And Microsoft by extension.
I am so frustrated that, for the first time ever (that I remember), I am putting down a soapbox to publicly rant.
I have a little program called Winscript that is great for clearing all the shit Microsoft probes into my pc - all the trackers, bloatware, privacy crap - all gone!! Shooed away!! Yay!!
I was trying to clean up my laptops files as it's a slow little bugger the second I open a browser, and decided to use Winscript for a 2nd time to do some real deep-cleaning, especially if Microsoft managed to smuggle some shit back in like OneDrive.
Now, Winscript warned me to back up my files before attempting to delete OneDrive, but I was sure I had already deleted OneDrive the first time around, and the files were de-synced anyway, so surely it would've been fine - it's like spraying Raid even though you haven't seen that roach in a hot minute. I totally should've backed it up anyway, but my instinct was right in the end as you'll see.
I told Winscript to go stab at my stuff and it came back.
erm. Where did my desktop files go. Also. Why can I no longer access my documents.
Oh boy. Luckily, Winscript creates restore points for you so I paced around my room anxiously waiting for my laptop to restore itself. However, I was slightly devastated to learn that the 'restore' in restore point only applies to SYSTEM changes, NOT files. In hindsight, that makes a lot of sense, as I wondered how it restores files like pictures without them being a jagged crumple of corrupted pixels, but regardless... AGH!!!!!!!
I desperately looked around in my files to see what could be done. I noticed my downloads folder was totally fine. Maybe if I sign into OneDrive it'll magically have everything... - nope! It's totally empty but also telling me it has no storage left and needs my money (????).
I click and I click, and...what the fuck. My desktop files are back. But not on my Desktop-desktop, in my desktop files via the User filepath. Documents works there too.
But this makes no sense...? Your desktop *IS* on the User filepath, it's the USER'S DESKTOP. What the hell is going on???
Then I look at the filepath of the desktop with my files...
"C:\Users\jester\Desktop"
...and then I look at the desktop tab on File Explorer and copy the path...
"C:\Users\jester\OneDrive\Desktop"
You little shit. You made my desktop the ONEDRIVE DESKTOP INSTEAD OF MY ACTUAL FUCKINGGGGGG DESKTOPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THIS INFORMATION!!!!!!
I look more at the files in my user to verify everything's there, and I notice this little fucker:
*pop!* Desktop and Documents vanished. An undeniable confirmation that Microsoft cuckoo'd my fucking nest and left its shitty little OneDrive eggs there to eat my hard-earned worms.
I pin my CORRECT desktop and documents to File Explorer, and all is right in the world.
Windows 11 users, make sure OneDrive hasn't got its disgusting hands on your stuff and mimicking your desktop like the parasite it is. Back up your files, get Winscript and KILL IT. KILL IT NOW.
i am now going to back up my stuff lel
(for assurance that I'm not THAT stupid, my laptop isn't my main computer, the important stuff is safe on numerous drives, I would've just lost a lot of old photos and files I was working on the past week. Annoying, but not the end of the world.)
