Getting rid of extra folders in File Explorer’s “This PC”

Topic

New Reply

Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, Videos. I don’t use them, and I don’t want to get rid of them. Does anyone know how to accomplish that? I’ve found several utilities on the web which purport to get rid of these items. All of them have installers which try to add garbage I don’t want to my system. In some cases the installer won’t install the program I want if I tell it not to install the other stuff. In other cases the AV program thinks the installer is a virus.

I found a “manual” procedure for deleting the extra entries which consisted of running a Registry Editor script. It didn’t require an installation and ran with no fuss, but had no effect. I’m still looking for a procedure that works and doesn’t act like malware. Any suggestions?

Reply | Quote

Replies

Those are all parts of the OS. If you remove the Desktop, for instance, Windows wont work at all. As for the rest, if they are empty, they are not taking up any space so leave them alone. Trying to remove them will have various unfortunate consequences. We have a saying in darkest Yorkshire:- If it aint broke, don’t fix it.

Reply | Quote

Those are all parts of the OS. If you remove the Desktop, for instance, Windows wont work at all.

I had W7 on a netbook with a tiny (8GB!) drive, space was so tight I moved the Desktop folder to an SD card, even when the SD card wasn’t in place (it was easy to eject accidentally whilst moving it around) I still had the full Desktop and contents available.

I never did discover where the ‘hidden’ Desktop was stored.

Reply | Quote

My original message was unclear. I know I can’t delete the folders on the disk; I want to get rid of the folders in “This PC.”

That part of the navigation pane has three entries that I use; Windows 10 adds six more that just get in the way.

djohnson, I think you understood what I intended. I’ll try your script and see if it works where the one I got from the web did not.

Reply | Quote

My original message was unclear. I know I can’t delete the folders on the disk; I want to get rid of the folders in “This PC.”

That part of the navigation pane has three entries that I use; Windows 10 adds six more that just get in the way.

djohnson, I think you understood what I intended. I’ll try your script and see if it works where the one I got from the web did not.

Well please let me know. It works famously on my system. If you need anything else removed let me know.

Reply | Quote

I tried it; it did not work. I got the message “Cannot import : The key selected is invalid.”

Reply | Quote

I tried it; it did not work. I got the message “Cannot import : The key selected is invalid.”

What is the bittedness of your OS? The Keys are different in different bittednesses.

See:

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/6015-pc-folders-add-remove-windows-10-a.html

:cheers:

PS DJs seems to be for 32 bit.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

What is the bittedness of your OS? The Keys are different in different bittednesses.

See:

:cheers:

PS DJs seems to be for 32 bit.

No I use it in 64 bit. This has been working since at least 10240, and works for the new RedStone build.

Reply | Quote

I tried it; it did not work. I got the message “Cannot import : The key selected is invalid.”

Maybe I just like to keep things simple in spite of what Redmond “thinks” I should do. Since the days of XP I have been putting a shortcut on my desktop with this command – – %windir%EXPLORER.EXE /n, /e, C: It worked well back then and it still works in Windows 10. I also “pinned” it to the start and taskbar.

Reply | Quote

Maybe I just like to keep things simple in spite of what Redmond “thinks” I should do. Since the days of XP I have been putting a shortcut on my desktop with this command – – %windir%EXPLORER.EXE /n, /e, C: It worked well back then and it still works in Windows 10. I also “pinned” it to the start and taskbar.

Don’t the /n and /e switches have opposite results?

/n: Opens a new window with a single-pane (My Computer) view for each item selected, even if the new window duplicates a window that is already open.

/e: Uses Windows Explorer view. Windows Explorer view shows the Folder Tree in the left pane. Note that the default view is Open view.

I’ve used only the /e switch for years.

How does it work with both switches? Whichever way it works, why?

Reply | Quote

I don’t know either – – I just copied the shortcut form my desktop and that is how I have been using it for years. My guess is that if the switches conflict – they just null each other out. Again – not sure – – – but it works so I don’t question why!

Reply | Quote

My Windows 10 system has problems that prevent me from trying the command line switches, but if they work the same way in Windows 10 as in Windows 7, they’ll display drive C and make it impossible for me to visit anything else. That would be worse than having the “My” libraries in my way all of the time; my computer has four drives, and when I plug in a thumb drive or map a network drive, there are more. This may be a fine solution for someone who has only one drive, but it’s not what I’m looking for.

Reply | Quote

Don’t the /n and /e switches have opposite results?

/n: Opens a new window with a single-pane (My Computer) view for each item selected, even if the new window duplicates a window that is already open.

/e: Uses Windows Explorer view. Windows Explorer view shows the Folder Tree in the left pane. Note that the default view is Open view.

I’ve used only the /e switch for years.

How does it work with both switches? Whichever way it works, why?

I think when used in conjunction the /n switch open a new window even if that folder is open in another window. MS docs on this are scarce to say the least.
FYI
THE /ROOT SWITCH can set the root folder.
:cheers:

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

Reply | Quote

Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, Videos. I don’t use them, and I don’t want to get rid of them. Does anyone know how to accomplish that? I’ve found several utilities on the web which purport to get rid of these items. All of them have installers which try to add garbage I don’t want to my system. In some cases the installer won’t install the program I want if I tell it not to install the other stuff. In other cases the AV program thinks the installer is a virus.

I found a “manual” procedure for deleting the extra entries which consisted of running a Registry Editor script. It didn’t require an installation and ran with no fuss, but had no effect. I’m still looking for a procedure that works and doesn’t act like malware. Any suggestions?

This Registry Editor Script always works for me.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{088e3905-0323-4b02-9826-5d99428e115f}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{24ad3ad4-a569-4530-98e1-ab02f9417aa8}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{3dfdf296-dbec-4fb4-81d1-6a3438bcf4de}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{d3162b92-9365-467a-956b-92703aca08af}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{f86fa3ab-70d2-4fc7-9c99-fcbf05467f3a}]

Reply | Quote

Interesting. I just clean installed, and it worked fine for me. Did you paste this in notepad, and save it with a .reg extension? This will disable quick access, and all folders related.

Mod EDIT: removed link, doesn’t seem to be related to the question.

Reply | Quote

Mine is 64 bit.

Reply | Quote

You can also use this regedit file to remove the folders at the top. Then you will not have any folders under quickaccess or in the main explorer window. BTW, I just installed 10586 64 bit in Hyper-V, and both these regedits worked perfectly by just selecting merge.

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00


[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerHomeFolderDesktopNameSpaceDelegateFolders{3134ef9c-6b18-4996-ad04-ed5912e00eb5}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerHomeFolderDesktopNameSpaceDelegateFolders{3936E9E4-D92C-4EEE-A85A-BC16D5EA0819}]

Here is my screenshot.

Reply | Quote

Just a thought: Why not simply make those unwanted folders invisible? For example, right-click on the Documents folder and select Properties. In the Properties dialog box check the box labelled “Hidden” then click OK. Now the folder is hidden from view. I don’t think this works in the “Libraries” view, however.

Reply | Quote

Try using Winaero’s This PC Tweaker- a free program to perform this task. If you want something to do this and a whole lot more go to http://winaero.com; they have a product (all free) called Winaero Tweaker 0.4 which lets you customize windows 10.

Reply | Quote

Quick Access is pretty easy to get rid of too, if you know how to take ownership of registry keys. I have a script which does this all automatically. In fact I have written a script which installs my themes, activates the one I want, does boatloads of other stuff including installing all my programs. All I have to do is sit back and watch. So, I really don’t know about the guy who couldn’t do the registry file. He must not have saved it as a .reg. Plus, this works in 32 bit, and 64 bit editions of windows.

Reply | Quote

Here is my Windows Explorer on Windows 10 RS1 11082!

Reply | Quote