tab at the side.
Like so:

Libraries
_=>Documents
___=> Documents
___=> Public Documents

Please help! What should I do now? ( Is this normal?)

NOTE! I notice that my C:\Users\(user-name)\My Documents is hidden (shaded) and appears like a shortcut icon. Also I can't access/open this "hidden" My Documents, it gives me a access denied warning. When I open its property, under security, it has the access rights per normal for Admin, (my user name), but the access for "Everyone" is unchecked.

I read on another site, that you may need to delete this "hidden" My Documents. What should I do with it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[kado897]

Mmm. I'll leave it to Brink to reply. He obviously knows something I don't.

 

[wingstorm]

Update! I ran a program that requires access to the My Documents folder to work and it work!
It made some folders in the Documents => Documents folder.

However... when I try renaming the Documents => Documents folder to My Documents, it ask me if I wan to merge it with the "hidden" My Documents. I tried this with make a new folder and it "absorbed" the new folder, leaving me with the same unaccessible "hidden" My Documents...

Should I delete it?

 

[kado897]

The hidden My Documents folder may be a junction point(a type of link) to Documents. Don't delete it until Brink gets back to you.

 

[Brink]

Oh dear... Didn't catch your reply in time.

I did the above tutorial... "User Folders - Restore Default Location" and now I got a Documents folder INSIDE the Document tab at the side.
Like so:

Libraries
_=>Documents
___=> Documents
___=> Public Documents

Please help! What should I do now? ( Is this normal?)

NOTE! I notice that my C:\Users\(user-name)\My Documents is hidden (shaded) and appears like a shortcut icon. Also I can't access/open this "hidden" My Documents, it gives me a access denied warning. When I open its property, under security, it has the access rights per normal for Admin, (my user name), but the access for "Everyone" is unchecked.

I read on another site, that you may need to delete this "hidden" My Documents. What should I do with it?

Thanks in advance.

The hidden "My Documents" folder with a shortcut arrow is a junction point and is not your true "My Documents" folder.

Could you post a screenshot of your opened C:\Users\(user-name) folder to help see what is going on? It must be from this location, and not a shortcut of the location.

 

[wingstorm]

Here have a look.

I'm just can't seem to rename the Document folder back to My Document, without being told to "merge" with this "junction" My document.

What should I do? Leave it alone?

Sorry for the late reply. Didn't know its already on page 2.

 

[Brink]

Do OPTION ONE in the tutorial below with the Documents folder to see if that may be able to restore the name back to My Documents afterwards.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18583-user-folders-restore-default-location.html

 

[wingstorm]

Just tried Option 1 in the tutorial. When I press the Restore Default button it just stays the same.

Its set to C:\Users\<myname>\Documents when I opened it. Which is the default location in the first place.

I guess this is due to me having done Option 2 earlier.

Other then the name "Documents". It does works like a normal My Documents.
Should I leave it alone till I get my Hard Drive back and just relocate it?

 

[Brink]

As long as it works like the normal My Documents folder, it will not hurt anything to use like that if you like.

 

[wingstorm]

Ok, I will just leave it alone then.

Thanks for all the help! You guys (or girls) reply fast!
Thank you!

Warm Regards,
Wingstorm

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Wingstorm. Please let us know if it decides to restore back on it's own for you within a few days.