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I turned the computer on today and found this mess. Somehow the default Downloads folder is merged with the desktop, though they both maintain separate contents. The system thinks Downloads still exists, the folder file path points to it, despite the name being different. I haven't changed anything in the system except for adding books to Calibre, which doesn't touch the Downloads folder. Here are my screenshots. Thank you for the help.
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OK good.. those registries are all good, so I don't think we have an integrity issue here, that means we should be able to simply rename it.
In your File explorer, right click on the Desktop folder that's actually pointing to Downloads folder path, use the rename option, and rename it back to Downloads. See if it sticks. It should as I tested on mine and it lets me.
Your registry is all correctly set. I assume you didn't change anything when you went to registry right?
For the last screenshot while you were in the Desktop folder properties, can you click on Restore to default. and see if that takes desktop out of downloads?
I have done so, but nothing changed. I did not change anything in registry, no.
Can you send me a picture of this registry path - it is slightly different, but it is a different folder in the registry -
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
