(Solved) Troubleshooting W10 "Can't Save to Desktop"

[COStark26 10]

In the recent past I can no longer Save Apps or docs to Desktop as I always have. A common solution has involved Controlled Folder Access = OFF via a W10 Defender setting But I confirmed mine has always been OFF ( I only found Controlled Folder Access by stumbling onto - Allow Defender to Scan Randomly with ESET- and the On/Off choice becomes available).

A Forum's moderator suggested ESET HIPS as a possible cause BUT IF I just Clk'd -- Enable HIPS -- to Off and many boxes went Blank, is THAT All I needed to test for ESET?         

A Backup Admin acct CAN Save to Desktop but THAT doesn't prove what changed in the Admin Acct I use Exclusively. My rarely used Bkup Admin Acct is like a parallel universe where little is the same as in my main acct so I don't know if ESET is different for it (where I Can Save to Desktop) Vs some setting for the Main Admin Acct.

Not likely ESET but may as well ask.  Thanks as always.

Edited April 5, 2020 by COStark26

[Marcos 5,070]

I'd recommend backing up settings and temporarily uninstalling ESET to find out if it's ESET-related or not.

[itman 1,659]

20 minutes ago, COStark26 said:

A common solution has involved Controlled Folder Access = OFF via a W10 Defender setting But I confirmed mine has always been OFF ( I only found Controlled Folder Access by stumbling onto - Allow Defender to Scan Randomly with ESET- and the On/Off choice becomes available).

I really don't don't know what you are referring to here.

Windows Defender Controlled Folders option only applies if Windows Defender is the active real-time protection solution. If you have Eset installed, it is the active real-time solution and should be reflected as such in Windows Security Center.

Activating the Windows Defender Periodic scanning option does not enable the Controlled Folders feature.

In regards to this:

Quote

I only found Controlled Folder Access by stumbling onto - Allow Defender to Scan Randomly with ESET- and the On/Off choice becomes available

I have never seen like setting. I do suspect however it might be indicative of both Eset and Windows Defender real-time scanning being enabled which should not happen if Eset was properly installed.

[COStark26 10]

The solution was to go to My PC\Desktop\Rt Clk\Properties\Security tab .... the Modify Box for the "Everyone Group" was UN-Chk'd.

I chk'd it and Saved a Word .docx to the Desktop and a small App Dnloaded to Desktop later. This with me using the - Me Admin (ALL Boxes chk'd) -- acct Only. Will research what the Everyone Group is about later.

In W10-1909 Settings/ Update & Security/ Win Security/ Virus & Threat Protect in the center bottom is a box that allows Off/On for -- Windows Defender Antivirus Options (You can keep your current provider and have Win Defender periodically check for threats) -- and Clk'ing On and going in further was the Only way I found Controlled Folder Access. Irrelevant since that On/Off was Off, so CFA couldn't have been On.

Edited April 6, 2020 by COStark26

[itman 1,659]

47 minutes ago, COStark26 said:

Windows Defender Antivirus Options (You can keep your current provider and have Win Defender periodically check for threats) -- and Clk'ing On and going in further was the Only way I found Controlled Folder Access. Irrelevant since that On/Off was Off, so CFA couldn't have been On.

Correct.

But you can't enable the Controlled Folder Access option if you are using a third party AV solution. WD has to be the active real-time solution in order to enable the Controlled Folder Access option.