[SOLVED] My downloads folder is broken

[AwetismGaming]

I was just getting into starting up my new build from windows, and as i began rebuilding my game libraries, and getting new apps, my downloads folder popped up a little hazard box on it, and it says "could not find "home/awetism/Downloads". Please check the spelling and try again. I tried to install ZFS after this came up not really giving it too much thought (it was one of the main reasons i wanted to switch after i got some 18tb server drives), but I'm not sure if i made the problem harder to solve by doing that in retrospect. Any tips on how to solve this problem would be appreciated. If i can get ZFS running t solve the problem, that also would be appreciated if i could somehow get help with that as well, since it didn't seem particularly straightforward. Part of my issue there as well is that i have no prior experience, or even saw any instance of linux running in person, and i live in the back country where help is sparse and generally of poor quality at best.

[shedyed]

Just for fun (but mostly to find out) try listing the files in home/awetism.

ls /home/awetism (example only to list the contents)
Maybe it is home/awetism/Downloads? Make sure you use caps where it's needed, like the big 'D' in Downloads. *nix is sensitive in that area. There is also a leading slash before the word 'home', but it depends where you are at the moment
The output might be similar to this list that I have:
Desktop
Documents
Downloads
Pictures
Public
Templates
Videos

I haven't ventured into ZFS yet. Somebody out there can jump in

[Cosmo.]

I was just getting into starting up my new build from windows, and as i began rebuilding my game libraries, and getting new apps, my downloads folder popped up a little hazard box on it, and it says "could not find "home/awetism/Downloads".

There are 2 things, which I do not understand:

1. What does it mean "getting into starting up my new build from windows". I have no idea, what you exactly did and how Windows has something to do with it.

2. How can a download folder pop up and how can the download folder tell, that it cannot find itself?

[AwetismGaming]

So the windows thing is me just saying I was using windows until 2 days ago to try to help explain im very cluelss as to what im doing yet, and the pop up thing is that when I open the file manager, the list of folders was good until the downloads folder randomly had the little hazard box on its icon. When I tried clicking on it, the pop up that said it was missing came up as I had mentioned.

[Cosmo.]

I still must do more guesses instead of understanding all the text. Perhaps somebody else understands more, otherwise you need to rephrase.

Regarding the last thing: Open a terminal and enter the command ls -l. Copy and paste the result here by using the code-function of the forum's editor (5. button above the text window).

Next enter enter cd Downloads and do the same.
Do not enter other commands in the terminal, before you have executed both steps.

[AwetismGaming]

Code: Select all

60-openrgb.rules
'Black (USA).7z'
Desktop
Documents
komorebi
komorebi-2-64-bit.deb
MangoHud
Music
OpenRGB
Pictures
Public
snap
Steam
Templates
Videos
ZenStates-Linux

Code: Select all

bash: cd: Downloads: No such file or directory

Sorry if i didn't do that right, i wanted to use pictures, but it seems to want url's instead of a file i have in my pictures folder

[dave0808]

Code: Select all

bash: cd: Downloads: No such file or directory

As you can see from the file listing that you posted, this error is correct. The directory called Downloads no longer exists.

You can fix this by opening a terminal window again, and type the command:-

Code: Select all

mkdir Downloads

Somewhere along your journey, the directory got deleted and the above command will create it once more.

[AwetismGaming]

How in gods name that happened, i have no clue. It was probably my fault, but thanks for being patient, i have autism for real, as well as multiple life threatening concussions along the years, so i can be pretty dim whited at times.

[AwetismGaming]

Yeah it's back now, thanks again

[dave0808]

You wouldn't be the first person to have done it. I think it's easy to see an empty directory, think to yourself that it's not needed, and delete it.

Anyway, it wasn't me being patient. I literally just read this topic and swooped in with a possible answer

If you could mark the topic as solved (more info here), that would be useful to future readers.

[Cosmo.]

How in gods name that happened, i have no clue.

Very most likely you marked it in the file manager and pressed (possibly without wanting it) the DEL key. If this was actually the cause, than you will most likely find the old Downloads folder in the trash bin. For now it is not needed, but remember it, if this should happen again.

[AwetismGaming]

I will say, windows probably wouldn't let you do this (for the better or worse really), but also now knowing I have that kind of power is kind of impressive to me. I'm glad I can stick that in my toolbelt, as right now it is very empty, but I'm already loving this experience way more in many ways than windows has ever treated me; despite looking like a fool quite regularly. I'd say it's akin to the first time I drove a manual transmission car, tough for the people with low determination, but better for the people who really like to touch the working bits with their grubby mits.