"Explorer not responding" in Downloads when files selected

[Jerry38018]

Using my Dell laptop for about a month all working well. Going to main screen now, not File Explorer, on bootup. Thanks. But today I decided to move some downloaded files from "Downloads" and File Explorer stops responding when I select more than one file. In my previous computer I had a "DL" folder I used for downloads and never used the Downloads one. But with this computer I decided to use it. I can open Pictures, Documents, Videos, all those folders and sub-folders and select more than one file to move or copy and all goes well. But in Downloads as soon as I select a second file, Explorer stops. Sometimes the screen will get that faded look with everything greyed out, sometimes it just sits there with the wording "Explorer has stopped responding" at the top of the screen. Sometimes it will close on its own and the screen goes to the main screen, and sometimes I have to go to Task Manager to restart it. All else seems to function normally. Suggestions?

Maybe related to this, maybe not, on my Desktop I have 22 icons. But in File Explorer, when I click on Desktop, it shows three files. One is Debug.log, one is desktop.ini, and one is a shortcut to a program. On the actual Desktop there are two desktop.ini links among the 22 icons . One of these matches the desktop.ini shown in Explorer and the other has different text.

[jdc2000]

If you right-click on the "Downloads" folder in File Explorer and select Properties, what path do you see?

You should see something like:
C:\Users\<user name>\Downloads

If you see something else, or a different user name subfolder under "Users" than you expect, that could be an issue.

[Midknyte]

You shouldn't see Desktop.ini unless you chose "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" and unchecked "Hide protected operating system files".
Did you do that on purpose or not?

As for the desktop icons, some could be shared shortcuts in C:\Users\Public\Desktop, so they wouldn't show if you opened your personal user Desktop folder.

[Jerry38018]

The path is C:\Users\jerry\Downloads. I am the only one using this computer.

I did open "Show hidden files".

Does having two different desktop.ini files matter? The one shown in File Explorer matches One of the two desktop.ini on the actual desktop and reads:
[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21799

The other on the actual desktop reads:

[.ShellClassInfo]
LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21769
IconResource=%SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll,-183

Thanks for our responses.

[Midknyte]

There are TWO different settings in order to see Desktop.ini. Even if you "Show hidden files, folders, and drives", you'd need to specifically uncheck "Hide protected operating system files".

Normally, you don't need to uncheck "Hide protected operating system files". You shouldn't be messing with Desktop.ini, but it will automatically regenerate if you delete it. There is one for your profile and one for the Public profile. That is totally normal.
https://www.digitalcitizen.life/why-...hat-do-they-do

[Jerry38018]

Thanks for the links. And while we have been going back and forth here, File Explorer is now responding correctly in Downloads! I do not go into that Folder much, especially since this is a new computer and I have not downloaded much, but using Edge I am learning different ways for doing things than with Chrome or Firefox and I have documents there I wanted to keep in folders related to the subject, and it would not work. But it is now and my guess is we will never know what started the mess. As for showing hidden files, I think that is a holdover from the individual who began with me years ago and I just click to show them. Thanks again for your prompt assistance. The links were very helpful.