After upgrading to recently released Windows 10 April 2018 Update (V1803), some users have found that their Desktop is gone or is no longer available. These users whenever login to their account, following message appears:
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Location is not available
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop is unavailable. If the location is on this PC, make sure the devices or drive is connected or the disc is inserted, and then try again. If the location is on a network, make sure you’re connected to the network or Internet, and then try again. If the location still can’t be found, it might have been moved or deleted.
This can be due to missing/corruption of Desktop folder after the update. In this article we’ll try to fix this problem. After getting this error, see if you could open administrative Command Prompt and run System File Checker scan. This should fix the corruption of Desktop folder and restore it.
In case if the SFC scan doesn’t helps, you can try below mentioned steps to fix it manually.
FIX: Desktop Is Unavailable In Windows 10/8/7
1. Press 
+ R and put %WinDir%\System32\config\systemprofile in Run dialog box and click OK. If you’re prompted for permissions, click Continue or provide the credentials, if asked.
2. In systemprofile folder, create a new folder and name it as Desktop. You can also copy the Desktop folder from user account folders located at %WinDir%\System32. Highlight Desktop folder and click Properties.
3. On the property sheet, switch to Security tab. Click Edit.
4. Then in Permissions for Desktop window, click Add.
5. On Select Users or Groups box, type Everyone and click Check Names. Then click OK.
6. Back in Permissions for Desktop window, select Everyone and under Permissions, check all the options listed below Allow. Click Apply followed by OK.
7. Finally, in the confirmation prompt appears next, click Yes.
We’re done here. Now just reboot your system and after restart the error would no longer appear.
Hope this helps!
7 Comments
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Unfortunately this problem
Doesn’t help :( I couldn’t access folder using “run”, but I opened and created Desktop folder using notepad.exe. After system restart I have black desktop and can’t do anything
Will this not erase some of your apps and files? Only 2 people so far have commented and it seems their replies say that they don’t work. I don’t want to risk losing my data.
The error no longer appears, however everything still doesn’t work. Can’t open the Start menu, or any significant applications (not even File Explorer).
What’s next?
Hi.
Anyone has any idea how to repair that? The same problem returned now in 17.11.2018 and destroyed many pc’s cross the world /see MS forums/. As final effect is a black screen, or destroyed RAMs !
And as above, seems there is no help from any MVP???
Any help pls?
I have tried the above mentioned method yet still I can’t access my windows menu or the programs on my taskbar and I only have few icons on it now where as I use to have all my programs I frequently used, I can’t copy nor paste anything I still have the black screen.
^^ Recommend you to make clean install, see if that helps: https://www.kapilarya.com/how-to-make-clean-install-of-windows-10.