Moving my documents renames target folder itself!

[aardvark7]

Hi,

I want to move the My Documents onto a separate partition, which appears very straightforward in 7.

However, the first time I called the partition (as that was all it was going to be used for) 'My Documents' and just wanted to move the sub folders there.

Unfortunately, having moved the first item 'Desktop', the partition itself became 'Desktop' and behaved like that folder. The only way I could get it back was by creating other users and deleting the initial profile.

Subsequenty, every time I try to move 'My Documents', the folder selected is renamed by Windows to whatever folder I'm moving and the path afterwards reflects that, irrespective of my instruction.

i.e. I want to move 'My Documents' so create a folder called 'Information' (either before or during the move dialogue makes no difference. I confirm the notification to move files and receive confirmation of success.

Bizarrely, the new folder, previously 'Information', is now called 'My Documents'.

This is making me tear my hair out, so I would be grateful for a solution.

Thanks

 

[Corazon]

There are hidden desktop.ini files in the Documents and Desktop folders which you're probably copying right along.
Those instruct Explorer to show your folder as "My Documents". Once you delete them, things will revert to their true names. You can find the files by turning on "Show hidden folders/files" in Folder Options.

 

[aardvark7]

Clearly, the method and instructions given by Microsoft are incorrect (as usual!!)

The question 'Do you want to move folder 'x'?' should mean exactly that. So, if I choose to move it to a given destination, what should NOT happen is the destination folder becomes the new recepticle and is renamed according to the desktop.ini file. The name should stay as created or specified and the moved folder be placed inside it!!!

Heavens above, what on Earth were they thinking???!!!!????

The system put into place is a recipe for confusion and disaster and needs fixing...ASAFP!!!

 

[Corazon]

Couldn't agree more, but that's the way it is.

Did deleting the desktop.ini file in your destination folder help, though?

 

[aardvark7]

I didn't use that method, although I'm sure you're right.

As I mentioned, what I had done before was to call the partition 'My documents' and then had asked the system to move 'Desktop' into that. It then turned the whole partition into the folder 'Desktop', including all the icons, etc., so it disappeared from explorer.

When I had deleted the user profile and tried again, I had made a subfolder called 'Documents' and tried moving 'Desktop' again and found myself with no 'Documents' folder, but 'Desktop' was on the partition.

Finally, after wondering if it was to do with the naming of folders, realised that any folder chosen took the name of the one moved, undoubtedly down to the desktop.ini file. Why the hell this isn't made absolutely clear beats me.

In fact, I'm amazed the web isn't overflowing with people discovering exactly that issue!

Thanks for your input anyway. Let's hope this thread helps one or two others.