How can I delete the "folders" in My Computer

So I just installed Windows 8.1 and it is showing a bunch of folders (like Desktop, Documents...) in My Computer:

How can I remove them? I just want my drives to be listed.

Solution 1:

I just found the answer following the guide here:
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/42957/windows-8-1-hide-librar-folders-in-my-computer/

1. Open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace. There will be several subkeys in NameSpace, each corresponding to one of the folders in the My Computer view:

   {1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE} : Music folder
   {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} : Downloads folder
   {3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA} : Pictures folder
   {A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C} : Videos folder
   {A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0} : Documents folder
   {B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641} : Desktop

2. To remove a folder from the My Computer view delete the corresponding key.

Solution 2:

In addition to Chin's own answer for 64-bit Windows, if you also want to remove the folders from things like the 'Save As' dialog, you can remove the same subkeys from

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace

as well. Note the difference in path being Wow6432Node in stead of Microsoft.

To automate this for both locations, you may use this code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; ####################################################
; Remove Folders from File Explorer in Windows 8.1 x64
; ####################################################

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}]
; Music Folder

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}]
; Downloads Folder

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}]
; Pictures Folder

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}]
; Videos Folder

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}]
; Documents Folder

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}]
; Desktop Folder

Paste it in a file called something like remove_folders.reg and then double-click that file to execute.

For more info, refer to http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/28025-pc-add-remove-folders-windows-8-1-a.html