Windows 10 default download folder back - congratulate, what
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July 29, 2020
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Hi Jim,
Thank you for posting you query in Microsoft Community. We understand the inconvenience caused and will assist you.
I suggest you to perform a System Restore using installation media to an earlier point by following the steps below and check if it helps.
- Go to the Microsoft software download website and create Windows 10 installation media.
- Insert the installation media you created, and then restart your PC.
- On the Install Windows screen, select Repair your computer. (If you’re not seeing this screen, your PC might not be set up to boot from a drive. Check your PC manufacturer's website for info on how to boot from media, and then try again.)
- On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot. From there, you can use Safe Mode. Select Advanced Options > System Restore.
Note: Though it is said that System Restore does not affect your personal information such as email, documents, photos, videos, etc., but there is highly possible that some of your personal files are deleted while system restoring. During System Restore, there may be errors and such errors may cause damage to the files that are present in the system. And, computer shutdown during restoring process may also lead to file loss. Sometimes when System Restore is failed, it may lead to loss of important files as well.
Hope the information is helpful. Feel free to write to us for any other assistance with Windows, we’ll be glad to assist you.
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Open your user profile folder. C:\users\{username}
Do you see separate "documents" and "downloads" folders?
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Open Notepad, and paste the following info _without those horizontal lines_:
-----------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,\
50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,44,00,6f,00,77,00,6e,\
00,6c,00,6f,00,61,00,64,00,73,00,00,00
-----------------
Save the file with .reg extension. Right-click the .reg file and choose Merge.
This resets the "Downloads" folder path. Logoff/login back for the change to effect.
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Thank you for your question and thoughts. In reply to your question.
"Open your user profile folder. C:\users\{username}
Do you see separate "documents" and "downloads" folders?"
No I do not have separate folders. I only see "Documents". So I do not know if your registry edit is the right fix or not given that I only see one folder [which I believe is the merged folder with "Downloads"]. Is this solution still the right one to try?
I am also unclear as to your solution. When I go to regedit command line and follow tree path to "{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}"; I find no ability to see anything with hex values. I find a modify heading and I find a binary heading. Under the Modify heading, I find [right click "modify"] "Value name:" stated as seen above and a "Value data:" as F:\
If I change the "Value data" to F:\Downloads and then restart computer then the folder in F:\ changes to F:\Downloads but its property is a sub-folder of Documents. Instead of a stand alone. I changed things back the way they were till I understand better what I am being asked to do. I am willing to learn from my betters.
Thanks again for your input.
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The hex values you see in Ramesh's post are the way that REG_EXPAND_SZ strings appear when you export/import part of the registry. Export any key that has REG_EXPAND_SZ values and then open the file in Notepad & see for yourself.
All that hex is simply a Unicode string reading:
%USERPROFILE%\Downloads
Which is the default directory.
Keith
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