Windows 11 Hard Drive & Desktop Folders

[JoeBiff]

Where would my Desktop folders ‘content’ stored?

So, my Win 11 pc seems to have given up the ghost during an update. Not seemingly uncommon and apparently recoverable in the main.
It’s at a specialist for attention .


I have one folder - which I stored on my Desktop - and which I was working on documents, that cannot be located? Fortunately, all my other stuff is on OneDrive (so no issues) but this one folder had some important shit on which I was working on before backing-up

This puzzles me as I thought everything was stacked on the hard drive but “divided” into desktop/C:-drive system - hope that bit makes sense?

Or, am I completely misunderstanding the logic of system storage/architecture?

Any help/pointers gratefully received…

 

[sparkplug]

yeah, so windows is a bit weird about this...

I'm guessing you've already tried C:\Users\yourname\Desktop ?

If so, then have a look in:
C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\Desktop\

good luck

 

[JoeBiff]

yeah, so windows is a bit weird about this...

Cheers for that. Much appreciated response

I'm guessing you've already tried C:\Users\yourname\Desktop ?

Yep - only things showing up are “downloads”…

If so, then have a look in:
C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\Desktop\

good luck

Looks like the next move.

It sure is weird.
I can’t quite get my head around the way W11 folder structure shows two “desktops” ?
More work needed here, no doubt, on my part.

Thanks for taking the time to post, though

 

[John Armstrong]

I can’t quite get my head around the way W11 folder structure shows two “desktops” ?

Is the two desktops a "feature" of OneDrive?

 

[JoeBiff]

Is the two desktops a "feature" of OneDrive?

Yes.
Both part of the OneDrive arrangement/subscriptions….

 

[wessie]

"C:\Users\wessie\OneDrive\Desktop\New folder" is the path for any folders placed on the Desktop on my Win 11 box.

I don't have either of the folders in @sparkplug's post #2

 

[chablis]

In C:\Users\ how many user folders are there? Just yours? or some extra ones

Do you remember the name of your file, open explorer, and at the top level c: type the file name or use *<partfilename>* then search, that search the whole of the c$ drive plus subfolders you may find it moved to a temporary location and the update hadn't had a chance to reinstate it. There many be a folder like windows.old

You may need to have an admin account f you think the seach is not pulling info back outside your own profile.

Or try for laughs using %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\ in explorer

In explorer, you can right click show all folders / libraries, that may help
If you find the folders and want to add them back to the quick access, have a look at

Good luck

 

[JoeBiff]

Thanks all for your input/help.
Update….

I’m 99.99% certain the system fail was caused by a Windows update, but it also seems the PC may have been on its way out, anyway. Something or other fault had caused the machine to slow right down (well before its collapse) to the point it was like a teenage getting out of bed on a morning. It needed a half hour to wake up fully…

The “missing” folders/data have - strangely - been located on OneDrive, but associated to the desktop another different MS account I have
I know I didn’t put them there (one business account , one private account ) and I do like to keep the two distinctly separate

So, my quandary is - how on earth did they file themselves in another account???

 

[sparkplug]

So, my quandary is - how on earth did they file themselves in another account???

The answer to that is "Microsoft"

Glad you got the files back though

 

[Mzokk]

One Drive is a PIA I disconnect it and back up my own stuff. I have a Win 10 ancient laptop(2012) that I use for general browsing and a win 11 desktop I built in 2020 for things like photo and video editing. Win 11 is a very bloated OS though you can do loads to clear the junk out of it, win 10 slightly less so but there's loads you can chuck out of it as well. Problem is every time there is a major update you have to go through the entire process again. If it wasn't for a few programmes that I can't get good Linux substitutes for I'd use nothing but Linux Mint.

 

[JoeBiff]

One Drive is a PIA I disconnect it and back up my own stuff. I have a Win 10 ancient laptop(2012) that I use for general browsing and a win 11 desktop I built in 2020 for things like photo and video editing. Win 11 is a very bloated OS though you can do loads to clear the junk out of it, win 10 slightly less so but there's loads you can chuck out of it as well. Problem is every time there is a major update you have to go through the entire process again. If it wasn't for a few programmes that I can't get good Linux substitutes for I'd use nothing but Linux Mint.

So far, I’m reasonably content with OneDrive, but I also use an SSD separate back up arrangement for both my accounts. And have done for years, now. You just never know….