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So we all know how Windows sets up a user folder, with a few default directories.

I am very happy to leave some of them (pictures, Videos etc.) but some are just bothersome and/or useless. I realise they serve a purpose, but I simply don't need them in my user directory.

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I thought deleting them is an option, but they keep popping back. "I'll hide them!" I said victoriously, only to be confronted by reality once more (they won't hide). "Move them?" I attempted to relocate them, but the buggers simply re-spawn! That's when I stopped talking to myself.

Are there any tricks you know of, majestic wise men and women of the Stack Exchange, that would fix this annoyance?

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toms
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  • You want to delete the desktop? And yet leave the media folders? ಠ_ఠ – Synetech Jan 16 '14 at 04:11
  • You delete favorites and all your IE favorites/bookmarks are gone. – cybernard Jan 16 '14 at 04:19
  • @Synetech relocating was also mentioned as an acceptable solution. – toms Jan 16 '14 at 04:40
  • @cybernard IE is for people who haven't heard of Chrome. Have you? – toms Jan 16 '14 at 04:41
  • @toms actual I am firefox man, but sometimes use chrome. I just completely ignore IE normally. – cybernard Jan 16 '14 at 04:53
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    So your goal is simply to keep your User directory as empty as possible? If so, then I’ve explained how to do this (as much as is feasibly possible) [here](http://superuser.com/a/689669/3279) and [here](http://superuser.com/a/432289/3279). Those people asked about preventing third-party programs from putting files in there, but it’s the same method to clean out Windows’ own stuff like media, bookmarks, even the desktop itself. – Synetech Jan 16 '14 at 07:16
  • @Synetech That looks really great. I will have a read of those extensively at a later time. Thank you! – toms Jan 16 '14 at 09:03

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You should be able to do this by disabling the KNOWNFOLDERID for the folders that you don't want created by using Local Group Policy. The first link shows you the GPO setting to do this and the second link is a list of all of theKNOWNFOLDERID GUID's.

http://gunnalag.com/2011/10/14/removing-user-libraries-in-windows-explorer-for-windows-7server-2008/

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd378457(v=vs.85).aspx

joeqwerty
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