What could deleting the Home folders "Documents", "Movies", and others do?

[eclipse]

Hi all,
Microsoft Onedrive isn't compatible with the Documents folder syncing yet for some weird reason. I have dragged Documents in there, and it copies stuff across but doesn't sync. For all intents and purposes, that Documents folder is separate from the Home user Documents folder, and Microsoft have said that it will not sync.

So I'm probably going to go with a bunch of other folder names like "Admin" and "Family movies" and other names, and remove the normal Home user Documents and Movies folders from my sidebars.

But what if I deleted them? Will that break anything down the track?

 

[allan.nyholm]

Some programs might search for these folders.
My experience is that if I delete them they will be re-created on next login or reboot. If you hide them using Terminal:

sudo chflags hidden

There's a space after 'hidden' Now drag in your Movies folder

They'll be hidden from your view of course but remain there - under the radar.

I don't think 'sudo' is required.... try it without and with.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP asks:
"What could deleting the Home folders "Documents", "Movies", and others do?"

It could SERIOUSLY mess up OS -- that's what it could do.

Those are "more than" just folders, they are "symbolic links" that are tied to your user account. Mess with them at your own peril.

 

[posguy99]

Those are "more than" just folders, they are "symbolic links" that are tied to your user account. Mess with them at your own peril.

Except they're not, they're just folders. The OP certainly doesn't *need* to remove them, but removing them won't harm anything.

 

[Darth.Titan]

OP asks:
"What could deleting the Home folders "Documents", "Movies", and others do?"

It could SERIOUSLY mess up OS -- that's what it could do.

Those are "more than" just folders, they are "symbolic links" that are tied to your user account. Mess with them at your own peril.

No, they are absolutely not symbolic links. Just folders.

 

[eclipse]

Thanks guys. After mucking around with and failing to sync the Documents folder etc with Onedrive, I think yesterday I was on the rebound and in disgust wanted to delete them. But now I've just removed them from the sidebar, I think it will work.