Redirecting special folders for multiple users to one location.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Indicium
  • Start date Start date
I

Indicium

Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
 
"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
 
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
The method I described is how XP was designed to work, and it works just
fine for me. I can't predict what effect your redirections may have had
on the outcome.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Your suggestion is the solution! Although I am working on a "fresh" Windows
XP-system at the moment, I checked your method with the computer of my
neighbour. It did not work with her computer either. I also checked whether
my "All Users"-favorites folder does have a "DESKTOP.INI"-file. This is not
the case. Could that be the reason?

For your understanding I did not made any redirections at the moment [nor
with TweakUI nor with FolderRedirector (MVPS)].

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
The method I described is how XP was designed to work, and it works just
fine for me. I can't predict what effect your redirections may have had
on the outcome.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I'm very glad you got it sorted out.

The 'hidden' desktop.ini file is a system file that describes the
characteristics of a folder. For example, it tells Windows to put the
musical note background image in your My Music folder.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Your suggestion is the solution! Although I am working on a "fresh" Windows
XP-system at the moment, I checked your method with the computer of my
neighbour. It did not work with her computer either. I also checked whether
my "All Users"-favorites folder does have a "DESKTOP.INI"-file. This is not
the case. Could that be the reason?

For your understanding I did not made any redirections at the moment [nor
with TweakUI nor with FolderRedirector (MVPS)].

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
The method I described is how XP was designed to work, and it works just
fine for me. I can't predict what effect your redirections may have had
on the outcome.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


:

"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
If this is the solution:

1) how do I make a "DESKTOP.INI"-file for my "All Users" "Favorites"-folder
(and/or any other special folder)?

2) do I have to make any changes in the registry?

Thanking you in advance.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
I'm very glad you got it sorted out.

The 'hidden' desktop.ini file is a system file that describes the
characteristics of a folder. For example, it tells Windows to put the
musical note background image in your My Music folder.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Your suggestion is the solution! Although I am working on a "fresh" Windows
XP-system at the moment, I checked your method with the computer of my
neighbour. It did not work with her computer either. I also checked whether
my "All Users"-favorites folder does have a "DESKTOP.INI"-file. This is not
the case. Could that be the reason?

For your understanding I did not made any redirections at the moment [nor
with TweakUI nor with FolderRedirector (MVPS)].

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
The method I described is how XP was designed to work, and it works just
fine for me. I can't predict what effect your redirections may have had
on the outcome.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


:

"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Desktop.ini specifies how a folder looks. It doesn't do anything else.
You'll get plenty of information from a web search using the term:
customize desktop.ini

Here's one hit to start you off:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776832(VS.85).aspx

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
If this is the solution:

1) how do I make a "DESKTOP.INI"-file for my "All Users" "Favorites"-folder
(and/or any other special folder)?

2) do I have to make any changes in the registry?

Thanking you in advance.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
I'm very glad you got it sorted out.

The 'hidden' desktop.ini file is a system file that describes the
characteristics of a folder. For example, it tells Windows to put the
musical note background image in your My Music folder.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
Your suggestion is the solution! Although I am working on a "fresh" Windows
XP-system at the moment, I checked your method with the computer of my
neighbour. It did not work with her computer either. I also checked whether
my "All Users"-favorites folder does have a "DESKTOP.INI"-file. This is not
the case. Could that be the reason?

For your understanding I did not made any redirections at the moment [nor
with TweakUI nor with FolderRedirector (MVPS)].

Kind regards.


:

The method I described is how XP was designed to work, and it works just
fine for me. I can't predict what effect your redirections may have had
on the outcome.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


:

"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

I read your advice and other articles, but it still won't worked with me. I
did the following:

1) created a " DESKTOP.INI "-file in C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Favorieten [In English: The Favorites] containing the following
information:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll
IconIndex=-173

2) Made the "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorieten"-folder a
system folder:

Start - Run - "CMD"

C:
CD\
CD Documents and Settings
CD All Users
CD Favorieten

attrib +s

This was the long way (for security reasons) for "attrib +s C:\Documents and
Settings\All Users\Favorieten".

Questions:

1) Must the syntax for the "DESKTOP.INI"-file be:

[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693

2) How do I make the "DESKTOP.INI"-file a system-file as stated in
https://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776832(VS.85).aspx ?

3) Must I first make a "DESKTOP.INI"-file and then make the
"Favorites"-folder a system folder OR reverse.

Thanking you in advance.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
Desktop.ini specifies how a folder looks. It doesn't do anything else.
You'll get plenty of information from a web search using the term:
customize desktop.ini

Here's one hit to start you off:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776832(VS.85).aspx

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est
If this is the solution:

1) how do I make a "DESKTOP.INI"-file for my "All Users" "Favorites"-folder
(and/or any other special folder)?

2) do I have to make any changes in the registry?

Thanking you in advance.

Kind regards.


Leonard Grey said:
I'm very glad you got it sorted out.

The 'hidden' desktop.ini file is a system file that describes the
characteristics of a folder. For example, it tells Windows to put the
musical note background image in your My Music folder.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Your suggestion is the solution! Although I am working on a "fresh" Windows
XP-system at the moment, I checked your method with the computer of my
neighbour. It did not work with her computer either. I also checked whether
my "All Users"-favorites folder does have a "DESKTOP.INI"-file. This is not
the case. Could that be the reason?

For your understanding I did not made any redirections at the moment [nor
with TweakUI nor with FolderRedirector (MVPS)].

Kind regards.


:

The method I described is how XP was designed to work, and it works just
fine for me. I can't predict what effect your redirections may have had
on the outcome.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Hi,

Thank you for your advice. However, I already tried your suggestion. I
checked it again, but this not work with me.

In the past I redirected the favourites folders of "User X" and the
"Administrator"-account to "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites"
(even to a new not-system-folder "Fav All Users" [exact words]) using
TweakUI. However, I experienced severe problems with my PC after that. I had
to re-install my system twice. Currently, I am working on a "fresh" system. I
don't know whether the redirection was the cause of the problem, but the
TweakUI-warning "don't set two special folders equal to each other" raised
questions. So, I already searched the internet for about a day or so. I did
not find an answer.

Kind regards.


:

"Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?"

Windows makes this E-Z: Add your chosen Favorites to the All Users
account: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites

"Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?"

When you follow the above E-Z procedure, each user's Favorite Center
will be a seamless combination of the All Users Favorites and their own
personal Favorites. Moreover, users without Administrator permissions
will not be able to change or delete the All Users Favorites.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Indicium wrote:
Windows XP sets up special folders (including the favourites folder) for each
user in their area on the home computer.

You can redirect them using Tweak UI. However, Tweak UI gives the following
warning:

"Carelessly changing your special folders may make your system unusable.

For example, don't set two special folders equal to each other, or set a
special folder equal to a system folder like the Fonts folder.

Continue changing special folders?"

I already read "How to redirect special folders in Windows XP?"
(http://windowsxp.mvps.org/RedirectFolders.htm), but this article does not
give an answer to the above mentioned warning.

Questions:

(1) Can you set up a shared special folder "favourites" where several users
(separate logins under Windows XP) can have access to using the normal
procedure in IE7 [e.g. add to Favorites Center]?

(2) Can you combine this with a private special "favourites" folder?

I look forward to advice on this matter.


Kind regards.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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