Vista - Duplicate folders are created when redirecting???

Vista Ultimate x64 SP1...

Ok, I'm trying to move my Pictures/Music/Documents folders to a new location via Properties|Location|Move.... It asks me if I want to move all my files from the old location to the new location. In my case, the new location is simply on another drive, D:\My Pictures (just another partition on the same computer - no networking or anything). The dialog box says:

"We recommend moving all of the files or you will see two 'Pictures' folders inside the 'Rhizomorph' folder in Windows Explorer"

Fine, so I choose the option to move all my files..... but I still get duplicate folders!!!! The prompt specifically states that by moving all my files I will avoid creating duplicate folders, but it does it anyway. What the heck? When I try to delete the new folder that is created (which now has a regular yellow folder icon) it won't let me, despite having ownership of it. Does anyone know how to fix this?

This will generally happen when a file or folder (inside the parent folder) you are try to move already exists in the destination, and you choose to not overwrite the file.

It is better to allow all files to be move, and if you get any prompts that a file exists, allow the move to overwrite the existing one, and allow system files to be moved also, if any.

Thanks for your quick response. But that's not what's happening in my case. Here is my exact step-by-step

I start with all my normal User File Folders, User\Pictures <points to---> C:\Users\Rhizomorph\Pictures

• First, I create D:\My Pictures. New folder with nothing in it.
• Next, I right-click on 'Pictures'
• Select 'Location' tab
• Click 'Move', navigate to D:\My Pictures and select that folder
• Click OK
• It asks me "Do you want to move all your files, otherwise you'll get twp 'Pictures' folders?"
• Click 'Yes'

Then this is what happens: All my files are physically moved from C:\Users\Rhizomorph\Pictures to D:\My Pictures. The 'Pictures' folder has the same icon as before. So far so good. But now there is also another 'Pictures' folder right next to it, this one having the plain yellow folder icon. It still points to C:\Users\Rhizomorph\Pictures like the old one used to, except of course now that folder is empty. In properties, there are only 5 tabs - the 'Location' tab is no longer there. If I try to delete this empty folder, I get an error saying that it cannot delete it because it's in use.

Now, if I right-click on the correct 'Pictures' folder, the Location tab is still there, and if I click 'Restore Defaults', everything goes back to normal, the files are moved back from D: to C:, and the duplicate 'Pictures' folder disappears.

But why does it keep creating this duplicate folder? Something is not being completely redirected. I also noticed that, in Visual Master (program that lets you change icons for folders), I get an error when trying to change the icon of a folder that has been redirected, which also leads me to believe that whatever Vista is doing when I choose to redirect, it is not changing all of the required registry entries to completely reflect the new location.

Surely, someone else has to have encountered this by now... anyone?

The only other time I've ever encountered this perceived "duplication" is when not all files are being moved.

The technique you are using appears to be in order, so the only other solutions I can think of are this:

1. Have you allowed Indexing to be completed? It's possible the because indexing is not yet complete, that it is somehow interfering with the move of the "Pictures" virtual folder.
2. Close all open programs and temporarily disable any startup programs, such as Nero Scout, or some other third-party indexing utility that may be using the Pictures folder. Generally disable all startups except anti-virus. You can do this by pressing <WINKEY>+<R>, MSCONFG <ENTER>, then removing the checks from all but the most critical entries in the Startup tab. Reboot and try moving Pictures again.
3. It shouldn't be an issue, but perhaps the chosen destination name "My Pictures" is the culprit, and should be simply "Pictures". I do, however, seriously doubt this to be the case.

I covered a similar request to yours some time ago, in this thread - Start Menu Short Cut

Actually, Indexing is turned off.

That, I haven't tried yet. I'll see if it gets me anywhere...

Nope, I tried it with D:\Pictures too, that doesn't seem to be the problem. And I tried it by changing it through the start menu as described in that thread, but I get the same results. I think my best bet it to try your second suggestion. Thanks.

An Easy Fix.

1. Goto: Start Menu > Run > Type regedit

2. Goto: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

3. Edit String: 'Personal' > Change to the Drive/Folder that you want as 'My Documents' (contains all your user folders, i.e. Music, Pictures, etc.).

4. Close and Restart Your Computer.

After the restart you will no longer have duplicate user folders.


~ Shane K.