Flash drive

Hi Again A-Under C:\Documents+ Settings I see three folders ; 1- Shared 2-Guests 3- P+S's B-Please folow these steps to answer your verification questions; 1- Insert flash drive in desktop 2-double click desktop 'My Docs' 3-now see folders; My Pix, My Docs, My received files, My page manager, etc 4-right click My Docs and 'Send To" flash. 5-Remove flash from desk and insert in laptop. 6-Open my computer to find flash "removable disk" 7-Open flash or removable disk to see folder My Doc's. I open his folder and verify that the data is transferred. It is. 8-I click back browser so I see the folder My Doc's wherein I just verify data transfer. 9-I right click this folder, My Doc's, and 'Send to' My Docs. 10-I go to desktop "My Docs" double click it and the contents of My Docs is displayed -file and folders. *The data is not transferred or updated here. *The data is transferred to PS'S Documents on the page My Computer. There are two other folders here ,first is Shared Docs and the second Guest's Docs. I think it around this labeling of folders that the problem occurs. I have tried to be as concise and explicit as possible and hope this will wave a red flag for you. Thank you again for taking the time.

This is something really obvious, as I stated earlier. Yet, it still eludes me exactly what it is. The PS's documents you mention in My Computer, is the same My Documents you should be looking at on your desktop. This tells me that whatever it is you are opening on the desktop is not the "My Documents" folder. You may be storing files there, and you may have named it "My Documents," but it is not the real "My Documents" folder. Would the real My Documents folder please stand up?

Please right-click the "My Docs" folder on the desktop of the laptop and click properties. Do you see a target tab? Probably not. Instead, do you see a "shortcut" tab, or a "customize" tab? If you see a shortcut tab, click it, and tell me what the target is?


Please click start -> My Documents. Are the files contained here, the same as the files in My Computer -> PS's Documents? If you are using the classic start menu you won't see the My Documents folder listed. This could be leading to even more confusion.

The abbreviations we are using are really starting to confuse me, I need to see exact names.

Open My Computer, and right click that PS's documents folder and click properties. Tell me what the location is under the General tab.

Please go to a command prompt (start -> run -> type cmd and press ENTER). At the command prompt type the following command:
dir "c:\documents and settings" > desktop\postme.txt and press ENTER.

Now, close the command prompt window, and open the postme.txt file on your desktop. Copy and paste the contents here please. You're doing great, and its time to knock this problem out.

I just noticed something that may be signficant; I'm sending this in case it helps you and will be right back after I have read your post. I was trying different things and wanted you to be aware of it. **On the desktop, when I open My Docs I see folders, one which is My Documents. When I open the second My Docs I see the contents of it. On the laptop however, when I open the My Docs folder I immediately see the contents of 'My Docs'. *It seems like I'm skipping right to the data with the laptop. Let me read your post + I'll be right back. :-)

Let me just verify one more time.. The Desktop computer is the one with the original documents. The laptop computer is the one you are trying to get the documents transferred to. Correct? Its becoming very apparent now what is happening here.

I certainly will be mindful of articulation and do understand the need for it; thank you for bringing it to my attention. Whoops, I just saw your post so will respond now and then read your longer post. Yes, the desktop is the pc which has the data that I send to the laptop using a flash drive.

I see general, sharing, and customize for tabs as I right click the My Documents on the laptop.There is a 'location' which states, C:\DocumentsandSettings\S\Desktop

When I click 'start' My Documents there is nothing at all in the window.

My Computer + right click PS's Documents folder> general tab lists the 'location' as C:\Documents and settings\S


I switched to the laptop to copy and paste the command prompt so I'll be right with you -sorry.

dir "c:\documents and settings" > desktop\postme.txt

Ok.. This is what I can tell you so far. The My Documents folder on the desktop of your laptop is not a My Documents folder at all. This is a folder that you created on your desktop and you have been storing your files there. It is in no way related to the real My Documents folder at all. This is why when you send to -> my documents they never show up in that folder. The send to -> my documents is working just fine. It is moving the data to the My Documents folder. You said that when you click on start -> my documents, nothing shows up. Yet, according to previously posted information the start -> my documents option opens the exact same folder that going to my computer -> PS's documents opens. So, you're going to have a hard time convincing me otherwise. And you previously said that when you go to PS's Documents under My Computer you see the data from the desktop PC listed. You are sending a folder called My Docs (or the like) to your flashdrive from the desktop computer. When you take the flash drive to your laptop, you are right-clicking that folder and telling it to send to -> my documents. Therefore, you are copying the entire "My Docs" folder from the flashdrive to your My Documents folder. So, the only thing you are going to see when you open the real My Documents folder on the laptop is another folder called "My Docs" or whatever it is called on the flashdrive, and it will contain all the data that you sent there. This is creating yet another "imitation" my documents folder buried where it shouldn't be. You've made another reference to a My Documents folder within a My Documents folder on your desktop PC. This is just confusion over what is saved where. Its a bit of a mess, but I think we can straighten it out. We need to know what data you want to keep, what data can go, what data can be merged together. I'm going to give you some information and you decide what data you want to keep and what can go or what can be merged together to simplify what is what here. On the desktop PC, you have a folder on your desktop called My Documents, when you open that folder, at the very least there is another My Documents folder. Is there any other data listed in this folder other than the second My Documents folder? Do you want to keep it? Can it be merged with the contents of the second My Documents folder? On the laptop PC, you have a folder on the desktop called My Documents, it contains data. Do you want to keep this data? Should it be merged with the data from the desktop? Should it be kept seperate? On the laptop, you also have a real My Documents folder, this folder can be found by clicking start -> my documents, or by opening My Computer -> PS's Documents. Is there any data in there that you want to keep? Should it be merged with the data in the My Documents folder on the desktop of your laptop? "Backups" of your data do not count here, and it needs to be ignored. All your data is intact, so we are going to delete any "duplicates" of information at this point and start over so everything is where it is supposed to be. This is confusing enough without dealing with trying to save duplicated information. I'm sorry I have to ask so many questions, but we have a real mess here with a total of 5 different locations holding data that you expected to be only two. What I need is a set of data in ONE location on the desktop, and a set of data in ONE location on the laptop. I want these two sets of data to be the individual data that you want to keep on the desktop and on the laptop. NO duplicates at this point. This will involve dragging and dropping some files around until everything is in the right place. If you can clean this mess up on your own it will be a big help for me to help you. I am assuming at this point that you have data on the desktop that you want to keep seperate from data on the laptop. If you are using the flash drive to transport data around from one computer to the other for purposes other than backup (i.e. you are using the file on both computers), we need to come up with a better method so duplicates of files are not floating around everywhere. Please get back with me with the information as best as you can, and I'll go from there.

Simply put, during the week I use the desktop and amend data as necessary, like changes to my budget etc. On weekends I want to update this data in the laptop.
Historically, I have been sending this data from the desktop to the laptop via My Documents using the flash drive to do so.
Because I have tried to help between posts, I have actually hurt for which I apologize.
I will tell you what I have NOW and what I'd like to do with your help.
I will not tinker between posts and only do as told.

Desktop = when I open the My Documents folder on my desktop there are folders; a-My Documents, b-My Pictures, c-My received files, d-My page Manager.
I'd like to keep this second My Documents folder as it has the data I need for the laptop. The other folders are not pertinent to me.
When I open this folder I see all my files/data that I wish to transfer to the lap; I close this folder then right ckick it and 'send to' the flashdive.
By the way, when I click start My Documents I see the same four folders.

I insert the flashdrive in the laptop and when I right click it to 'send to', It says:
[a folder already exists-if you continue the new folder will over write the old and all the contents within will be replaced]
This is what I want so my data is updated.

Laptop = there is a My Documents folder on the desktop which I double click and see another My Documents folder - when I open this second My Documents folder I see my data.
If I click start, My Documents there is nothing inside.

I will not touch a thing and I hope I have told you what you needed which is 1-what I currently have on both pcs and will not touch till I hear from you and 2- What my intentions are.

Until recently, this system has worked for me for years.
Seriously, you have taken the time and effort so the least I can do is cooprate which is my current intention
Thank you for your help and wheteher you reply or not, you still get a 5 rating.

Hi GRampy.. No need to appologize.

I'm having a heck of a time following all of this. I know what has happened but I'm not getting specific enough information to decide the best way to clean this up.

I don't like the idea that you have a second My Documents folder inside the main My Documents folder on each PC.

The reason why this has happened, I believe, is because you are right clicking the My Documents folder and telling it to send to some other location. Therefore, you are creating a second My Documents folder inside of the My Documents folder. When you transfer files with your flashdrive (unless there are other files on the drive you don't want to mix up) you should be opening the My Documents folder that contains all your data and then using select all and then send to so that you are copying only the files contained within the My Documents folder, instead of the actual My Documents folder? Do you get what I am saying here? Then, on the laptop you would open the flashdrive, and you would see all your files sitting there and you would select all and send to -> my documents. That was you are not creating the second My Documents folder within your My Documents folder.

I still don't get how you can click Start -> My Documents and not see anything on the laptop. The information you provided me shows that folder pointing to the same folder as the My Computer -> PS's documents folder. SO, somewhere we went wrong but I'm not going to worry about it at this point.

If I am understanding you properly, you have all your important data on the desktop, and only a backup is on the laptop? If this is the case you would be able to delete the My Documents folder on your laptop's desktop, and not lose anything you want or need? If this is the case, please move the My Documents folder on your laptop's desktop to the recycle bin. Now, click start and right-click My Documents. Click "Show On Desktop." This places the REAL My Documents folder on your laptop's desktop. Please open the folder that is now on your desktop called My Documents and see what it contains? (Should be nothing, according to your previous information)

I'd like for you to eliminate this second My Documents folder within the My Documents folder for simplicity's sake. Lets start with the desktop. Open My Documents, and you will see your four folders previous mentioned (one called My Documents). Right-click the second My Documents folder and click Explore. This should open two windows. The first one is your main My Documents folder containing the four previously mentioned folders, and the other window is the second My Documents folder, containing all your data? If this looks right, please select all and drag the files from the second My Documents folder to the first My Documents folder. Hold the CTRL key while you drag the files so that it copies the files rather than moves them (just in case something goes wrong you wont accidentally delete your data this way). If it asks about overwriting or replacing My Pictures, etc. just go ahead and tell it ok. It won't overwrite it, it will merge the contents. This should move all your important files to the main My Documents folder? Please look through the folder, and if all looks well, please delete the second My Documents folder that is contained in your main My Documents folder. Move it to the recycle bin for now.

Lets not do too much at once, so go ahead and carefully follow my above directions and let me know if you have any questions or problems before moving forward. Thank you.

I removed the My Documents folder on the desktop of the laptop to the recycle bin. I did 'start' and right clicked the My Documents folder that appeared. Then I clicked 'show on desktop'. ****I tried to remove the empty My Documents folder within the folder as you suggested but did not know how; the contents were empty and NOW don't want to botch things up so I will await your answer as to how to remove this folder. O.K.? :-)

Ok.. If you are talking abuot the new My Documents folder that is now on the desktop of the laptop, and you are saying that it contains an empty My Documents folder in it, just click and press delete.

I have touched nothing except what you said but there is a glitch here ; 1- You said - please move the My Documents folder on your laptop's desktop to the recycle bin. Now, click start and right-click My Documents. Click "Show On Desktop." This places the REAL My Documents folder on your laptop's desktop. Please open the folder that is now on your desktop called My Documents and see what it contains? (Should be nothing, according to your previous information) So far ok. 2- You said - I'd like for you to eliminate this second My Documents folder within the My Documents folder for simplicity's sake. Lets start with the desktop. Open My Documents, and you will see your four folders previous mentioned (one called My Documents). Right-click the second My Documents folder and click explore. **I opened the My Documents folder on the laptops desktop and an empty ,second, MY Documents folder appeared which I said I do not know how to remove and still don't. I find no way to delete it. Now, On both My Documents folders,Start > My Documents and the My Documents folder on the desktop, whether I click open or explore there are no folders, such as the four you refer to. I know you are trying to start from sq. one and keep constancy and cotinuity but perhaps there is too large a transfer of information at one time. Maybe we should establish where I am and when that is done, you could give me one step at a time that I could verify or report a problem, then we could move slowly forward. I gave you an awful situation and I know we are both doing our best. Believe it or not I have been somewhat successful over the years. Please take a step back and consider where we stand and then let me know what you would like to do. Peace

2- You said - I'd like for you to eliminate this second My Documents folder within the My Documents folder for simplicity's sake. Lets start with the desktop computer. Open My Documents, and you will see your four folders previous mentioned (one called My Documents). Right-click the second My Documents folder and click explore.
**I opened the My Documents folder on the laptops desktop and an empty ,second, MY Documents folder appeared which I said I do not know how to remove and still don't. I find no way to delete it.
Now, On both My Documents folders,Start > My Documents and the My Documents folder on the desktop,
whether I click open or explore there are no folders, such as the four you refer to.

I'm sorry.. I've been trying to be as clear as possible because of ambiguity in the terminology. Please re-read the above quote, and notice that when I said, "Lets start with the desktop…" I meant the desktop computer, not the laptop computer. I added that word in the quote.

If the My Documents folder on the laptop contains a second My Documents folder, what is it that you can't do? You should be able to right-click it and select Delete. If you can't do that, what options are you given when you right-click it?

Just keep plugging away with the information I gave you now that it has been clarified. You did the right thing by stopping and coming back here to ask questions. That's how we get this stuff resolved in the most straight forward way possible. Thank you.

The laptop - I open the My Documents folder on the desktop and there appears to be a blank page that says My Documents upper left corner. I thought you wanted me to remove this folder within a folder but I can't. There is no provision for 'delete'. If youdon't want it deleted I don't mind but I feel we are not talking about the same thing. If I right click this blank page I see the typical 1-View,2-Arrange Icons by, 3-Refresh, 4-New, 5-Properties. Properties gives the "Target" information we discussed before such as "restore Default, Move, Find Target. lastly for now, I get nervous about removing anything from the desktop computer because it is always needed. I doo have flash drive back up of my data but I'd like to 'work on the laptop only if possible. I will stop here and await your reply so I don't go meandering again. .