SOLVED Change the displayed name of 'My Documents' to just 'Documents'

[node]

In the RC of win7 the documets folder was just called 'Documents.' Now in the release version of win7 its masked as 'My Documents' and refers to the documents folder. Now when I try to change the name of 'My Documents' to just 'Documents' I am given an error saying that a folder with that name already exists.

So how am I to get the documents folder to actually display with a (correct@!!) name of 'Documents'? (with no freaking 'My' tacked on. They think I am going to confuse them with someone else's? Grrrr.)

The only way I have found of doing it is to rename the actual folder to something else (say, documents2 for example) and then change its displayed name to Documents. I would rather not name the folder something silly just to change the arbitrary display name.

Thanks to all.
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[yodap]

I had no problem renaming any folder I want. After reading this I went changed three documents folders to beer,wine and vodka as an example

 

[node]

As you can see thats not the problem I was describing.

I am trying to change how the folder is displayed in my user home directory. Not in the library.

 

[yodap]

Yes that's what I did. I changed a folder that was named Documents to vodka and a folder that was named My Documents to wine. Then I renamed the Documents folder under Library to beer just to see if I could. It all worked, and I posted.

Sorry I don't know why you can't.

 

[node]

Try changing the name of 'My Documents' to 'Documents'

 

[yodap]

Yes i did it, but I think I know why. I moved the My Documents folder to a data partition a while back. So I'm guessing there is no conflict because of their locations.

I'll be able to try it on another computer where the directory hasn't been moved in a couple of hours. I think that's the reason though

 

[node]

Thanks. Don't worry about it too much though. If no one knows how to turn off the masked names or force a change then I will just have to live with that little bug.

 

[yodap]

I just changed the name of My Documents to Documents without a problem on another computer.

Good luck sorting it out.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Peculiar... My full retail Windows 7 Pro has always had the folder as: Documents

 

[clifford_cooley]

The only thing I can think of is maybe an upgrade install which would have created both folders. The old folder(My Documents) and the new folder(Documents) would then exist. If this is not the case then I'm out of ideas.

 

[Veedaz]

Ive changed the name of a lot of things in Windows 7 ... no problem ?

 

[node]

Not sure what is up with mine then. It just seems to think I am trying to make two folders named 'documents' when I am not. Its not an upgrade install its a fresh install from the dell vista to win7 update program.

Ok. I give up then. Not worth any more time just to change a folder name.

Thanks to all of you.

 

[rubens]

Ok. I give up then. Not worth any more time just to change a folder name.

It's sad, but unfortunately nobody understood your problem ...

You've got some solve already? I have the same problem as you, I can't change the name "My Documents" Windows 7 insists to display in Explorer Windows (and other places)... It's annoying. People don't understand, but the problem is not to change the folder location (that is easy!), the problem is to change the name "My Documents" itself. It was piece of cake to change in WIndows XP, but in Windows 7 it appears to be impossible!

SOMEONE HELP US!!!!...

[ ] Rubens

 

[node]

Fixed?

Yeah, I got it fixed. When you rename the folder via explorer (right click and rename or just single click the name and wait) it seems to do the trick. No need to try moving it to a folder with that name. My problem was that this was counter intuitive when thinking about how the folders actually exist rather then windows' obfuscation. I was just trying too hard I am on an XP machine at the moment so I can double check any of this... its all just recalled from memory

 

[rubens]

Yeah, I got it fixed. When you rename the folder via explorer (right click and rename or just single click the name and wait) it seems to do the trick. (...) I am on an XP machine at the moment so I can double check any of this... its all just recalled from memory

No, sadly it doesn't work... If you just rename the folder's name via Explorer, it's change the real folder name (the same as right-click, choose "properties" and then change the folder name), but after this Explorer keep displaying "My Documents"... Not this new real name.

For example: I change the folder name to "c:\example". It works, my files are put in a folder named "example" on the root of disk C:... But Windows Explorer keep displaying this folder with the name "My Documents" (instead the real name "Example").

All I wanna do is make Windows Explorer displays the actual name of the folder (the real name), instead of displaying the annoying "My Documents". I hope I made myself clear/understood... English is not my first language, sorry.

[ ] Rubens

 

[node]

Sorry, it wont automatically call your 'my documents' folder the same name as the folder it points to. You will have to rename the 'my documents' folder to what you want it to be called manually. The best way to do this is to single click the name and wait for it to become editable, then type the new name.

I just tried it on my laptop. I made 'my documents' point to the folder 'yyy' and windows created a new shortcut named 'my documents' to the folder yyy. I then renamed the 'my documents' folder to yyy. Then moved 'my documents' back to the Documents folder that it was before without issue. Microsoft should make this process a little more straight forward.

 

[rubens]

I don't understood anything what you said... But after read what you wrote, I have a insight and... THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED!!!! All I had to do was DELETE the hidden file "desktop.ini" in my document folder and... PRESTO!!!! The real name "DOCUMENT" now appears. No more that annoying "My Documents" dummy-name.

So, the solution is "delete the desktop.ini hidden file in the document folder".

Thank you for your attention!!!

[ ] Rubens
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil