New desktop folders on Lion aren't empty

This looks like a very easy solution but I can't translate it into El Capitan. Sorry but I'm a bit of a duty here!

The several icons and second from left with 4 lines etc is where I get lost.

Any help please?

Julian.

Which one of these options are you using? You should be using the "new folder" option:

How do you create these new folders?

In the Finder, simply click on 'new folder' in the File menu (menu bar at top with Finder showing at left).

You'll get a new empty folder on the desktop with the name "untitled". Highlight that, hit the Return key, and the field changes so you can type in - name your folder whatever you want, i.e. Pictures. Then you move your pics or whatever into it. After that, you can file it away so it doesn't clutter up your desktop:

As you can see from mine: I have several folders in my Documents Folder.

And, (the next column), I have my most important folder ' B's Docs' that has many subfolders in it which hold all sorts of files, docs, etc.

When done, I'd simply move those strange folders you have now into the trash and empty it.

Babowa,

I know how to create a new folder (I've been a mac user for over 25 years 🙂).

I am asking the poster how he does it to see what he is doing wrong if anything.

Oops - didn't look at that - sorry; however, for the OP, my post is relevant.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one having this problem...never had this problem with my powerbook with Tiger. Grrrrr

And yes before anyone explains the basics...I've been using a mac for 10 years...it IS a New Folder...NOT a Smart Folder.

Everything just copies everything already on the desktop everytime for each and every folder...so I have to weed thru

Everything just to find what I want in THAT specific folder.

Why do I need to create a Folder if it's a repeat of Everything already there! And if I Delete any folders in the New Folder.

It also Deletes it off the Desktop! ***!?!

Anyone know how to change the behavior of the NEW FOLDER so it is EMPTY from the git-go and I can put ONLY what I want in it...in it?

Thank you.

LJ

Message was edited by: bmeup

I have the SAME problem. Funny thing is... I have it on TWO iMacs. My older iMac using Snow Leopard, and how my new iMac which came with Lion.

I create a new folder and it's filled with the whole desktop. Every time.

The only way I can get a new empty folder is to open the HD and create it at the root of the HD. Then drag it to the desktop. This didn't happen when I first got the computer a few months ago.

Some kind of bug, for sure. Two computers. Different operating systems. Same problem.

Another thing... if I create a new user, the problem goes away, so it appears that the user is getting corrupt somehow. But it's a pain to have to create a new user. And we shouldn't be having this problem.

One more thing....

If I use "Quick Look" command-y to look into the folder, it shows as Zero KB - No Items.

Same thing if you open your finder, click on the Desktop in the list, then click the Untitled Folder,

you'll see that the folder is empty.

It's something about the VIEW more than actually putting items in the folder. This doesn't help the problem, of course, but this seems to be what's happening.

Another update.

Now... if I create a folder on the hard drive root, it's empty. If I move it to the desktop, it is, again, filled with everything on the desktop. On the phone with support last night for an hour. They couldn't help, other than to infoirm me that if I look at the folder in the LIST view, the items aren't there. "You should use the list view" I was told. This, of course, is ridiculous, but that's all I got. That came from a senior tech associate.

So.. there seems to be no way out of this. I tried creating a new user again, and the same thing happened.

Hopefully, Mountain Lion will fix this.

Ok. I'm stupid.

It's SUPPOSED to do this... and I should know it.

When you use the column view and open a folder, the left most column is the

beginning of the heirarchy, with your empty folder listed as Untitled Folder. If you click on it, you'll see

nothing in the right hand column. List view DOESN'T show the heirarchy... just the contents of the folder.

Problem solved. THing is... I was on the phone with support for an hour and they couldn't figure out the problem. My son caught it this morning. Duh.

Having the same problem here too! But only one of our mac book pro is doing it.. Both Mac books are the same with same osx. I have to make all folder in my document folder and keep there. If I move them to the desktop after I make them it does the same thing to the folder. If I trash the folder it will trash everything on my desktop. This is crazy. Apple is no help at all. I miss Steve Jobs!

I just started having the same problem on my Macbook Air running Yosemite 10.10.2. Did you find a fix?

Easy solution (Unfortunately took me quite a while to figure out!@#): Open up any folder on the desktop. There will be several icons in the middle of the window near the top. The second icon from the left should be 4 lines on top of each other. Just click this icon, then all your desktop folders should go back to normal.