Windows 10 file explorer won't rename any New folder created

Question

There is a very similar post here that was closed. The answer was not working. There is also this post that I just found documenting the issue "Unable to rename folders through Explorer in Windows 8.1"

The issue happens for any New folder created (a sub-folder in any location).

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Window's error1:

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Title: "Rename folder"

Text:

"Can't find the specified file."

"Make sure you specify the correct path and file name."

"New folder"

"Date created: dd/mm/yyyy  hh:mm"

Box: "Try Again" or "Cancel"

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If I click 'Try Again'

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Window's error2:

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Title: "Rename"

"Text:" "warning sign"

"The file or folder does not exist."

Box: OK

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Context: A W7 clean install followed by a W10 "clean option" upgrade (24 July 2016), so one year after W10 launch. Still, another of my PC with a "dirty" W10 upgrade from W7 gives the same symptoms. I fixed it but don't remember how. Particularity: logical drives/folders on both PCs manually set for the Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures and Videos folders at different locations than Windows default. Whether relevant or not, I don't know. It is a common characteristic / difference from standard for these 2 PCs.

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/er...rs-windows-10/ gives a solution but I am not 100% sure it is the right one, and it implies also modifying the registry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku-jsZ7HvfA gives a solution that could be similar to the reg fix in the 1st link. I identified that some keys are the same, but not all.

I can rename the "New folder" using an old "dos" type command opening a cmd window. That works fine. (e.g. in cmd, type H: (if H: is the logical drive on which it happens); cd "your folder_name" (reiterate if required); dir (to know if your "New folder" is there); ren "New folder" test1 (to rename your new folder to 'test1'); exit (and scream hallelujah))

Before touching the registry, would anyone with W10 insight know if these registry fixes make sense. I don't know the rationale which makes me uneasy; I am a mere user. Yes I could make backups & try but, even if it works now, I could still find out later that these fixes are damaging something else.

Thanks

acontrario Brussels

Solution

For what it is worth, this worked for me:

After reading a very old post on overclock.net (30 April 2010), I edited a small script to delete the following keys but it was so quick I did it manually in the end (deleted them using regedit).

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; http://www.overclock.net/t/721973/msupdate-kb980408-warning-to-all-win7-x64-users/10
; try to repare new folder rename issue

; "Name"="MusicLibrary"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}\PropertyBag]

; "Name"="VideosLibrary"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}\PropertyBag]

; "Name"="DocumentsLibrary"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}\PropertyBag]

; "Name"="UsersLibrariesFolder"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}\PropertyBag]

; "Name"="PicturesLibrary"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}\PropertyBag]

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Situation before: the above keys existed but were empty Situation after reboot: the above keys remained deleted (not recreated)

But I had no problem renaming a New folder anymore! Why, I don't have a clue.

What are the possible side effects, I don't have a clue either, which is annoying. I basically don't know what I did but it worked.

I believe it is a similar solution to the YouTube link posted above. I found more links on MS forums as well.

Comments

[w32sh]

This is the fix you need, for Windows 10. Cannot Rename or Move Folders in Windows 10, Due to Missing FolderDescriptions Registry Entries. Apply and reboot for the change to take effect.

[Lightness Races in Orbit]

@w32: You should write an answer containing this information.