Documents and Settings

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff

Hi,

I have noticed a few people who want to relocate their
Documents and Settings. There was a net site that listed
how to do it, but I forgot to save that link. But here is
a step by step process for those that are interested.
1. on the D drive create "Documents and Settings" (without
the quotes"
2. make sure you choose to see hidden files and folders,
also uncheck hide protected operating system files.
3. create a dummy account with admin privilege.
4. log onto that dummy account.
5. copy all files and folders in the C:\Documents and
Settings to the D:\Documents and Settings (note: you
cannot copy the LocalService, NetworkService,
and "dummyaccount" folders because they are in use, if you
happen to copy these by mistake, just delete them)
6. open regedit (start>Run>regedit) this is where it gets
tricky, you may want to back up your registry first
7. change all instances of C:\Documents and Settings to
D:\Documents and Settings (use the find function for this,
F3 key)
8. in few sections you may have to rename the homepath to
D:\Documents and Settings. I notice it varies on some pre-
installed systems, like Dell
9. Change any entry which points to Documents and Settings
to D:\Documents and Settings\...... including, but not
limited to, "\Device\HarddiskVolume1\Documents and
Settings\...", "%SystemRoot%\documents and settings\...",
and "%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings\..." to
D:\Documents and Settings\.... (which means change the %
SystemRoot% and %SystemDrive% to D:\ ) For
the "\Device\HarddiskVolume1\Documents and Settings\..."
change the 1 to 2 if its on the d-drive or 3 if it is at 2
already.
10. Change also all instances of C:\Docume~1 to D:\Docume~
(is the 8.3 representation of "Documents and Settings")
11. Double check the changes before closing regedit
12. do a cold boot, meaning shut it down, wait a few
seconds then restart it.
13. use the dummy account again and do steps 6 to 11.
14. reboot the comp and log in with your original account
15. your D&S setting should already be in Drive D. Try
renaming the "Documents and Settings" folder in C Drive
to, lets say OldD&S. it it renames succesfully, you have
succeeded. Make sure you have show hidden files and un-
hide protected operating system files, when you rename or
delete the C drive D&S folder. Also change those settings
back to their original settings when done.

I have done this on over 15 systems and have no problems.
I will have to do this on additional 60 systems in the
months to come. Some may ask why, because, backing up
user data and folders they created is easy, since they are
on the D drive.
 
I use an unattended setup script to specify where I want this folder to be
located and what name I want to give it.
I prefer C:\windows\profiles myself as that's where older versions of NT
placed it. This way it is where I want it as soon as I install Windows.
Plenty of other options can be changed this way as well. :-)
 
Hi,

On a fresh install using unattended you can do that, but
on a system that already has XP, even W2K installed, you
have to do it the long drawn out process I described. I
with the new computers we are getting would have it on D
drive, but they seem incapable of doing that. Another
reason why we need it on D Drive is, C drive gets
refreshed every month, so keeping it all on D drive saves
trouble in several ways. Plus its our policy as well.

Jeff
 
You do know that you can right click on "My Documents" » select properties » move » and change the location. It is a simple method that works.

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________
| Hi,
|
| On a fresh install using unattended you can do that, but
| on a system that already has XP, even W2K installed, you
| have to do it the long drawn out process I described. I
| with the new computers we are getting would have it on D
| drive, but they seem incapable of doing that. Another
| reason why we need it on D Drive is, C drive gets
| refreshed every month, so keeping it all on D drive saves
| trouble in several ways. Plus its our policy as well.
|
| Jeff
 
That's true but he is not talking about "My Documents" but the "Documents
and Settings" folder which contains much more than the documents folders.

"» mrtee «" <hingelicker at new.rr.com> wrote in message
You do know that you can right click on "My Documents" » select properties »
move » and change the location. It is a simple method that works.

--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________
| Hi,
|
| On a fresh install using unattended you can do that, but
| on a system that already has XP, even W2K installed, you
| have to do it the long drawn out process I described. I
| with the new computers we are getting would have it on D
| drive, but they seem incapable of doing that. Another
| reason why we need it on D Drive is, C drive gets
| refreshed every month, so keeping it all on D drive saves
| trouble in several ways. Plus its our policy as well.
|
| Jeff
 
Hi,

Actually it is not that simple. The move feature will not
work because it does not change the necessary registry
keys. I`ve tried that before, what happens is,it
recreates the Documents and settings in the C drive again.

Jeff
-----Original Message-----
You do know that you can right click on "My Documents" »
Click to expand...
select properties » move » and change the location. It is
a simple method that works.
--
Just my 2¢ worth,
Jeff
__________in response to__________
"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in
Click to expand...
message news:[email protected]...
| Hi,
|
| On a fresh install using unattended you can do that, but
| on a system that already has XP, even W2K installed, you
| have to do it the long drawn out process I described.
Click to expand...
I
| with the new computers we are getting would have it on
Click to expand...
D
 
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