Can't change My Documents folder location

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scott Foglesong
  • Start date Start date
S

Scott Foglesong

Hello--

I've been trying to change the "My Documents" location, by following the
standard instructions: open the Start Menu, right-click and choose
"Properties" for "My Documents" and then type in the name of the new folder.

However, it won't accept any typed input; I can't paste anything in
there, either (even though it is a standard text-edit type control), and
there is nothing else on the property page. There seems to be some kind
of setting, somewhere, blocking my changing this. And yet this isn't the
original location of the 'My Documents' folder--I was able to change it
once to where it is now.

I'm running XP Professional, SP2. Does anyone have any thoughts why this
might not allow me to change it?

Thanks for any help in advance--
 
Rich said:
Scott, check at Kelly's http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
Select M and scroll to MyDocuments Move
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the tip. I tried the ideas on the Kelly's Korner
site, but even TweakUI wouldn't work given that 'My Documents' was the
one 'Special Folders' that wasn't listed there.

I'm still at a loss here as to what's causing this weird problem. It's
as though XP has decided that I will have the 'My Documents' folder at
this location, and no other location--even though I moved it before from
the default to the location at which it currently resides.

Cheers...
 
Network admins can prevent users moving MyDocs.
DisablePersonalDirChange
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Data type Range Default value
REG_DWORD 0 | 1 0

Description
Prevents users from moving the My Documents folder.

This entry stores the setting of the Prohibit user from changing My Documents path Group Policy. Group Policy adds this entry to the registry with a value of 1 when you enable the policy. If you disable the policy or set it to Not configured, Group Policy deletes the entry from the registry and the system behaves as though the value is 0.

Value Meaning
0 (or not in registry) The policy is disabled or not configured. Users can move the My Documents folder.
1 The policy is enabled. Users cannot move the My Documents folder.

By default, a user can move the My Documents folder by typing a new path in the Target box of the My Documents Properties dialog box. If the value of this entry is 1, then when users type a new path in the Target box, a message appears explaining that a policy prevents the action.

Change method
To change the value of this entry, use Group Policy. This entry corresponds to the Prohibit user from changing My Documents path policy (User Configuration\AdministrativeTemplates\Desktop).

Tip

For detailed information about particular Group Policy settings, see the Group Policy Reference (Gp.chm) on the Windows 2000 Resource Kit companion CD.

For general information about Group Policy, see Group Policy in Windows 2000 Help.

To see a table associating policies with their corresponding registry entries, see the Group Policy Reference Table.
 
Edit HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell
Folders, value Personal.
 
David said:
Network admins can prevent users moving MyDocs.
DisablePersonalDirChange
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Data type Range Default value
REG_DWORD 0 | 1 0

Description
Prevents users from moving the My Documents folder.

This entry stores the setting of the Prohibit user from changing My Documents path Group Policy. Group Policy adds this entry to the registry with a value of 1 when you enable the policy. If you disable the policy or set it to Not configured, Group Policy deletes the entry from the registry and the system behaves as though the value is 0.

Value Meaning
0 (or not in registry) The policy is disabled or not configured. Users can move the My Documents folder.
1 The policy is enabled. Users cannot move the My Documents folder.

By default, a user can move the My Documents folder by typing a new path in the Target box of the My Documents Properties dialog box. If the value of this entry is 1, then when users type a new path in the Target box, a message appears explaining that a policy prevents the action.

Change method
To change the value of this entry, use Group Policy. This entry corresponds to the Prohibit user from changing My Documents path policy (User Configuration\AdministrativeTemplates\Desktop).

Tip

For detailed information about particular Group Policy settings, see the Group Policy Reference (Gp.chm) on the Windows 2000 Resource Kit companion CD.

For general information about Group Policy, see Group Policy in Windows 2000 Help.

To see a table associating policies with their corresponding registry entries, see the Group Policy Reference Table.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this detailed and careful solution. Alas: it's already set to
0 on my computer, so that doesn't seem to be the issue. Or am I missing
something else--?

Thanks,
Scott
 
David said:
PS 0 still sets the policy - the valie must be deleted.
Click to expand...
Whoops...I answered your previous message before deleting the value
altogether, assuming that 0 meant the policy was disabled. Thank you so
much: that worked!!

Big sigh of relief....

Cheers,
Scott
 
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