• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.
  • The forums have been upgraded with support for dark mode. By default it will follow the setting on your system/browser. You may override it by scrolling to the end of the page and clicking the gears icon.

Windows XP - "My Computer" not displaying "My Documents" folder

Tan DJ

New Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Messages
103 (0.01/day)
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+
Motherboard Abit AN52 nVidia NF 520 HT2000 Socket AM2 Motherboard
Cooling Stock cooler, 1 rear 120cm fan, 1 front 120cm fan 1 side 80cm fan
Memory DDR2 4G(2x2G)PC6400 800Mhz Heatspreader G.Skill
Video Card(s) ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
Storage SAMSUNG SP0802N 80Gb, 2 X Seagate SATAII NCQ 500GB 7200RPM 32mb Cache(ST3500320AS) - RAID1 (mobo)
Display(s) Benq FP72G
Case Thermaltake - Soprano
Power Supply Antec EarthWatts 650w
Software Windows XP Pro SP3
Benchmark Scores 3dMark6 - 4661
I have noticed that for the past few weeks, when I start "My Computer", the "My Documents" folder is not displayed. "Shared Documents" is there but not "My Documents".

How do I get it back?

(Note: Recently, I converted my normal use account from an Administrative account to a Limited account. The Administrative account still shows "My Documents" in the "My Computer" view. Although, I can't remember if there was a link between converting my account and "My Documents" disappearing.)

This isn't a serious problem, because I can still access "My Documents" from other places, it is just annoying.

Cheers,

Tan DJ
 
i never use it so it wouldnt annoy me.. but if u are used to useing it i can see why it annoys u..

i actually went into the shared documents thing and deleted them all.. mine is now actually empty except for a saved games folder.. i wanted a shared folder for network sharing.. i have no use at all for all the "my pictures" and other junk windows thinks u need..

but i think somewhere buried deep there will be a setting for what windows displays..

one easy thing to do is create a shortcut to folders u use a lot on your desktop..

find the folder u want in explorer right click and drag to desktop and select create shortcut here.. u can then copy the shortcut to the taskbar or anywhere else u want it..

trog
 
It is probably that you dont have the permission to see that shortcut anymore.
That is the only thing I can see.
Try changing your account back to an Admin and it should be back.
 
2 areas to check (to start):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

(Here, specifically? Check the "Personal" entry on the right-hand side pane of REGEDIT.EXE & see what it has for a pathway here & what folder)

&/or

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

:)

* Check the entries there, those are your User Shell Folders, specifically, the currently logged on user!

Bruins has the right idea for testing too!

I.E.-> See if your other users that can logon to your system cannot see this folder as well (My Documents), because if they can? It may be a GROUP POLICY in place, or something is not right in the areas in the registry I point out, possibly, OR it is just folder level security (once you logon as Administrator, right-click on the My Documents Folder, & use the security tab to see what users can see it, via NTFS security rights allowing users to use it)

APK

P.S.=> If this all doesn't work out & checks out right? We can try other things, but start w/ this stuff... apk
 
Last edited:
(Note: Recently, I converted my normal use account from an Administrative account to a Limited account. The Administrative account still shows "My Documents" in the "My Computer" view. Although, I can't remember if there was a link between converting my account and "My Documents" disappearing.)

Ah, I see you already TESTED this using diff. users... looks like something in Group Policy thusfar then, maybe something can you alter using gpedit.msc (I'd Administrator user to do it, IF it comes to that).

* ALSO? Try this (noted above as well in my first post, while logged on as Administrator):

I.E.-> Once you logon as Administrator, right-click on the My Documents Folder, & use the security tab to see what users can see it ( via NTFS security rights allowing users to use it)... adding the specific user you logon as now might do it, & certainly adding EVERYONE usergroup will (lets hope so anyways)...

APK
 
Last edited:
I've just re-checked and none of the user accounts displays a "My Documents" in the "My Computer" view.

But users with administrative rights do see all user accounts in the "My Computer" view, e.g "Admin user's Documents, Limited user1's Documents, Limited user2's Documents, etc"

So now I'm not sure if "My Documents" was ever visible in "My Computer"

I'll change the account back to Administrative and see if it comes back.

Here is the output of cacls:

C:\Documents and Settings>cacls *
C:\Documents and Settings\Limited1 JTBLACKBURN\Limited1:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
JTBLACKBURN\Limited1:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
BUILTIN\Users:R
BUILTIN\Power Users:(special access:)
DELETE
READ_CONTROL
SYNCHRONIZE
FILE_GENERIC_READ
FILE_GENERIC_WRITE
FILE_GENERIC_EXECUTE
FILE_READ_DATA
FILE_WRITE_DATA
FILE_APPEND_DATA
FILE_READ_EA
FILE_WRITE_EA
FILE_EXECUTE
FILE_DELETE_CHILD
FILE_READ_ATTRIBUTES
FILE_WRITE_ATTRIBUTES

Everyone:R
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special access:)
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_EXECUTE

BUILTIN\Power Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special acc
ess:)
DELETE
READ_CONTROL

SYNCHRONIZE
FILE_GENERIC
_READ
FILE_GENERIC
_WRITE
FILE_GENERIC
_EXECUTE
FILE_READ_DA
TA
FILE_WRITE_D
ATA
FILE_APPEND_
DATA
FILE_READ_EA

FILE_WRITE_E
A
FILE_EXECUTE

FILE_DELETE_
CHILD
FILE_READ_AT
TRIBUTES
FILE_WRITE_A
TTRIBUTES

Everyone:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special access:)
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_EXECUTE


C:\Documents and Settings\Blackburn Admin JTBLACKBURN\Blackburn Admin:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
JTBLACKBURN\Blackburn Admin:(OI)(CI)(I
O)F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
BUILTIN\Users:R
BUILTIN\Power Users:R
Everyone:R
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special access
:)
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_EXECUTE


BUILTIN\Power Users:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special
access:)
GENERIC_R
EAD
GENERIC_E
XECUTE

Everyone:(OI)(CI)(IO)(special access:)
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_EXECUTE


C:\Documents and Settings\Limited2 JTBLACKBURN\Limited2:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
JTBLACKBURN\Limited2:(OI)(CI)(IO)
F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\Limited3 JTBLACKBURN\Limited3:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
JTBLACKBURN\Limited3:(OI)(CI)(IO)
F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE:(OI)(CI)(I
O)F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\ntp JTBLACKBURN\ntp:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
JTBLACKBURN\ntp:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F

C:\Documents and Settings\Limited4 JTBLACKBURN\Limited4:F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:F
BUILTIN\Administrators:F
JTBLACKBURN\Limited4:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(IO)F
BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(IO)F


C:\Documents and Settings>
 
====================================
3 THINGS TO TRY/LOOK @:
====================================

#1. POTENTIALLY RESTRICTIVE GROUP POLICIES:

Use GPEdit.msc, & see if this has been made active (restriction of My Documents Access on the desktop, AND EXPLORER.EXE)

Left-hand-side pane tree items to follow:

Local Computer Policy -> User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Desktop

Right-hand-side pane item to examine for policy is -> Remove My Documents icon on the desktop

(Which also removes it in Explorer.exe views, or My Computer, too!)

Per MS:

"Removes most occurrences of the My Documents icon.

This setting removes the My Documents icon from the desktop, from Windows Explorer, from programs that use the Windows Explorer windows, and from the standard Open dialog box.

This setting does not prevent the user from using other methods to gain access to the contents of the My Documents folder.

This setting does not remove the My Documents icon from the Start menu. To do so, use the "Remove My Documents icon from Start Menu" setting.

Note: To make changes to this setting effective, you must log off from and log back on to Windows 2000 Professional."

----------------------------------------------

#2. NTFS RIGHTS TO EACH USERS' My Documents Folders & Paths:

Which user did you have the problem under... the ones NOT listed here as Administrator group level accounts, correct?

Right click on them in EXPLORER.EXE (My Computer will do, shaved down though it is imo)...

&, as I noted, & add their usergroup (you may need lusrmgr.msc for this to determine which group they belong too) to:

C:\Documents and Settings\(UserName in Question here)

Via the Properties menu popup you will see come up onscreen. Use its SECURITY tab.

FULL rights, for now, for THEM and their UserGroup they belong to & have it carry down thru its subfolder hierarchy too... (quicker than doing cacls commandlines imo!)

----------------------------------------------

#3. SYSTEMWIDE ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES:

Lastly, let's compare your Administrator User's %Environment% strings via SET statements (just type SET & press enter + copy it to here) in a DOS prompt, vs. those of your limited users... for the heck of it, thanks, because things in it can possibly "clue us in" to hassles there!

USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\Administrator
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\Administrator
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator

====================================

For example... more too!

APK

P.S.=> & I would check those registry paths I noted above also... Shell Folders locations! apk
 
Last edited:
====================================
3 THINGS TO TRY/LOOK @:
====================================

#1. POTENTIALLY RESTRICTIVE GROUP POLICIES:

No policies are active

#2. NTFS RIGHTS TO EACH USERS' My Documents Folders & Paths:

Which user did you have the problem under... the ones NOT listed here as Administrator group level accounts, correct?

In "My Computer", with "Arange Icons by Type", and "Show in Groups" selected, "My Documents" does not show up in the "Files stored on this computer" section for any user. For a limited acount, only "Shared Documents" appears, but for an administrative user, there is one Icon for each user's Documents directory. It may be that when I was using my account as an administrative user, I never noticed it because I was able to select the appropriate user's directory.

"My Documents" does appear in the "Other Places" Section for all users.

(Hmmmm.... I just noticed that if I go "Up" from "My Computer" I can see "My Documents" in the Desktop view. Maybe that is the one I have been expecting to see?)

#3. SYSTEMWIDE ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES:

Lastly, let's compare your Administrator User's %Environment% strings via SET statements (just type SET & press enter + copy it to here) in a DOS prompt, vs. those of your limited users... for the heck of it, thanks, because things in it can possibly "clue us in" to hassles there!

Admin user environment:
C:\WINDOWS\system32>set
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\Blackburn Admin\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=JTBLACKBURN
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\Blackburn Admin
LOGONSERVER=\\JTBLACKBURN
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\AT
I Technologies\ATI.ACE\;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 7, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=0207
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
SESSIONNAME=Console
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\BLACKB~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\BLACKB~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
tvdumpflags=8
USERDOMAIN=JTBLACKBURN
USERNAME=Blackburn Admin
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\Blackburn Admin
windir=C:\WINDOWS

C:\WINDOWS\system32>


Limited User Environment:

C:\Documents and Settings\John and Tracy>set
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\John and Tracy\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=JTBLACKBURN
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
DBCONFIG=C:\Adabas\sql
DBROOT=C:\Adabas
DBWORK=C:\Adabas\sql
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\John and Tracy
LOGONSERVER=\\JTBLACKBURN
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=1
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\AT
I Technologies\ATI.ACE\;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Adabas\bin;C:\Ad
abas\pgm;C:\Program Files\NTP\bin
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 7, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=0207
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
SESSIONNAME=Console
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\JOHNAN~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\JOHNAN~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
tvdumpflags=8
USERDOMAIN=JTBLACKBURN
USERNAME=John and Tracy
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\John and Tracy
windir=C:\WINDOWS

C:\Documents and Settings\John and Tracy>


P.S.=> & I would check those registry paths I noted above also... Shell Folders locations! apk

The registry paths are all fine. I think it's probably me expecting too much from Microsoft.
 
Back
Top