Comments on: Windows explorer: Moving files between folders does not work correctly

By: cagsie21

cagsie21 — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:54:29 +0000

Hi Tom. My original folder was called CCS with subfolders called CCS Logos & CCS Originals, I created a new folder structure within ‘my documents’ using CCS1 for the folder & CCSA & CCSB for the subfolders. I copied the files there. I did the drag & drop & it was perfect. I deleted the original folders & started to change the names of the new subfolders to what I wanted them to be. The Subfolders changed to CCS Logos & CCS Originals perfectly, but, – & I did this twice because I didnt believe it the first time – when I changed the name of CCS1 back to CCS, the whole contents of the folder changed before my eyes. I changed it back to CCS1 & the files came back correctly. I did it again with the same result. I have now renamed the folder CCS Main & will keep it like that. I don’t think that the problem I had ( & still have) can be solved without a lot of hard work & an expert – which I am most certainly not. I have created a workaround & will stick with it but I find the whole scenario truly bizzarre. Thanks for all your help. There is still a gremlin in my laptop but for now, I have it identified & cornered & there I intend it to stay !! Thanks again – Carol

By: TomLiotta

TomLiotta — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:29:02 +0000

And note that ‘cut and paste’ is different from ‘drag and drop’. I asked about that to learn if those two sequences behaved differently.

Tom

By: TomLiotta

TomLiotta — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 18:25:51 +0000

…within the same ‘my documents’ library.

First, I’m not a Windows expert. No other comments showed up, so I wanted to ensure that underlying factors were covered. But this comment might touch on a clue.

Windows 7 (or Vista) “libraries” seem to have characteristics that differentiate them from regular directories. If you create a directory outside of My Documents and try to ‘Move’ to it, does the behavior change?

Tom

By: cagsie21

cagsie21 — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:58:37 +0000

Hi again. I have just tried drag & drop on another folder structure within the same ‘my documents’ library. I used a word file & it worked fine. This leads me to think that it’s something to do with this actual folder/files & thier properties. Does this shed any light on the problem. Thanks for your ongoing & very kind help – Carol

By: cagsie21

cagsie21 — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:32:55 +0000

Just done what you asked & the result was just the same, the file never moved from the source folder. BUT While I was doing the first drag & drop I watched very carefully & what happened was that while I was doing the drag, it did say the word ‘move’, then the original file dissapeared from the source. Result I thought !! Then, without me touching anything, 7 second later, it re-appeared. I have applied all the Windows update that are available so that can’t be the problem.

By: TomLiotta

TomLiotta — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:00:36 +0000

Does cut-and-paste work to move files? Generate some test files, verify that they show the behavior that you’re asking about, then test cut-and-paste to see if they move successfully. — Tom

By: cagsie21

cagsie21 — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:25:03 +0000

Hi Tom. I just tried this on photos, drag & drop to move from 1 folder to another. It works just fine !! Maybe its something to do with the file type. Originally I tried PDFs, excell & word – none of these worked but a picture file did. Carol

By: TomLiotta

TomLiotta — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:39:14 +0000

Yow… sorry. I forgot how to tell ‘left’ from ‘right’ in that comment. Anyway, I wanted to ensure that a more explicit request would or wouldn’t give explicit results. It’s narrowed down a little now. We’ll see if it catches someone’s attention, or maybe some research can track it down. — Tom

By: cagsie21

cagsie21 — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:46:07 +0000

Hi Tom. Originally I used the left button but I have just tried it again using the right & selecting ‘move’. Same result I’m afraid. Carol

By: TomLiotta

TomLiotta — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:48:18 +0000

When you drag/drop, do you use the right or left mouse button? If you use left-button and select ‘Move’, does it work? — Tom