Windows 10 - Help

Updated October 18 2018 Windows 10 version 1709 - Every downgrade of Windows 10 causes new problems to be fixed.

Sorry to say, I personally don't see any benefit to upgrading to Windows 10. From Windows XP (complete garbage) to Windows 7, there were huge changes! Right click "Add New Folder" was my favorite! More free memory - Windows 7 used no memory compared to that memory sucking BOD Windows XP! Downside? Windows 7 added the first view of the annoying "Favorite & Libraries" folders. I still hate them but an easy Window's registry edit got rid of them. From Windows 7 to Windows 8, there was a huge jump in performance, file & folder open and close speed, less use of system resources, BOD pretty much gone, I have never had even one! All and all, a very nice upgrade! Some people freaked out because they lost the Start Menu which I haven't used for years. I use StarDock http://www.stardock.com or Rocket Dock http://rocketdock.com And you had the new Windows Start Screen - Just start typing anything you need, no clicking, no thinking, 100% completely brain dead, just type Doc and your Documents folder is there! Seemed pretty easy and up front. Then you could add your start menu back with a few different FREE software addons.
But Windows 8.1 & Windows 10, to me, are the new Windows Millennium/XP. Just nothing in there I need. No improvement on performance speed or open & close speeds. Sure there is support for new hardware but beyond that? I would say just an empty shell

Downside if you want to upgrade to the newest Intel or AMD CPU you are forced into using the garbage Windows 10! Windows 7 and 8 won't even install on Gen 8 intel CPU's.

You ONLY have the option to setup a Local Account on setup or your first login. IF YOU ARE NOT CONNECTED TO ANY NETWORK IT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER. So make sure NOT TO CONNECT TO ANY NETWORK until you have created your LOCAL ACCOUNT, TURNED OFF MOST OFF the Windows 10 SPYWARE. You are able to do it connected to a network but it's much much harder! 

But not all is doom and gloom! Windows 10 FINALLY drops the ever annoying "My" in front of your Documents. No more My Documents, My Music . . . THANK YOU!

Windows 10 does give you options to turn on or shut off some of the very annoying things most of us do not like. I really like that feature. So much easier then editing the registry to make Windows look & work like I want it to. I have been doing that since Windows 95! Not saying everything has an on an off switch - but many things do!

Windows 10 help & tweaks:

Your Windows 7, 8 & 8.1 desktop background themes will install in Windows 10. You can find some to test on my site.
http://www.beast-usa.com/downloads/windows/win8.html Scroll down on the right hand side.

New annoying folders added in Windows 8.1 are in Windows 10 plus a new one. But not all is lost. You can REMOVE THEM! And put them back if you find you need to have the same copies of the same folder over and over again! But I'm so HAPPY to see the ridiculous "My" in front of your Documents, Pictures, and Music is GONE!! Thank you Microsoft!
You can right click on anything and rename it. I changed "This PC" to "Computer"


Remove all the extra annoying folders Windows adds to My PC (My PERSONAL COMPUTER)
Open "Regedit" if you don't know how to open it.Windows key + R will open the run box.
Then type regedit and click enter.

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING IN THE REGISTRY - ALWAYS ALWAYS BACK-UP!!!

Navigate to the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace

Each of the entries you see under this registry folder corresponds to a folder you see in "This PC" or "Computer".
Like this:
Desktop: {B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641} (Right click export save as "show-annoying-desktop-folder.reg)
Documents: {A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0} (Right click export save as "show-annoying-documents-folder.reg)
Downloads: {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} (Right click export save as "show-annoying-downloads-folder.reg)
Music: {1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE} (Right click export save as "show-annoying-music-folder.reg)
Pictures: {3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA} (Right click export save as "show-annoying-pictures-folder.reg)
Videos: {A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C} (Right click export save as "show-annoying-vidoes-folder.reg)
If you export each key if for some VERY strange reason you every want all those annoying folders back? You can just double click the .reg file and boom your file explorer window is full of worthless clutter again!

Find the folder you want to delete from "This PC" or "Computer" if you renamed it. Just right-click it and Click and Delete that registry key.
IT DOES NOT DELETE THE FOLDER IT ONLY DELETES THE UNNEEDED EXTRA SHORT CUT!

The Registry Editor will ask you to confirm the deletion. Click “Yes” to delete the folder from "This PC" or "Computer". If you go back to "This PC" or "Computer", you’ll see the folder is no longer listed. You can always add the folder again if you deleted it by accident. By double clicking the exported key.

Now to delete the 3D Object UNNEEDED folder you will need to delete two keys.
Do the same thing back-up (export) each one before deleting.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace
3D Object: {0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}
(Right click export save as "show-annoying-3d-folder-1.reg)

Then this one:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace
3D Object: {0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}
(Right click export save as "show-annoying-3d-folder-2.reg)

To add the extra folders back to "This PC" or "Computer"
Open "Regedit" again if you don't know how to open it.
Windows key + R, type regedit in the run box, hit enter. Right-click “NameSpace” and click “New” and then “Key.”

Either double click the exported back-ups you made make new keys with the old names listed above.
Name the key one of the folder names above "{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}=Desktop". Make sure you include the brackets when you can copy and paste the folder you want to add back to "This PC" or "Computer" If you head to "This PC" or "Computer", you’ll see the folder has been added.

Some things were better in Windows 8, and this is one addition to 8.1 & Windows 10 that doesn't help at all with performance. It just takes up more screen real estate! So if you don't want the extra clutter of these folders, remove them. It only removes the shortcut, not the folders. The folders are still accessible through "This PC" or "Computer", Documents or your Documents Drive. You can add or remove them anytime you like using the Windows registry.

How it will look after you clean it up.Click "View" on the top menu, then click Navigation pane, un-check - "Show all folders", "Show libraries", "Show favorites".


If you want to see all your folders, DVD drives, removable drives (memory sticks slots)
Click "View" on the top menu, then click Navigation pane, check "Show all Folders"

Then it will look like this - downside Annoying "Libraries" will be added to the bottom and I haven't found anyway to REALLY get libraries to be gone and STAY GONE!

If you want the extra folders to stay gone, but still want "Windows File Explorer" (pinned to the taskbar by defualt) to open in your Documents. And you don't want three copies of the same folders over and over again! It can be done just takes a little work on your partYou will need to create a short-cut on your desktop. If you're using StarDock or RocketDock just edit that short cut.

Start by clicking on and opening Windows File Explorer from your taskbar.
This will work to create a shortcut to any file in any version of Windows.
1. Left click your C:\drive.
2. Left click your Windows folder.
3. Scroll down and look for the file "explorer.exe" Right click explorer.exe.
4. Put your mouse over "Send to".
5. Left Click "Desktop (create shortcut)".

Now go to your Desktop and look for this icon explorer.exe - shortcut
1. Right click explorer.exe - shortcut.
2. Left click Properties.

3. Click the top tab "Shortcut"
4. Add C:\Windows\explorer.exe - D:\OneDrive\Documents This would be location of your Documents Folder on your computer. Again you only need to do this if you changed the default location of your Documents folder & you have deleted the extra folders you don't need.
5. Left click OK

Now, when you open your Windows File Explorer, it will look like this.The ANNOYING Libraries folder will be there EVEN IF YOU TURNED IT OFF! You can completely remove it with an Registry edit. Downside to that once you get rid of it, really GET RID of it. You will be un-able to change pictures on your lock screen, user profile, start screen background.


How to change your default folder locations:
In Windows 7, 8, 8.1 this was pretty easy. Just "Drag and Drop." You only needed to edit your Documents folders if you wanted it on another partition or another hard drive. It is always a good idea to keep your OS Operating System separate from your personal files. Then if the OS becomes un-stable or un-usable, you can just wipe that drive or partition. Windows 8, 8.1 & 10 "Windows Refresh" and none of your personal file are affected. Or, like for me, when I'm done testing Windows 10, I'll just wipe the Windows 10 partition and install Windows 8 Pro again.

In Windows 10, "Drag & Drop" is gone.You will need to write in the new location for each folder. Easiest way to do that is to type one in then "Copy & Paste." Start with opening your Windows File Explorer.

1. Find your folders under your username, Right click the folder you wish to change the location on.
2. Left click "Properties"
[attachment="1483:view"]change-folder-location-1.png

3. Left click the "Location" tab on top.
4. Type in the new location for that folder. It makes it much easier to back-up your Documents if they are all in your Documents folder instead of grabbing every folder one at a time.
5. Left click OK


Now that you've moved all your folders into your Documents folder, you can just move the Documents folder and it will move them all.
1. Under your username, find and Right click on Documents.
2. Left click "Properties."


3. Left click "Location."
4. Type in the new location for your Documents folder "D:\OneDrive\Documents\" YOU WOULD TYPE IN THE LOCATION YOU WISH TO USE. OneDrive used to be a great location for your documents until Windows 8.1 & 10. OneDrive cloud back-up DOES NOT WORK using a local account which I always use.
5. Left click OK

IF YOU HAVE NOT CREATED THE NEW FOLDERS, A BOX WILL POP UP ASKING, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO CREATE A NEW FOLDER?" SELECT YES. THE NEXT BOX WILL ASK "WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE EVERYTHING TO THE NEW LOCATION?" SELECT YES.

As always, any questions, just ask!
This post was edited by beastusa at January 25, 2019 3:10 AM PST

I moved this post to it's own topic. - https://happyasis.com/forums/topic/926/windows-10-fix-drag-drop-not-working/view/post_id/4785
This post was edited by beastusa at January 25, 2019 2:49 AM PST