How to get rid of these folders ? Windows 8


Recommended Posts

Couple ways. You can remove them from Explorer's namespace via a registry adjustment, or you can also use a third party utility like "Old New Explorer", which has the options to remove those, bring back the library on the navigation pane, disable the ribbon if you want, etc. Note the reg below is assuming an x64 install. Either or will work, also note that since these are affecting HKLM you'll need admin rights to edit.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]

problem is these aren't folders, they are libraries. this is a "feature" that can't be turned off.

 

If you aren't in love with explorer's features, I recommend you look at 3rd party file explorers like "old new explorer" mentioned above. my preference is for something with multiple panes so I dont have to have multiple windows open when moving files around. 

 

Advice : this is a very deep rabbit hole, pick something and stick to it. 

here is a link with some recommendations

http://thetechhacker.com/2013/06/27/best-alternatives-of-windows-explorer/

Couple ways. You can remove them from Explorer's namespace via a registry adjustment, or you can also use a third party utility like "Old New Explorer", which has the options to remove those, bring back the library on the navigation pane, disable the ribbon if you want, etc. Note the reg below is assuming an x64 install. Either or will work, also note that since these are affecting HKLM you'll need admin rights to edit.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]

 

 

I did exactly as you said and deleted those but still see the downloaded folder now :( Anyway to hide it there ?

 

AryHFAt.jpg

Here....

 

Thanks I already did it manually. Sorry.

For future reference, this PowerShell script will also remove the folders in File Explorer.

$path = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace'
 
Get-ChildItem $path |
Where-Object { $_.PSChildName -as [guid] } |
Remove-Item

Should be gone, it's the second entry in that file. (374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B) May want to peek in the registry and make sure it's actually gone.

 

Ok I deleted it and made sure but Downloads is still there. :( All the others are gone.

 

I don't get why.

 

Sorry if I have to make you try it.

Even if you do the registry tweak to delete them, they will come back after next windows update.

 

I find them annoying. Microsoft could give you option to customize or just display them in the sidebar only. But they have to shove their substandard ideas down our throats.

 

These days, I just click on the small triangle to hide them. But often explorer forgets the settings and unhides them.

Even if you do the registry tweak to delete them, they will come back after next windows update.

 

I find them annoying. Microsoft could give you option to customize or just display them in the sidebar only. But they have to shove their substandard ideas down our throats.

 

These days, I just click on the small triangle to hide them. But often explorer forgets the settings and unhides them.

 

 

That is true :(

 

I just went back to Windows 7 for now.

 

 

I find them annoying. Microsoft could give you option to customize or just display them in the sidebar only. But they have to shove their substandard ideas down our throats.

 

 

 

indeed. they should have an option to display/remove anything in the sidebar as it has been standard in kde based linux distros for many years.

I don't get why. Sorry if I have to make you try it.

Sure you've got them both? Know for a fact that it works, use it myself. (Or, just use the shell extension if you want it easymode, click click done.)

 

indeed. they should have an option to display/remove anything in the sidebar as it has been standard in kde based linux distros for many years.

Erm you do have the option to remove everything from the sidebar. The new namespaces have multiple options, two listed above. Everything else can also be removed if you so desire.. homegroups, favorites, libraries, computer, even turning the whole thing off and replacing it with another sidebar entirely. And since we're advertising, let me know when KDE gets some of the basic Windows features that it's been lacking since forever.. shoot even something as obvious as drag-and-drop editing the menu without having to use an editor program would be nice.

problem is these aren't folders, they are libraries. this is a "feature" that can't be turned off.

 

If you aren't in love with explorer's features, I recommend you look at 3rd party file explorers like "old new explorer" mentioned above. my preference is for something with multiple panes so I dont have to have multiple windows open when moving files around. 

 

Advice : this is a very deep rabbit hole, pick something and stick to it. 

here is a link with some recommendations

http://thetechhacker.com/2013/06/27/best-alternatives-of-windows-explorer/

 

#1 These are NOT libraries.  Libraries are multi-folder location containers and are visibly turned off by default on Windows 8, as they ended up confusing users not expecting to have access to the contents of more than one folder.

 

#2 3rd Party 'Explorer' replacements are ok, but be careful not to recommend 3rd Party 'Explorer' - SHELL replacements, as they never fully replicate all the OS SHELL features and make a mess for less 'technical' users.

Moral of the thread...

1) You live with Microsoft's poor UI decisions or

2) Downgrade back to Windows 7 or

3) Keep on using registry tweaks to hide folders again and again after every windows update.

3) Keep on using registry tweaks to hide folders again and again after every windows update.

Or use the shell extension which is permanent. Or, if you have some sort of allergic reaction to shell extensions, then script it.. have it nuke them every time you long in and they'll be gone forever.. you can do that. I dunno, sounds a whole lot easier than a complete OS downgrade, but maybe that's just me. You can't possibly expect every program out there to be 100% catered to your exact needs when there's a gazillion other people who may feel differently.. try taking control of your system.

I think I figured out why the downloads folder isn't being hidden now. Mainly because I am using a non admin local account and the path of the downloads folder is C:\my username\downloads instead of C:\Admin\Downloads 

 

The reason i think this is because when I login to the Admin account the downloads folder is not there anymore. Only on my non admin local account it is.

 

So how would I get rid of Downloads folder under My Computer in Windows 8.1 on my non admin local account then please? The path is C:\Tim\Downloads instead of C:\Admin\Downloads

 

Basically what I am asking is what registry entry would it be to get rid of C:\Tim\Downloads from my non admin local account please?

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • We had no idea as kids how much time and energy it took to be an adult 😅
    • The Trump administration doesn't want you to use OpenAI's GPT-5.6 without its approval by David Uzondu Image via @realDonalTrump (X) As OpenAI prepares the release of its next model, GPT 5.6, the White House has instructed the company to limit the distribution of the software to a small group of government-approved partners instead of the general public, as it has done with previous releases. According to The Information, OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman sent an internal memo to staff on Thursday explaining that the federal government will approve access "customer by customer" during an initial preview phase. Altman noted in the communication that this restrictive rollout is "not [their] long-term model" for software deployment, and the company plans to work toward a "more sustainable" distribution method later. CNN said that both OpenAI and the Trump administration view the capabilities of GPT 5.6 on the same level as Anthropic's Mythos and that government officials intend to "collaborate with frontier AI labs to develop shared approaches for addressing the challenges of scaling this technology." The latest restriction comes just weeks after the US Commerce Department decided to restrict Fable, a version of Mythos with extra safety "guardrails" to prevent users from exploiting software vulnerabilities. Not long after the release, though, researchers at Amazon found a way to bypass these restrictions, prompting an aggressive response from federal authorities. The government ordered Anthropic to cut off access for non-US citizens located outside the US, non-US citizens living inside the US, and incredibly, even Anthropic's own foreign-born employees. Anthropic now appears to be building a workaround to resolve this compliance block with an update to its Privacy Policy that introduces a category called "Verification Data" to handle KYC and Digital IDs. This setup could mandate digital identity checks to filter users by nationality, requiring a government-issued ID and facial biometric data. Who knows? Maybe in the future, you would have to scan your US Passport or State ID to prove your citizenship before you are allowed to chat with Fable 5 (or any other model).
    • When Windows 7 was released I created an AutoHotkey script that uses Alt+` as a keyboard shortcut to move a window across monitors. I have been using that script for over 15 years and this is the first time I have come across another app that uses the same shortcut!
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      xvvxcvv earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      xvvxcvv earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Enthusiast
      Xonos went up a rank
      Enthusiast
    • Conversation Starter
      Admir earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      The_Focal_Point earned a badge
      First Post
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      400
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      170
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      127
    4. 4
      neufuse
      69
    5. 5
      Xenon
      66
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!