So a really, really weird stupid desktop problem developed

[frank pik]

**warning - this is weird to read/understand because I created a paradox**

Yesterday, for no reason at all a folder popped up on my desktop all on it's own labeled "Desktop" and inside were the shortcuts of my desktop. The weirdness starts in that they are also not copies of shortcuts. The folder cannot be deleted and the shortcuts inside are somehow not shortcuts in that deleting them deletes the actual standalone item on the desktop - I.e: deleting my shortcut for FarCry 4 inside the "desktop" folder deletes the actual shortcut on my desktop.

Now the more confounding part is that I tried to move this folder into "my documents" just to get it out of sight and doing so created some kind of paradox wherein:
-moving it there disappeared that "desktop" folder yet somehow all the various folders from "my documents" now moved to the desktop.
-There is a copy of each of those folders now in "my documents" as well as the desktop.
-These are also somehow not copies or shortcuts so if I try to delete what seems to be a duplicate of that folder from my desktop, the contents of that original folder also goes.
-I cannot move those <i>duplicates</i> back into the folder they came from because "the destination folder is the same as the source folder"
-WTF?

 

[Jazmac]

Are you talking about virtual desktops?

 

[PepperdotNet]

You have somehow got a Symbolic Link (junction point) on your desktop, pointed at your desktop. I've not used them enough to know off the top of my head how to modify or delete one, but I am pretty sure you'll be using the cmd line to do it. Is it recursive? That is, does the "folder" also contain itself, ad infinitum?

 

[frank pik]

You have somehow got a Symbolic Link (junction point) on your desktop, pointed at your desktop. I've not used them enough to know off the top of my head how to modify or delete one, but I am pretty sure you'll be using the cmd line to do it. Is it recursive? That is, does the "folder" also contain itself, ad infinitum?

yeah, I guess for the time being I was able to just back up my contents and delete the rest while making sure not to use the Documents folder and to poster #2, it's not on virtual desktop.