Moving folders to another partition/drive

[DollyP]

Hi

Have just got a new laptop with Windows 7. Searching through lots of web pages and forums there appear to be 3 ways of moving what we used to call "My Documents" onto a different partition:

- Use libraries
- Select the folder and move its location
- Change registry settings

Folk with apparently credible qualifications, including Micro$oft MVPs, advocate these different methods.

I'd be interested in what loungers with experience of Win7 think of the various methods.

Thanks
David

[StuartR]

I simply added the disk where I keep all my stuff to the documents library, and then removed everything else from the library.

This way I have a completely standard windows 7 installation with no registry tweaks, which may make the installation a bit less likely to have problems in the future.

[DaveA]

I do not do this and do not recommend that one to do it. I have seen way to many times when things get messed up and the links to these other drives no loner work and data is lost. With today's LARGE drives there is NO need in having these folder else where.

I do use a Networked older XP box as a File and Printer server, but all I do is browser to the drive that I need on that machine across the network. I do not even use a "mapped"drive for the same reasons, the mapping get lost.

[DaveA]

Also note that Libraries" will only work across Windows 7 machines.

I see no reason what so ever to do this on a laptop.

[DollyP]

Thanks guys. Stuart, I didn't realise it was that simple - this libraries feature seems to be a real step forward in useability.

Dave, while I appreciate your replying I have to disagree with you over the need to partition large drives. I think it more important not less to partition; my way is to put the OS and programs into one partition and back it up from time to time with True Image, putting data files into a separate partition and backing it up almost daily to an external drive. If all was together the True Image backup would have to be done daily and would be huge. I'd like it more if I could move all of the program data and temp folders elsewhere.

Regards
David

[DollyP]

Sorry to bring this back up. I followed Stuart's advice and created libraries for Documents, Music, Pictures, Video and these work fine for programs that use Windows own file load and save routines. Many other programs expect to find My Documents and have been sticking folders and files into that. Moving up and down folder trees for most of my files to get to Documents library is mildly annoying. Since I reverted to Office 2003 (doooon't get me started) virtually none of my programs use Win7 file routines.

I tried to move My Documents as we diid in XP but can't find the move button. I created a new library called 'My Documents' but this didn't help. I suspect the contents of it are actually still on the C drive.

I've now got a C:/Documents folder that I can't access (even as admin) TWO C:/User/David/My Documents folders, one of which is locked, together with Pictures library, Pictures folder and My Pictures folder (ditto Video and Music).

All I want is to have all file dialogs point me to my data folder D:/UserFiles/David. I would appreciate any advice.

Regards
David

[StuartR]

What a sad tale!

One other option that I have seen used very effectively is to put a shortcut to the folder you really use in all the other locations. You could combine this with a change in permissions so that programmes cannot write to the incorrect locations.

[DollyP]

I've found the answer:

I clicked on Start then on my username, which is the top item on the righthand side of the start menu. This opened a folder view with all my personal folders in it. From here I rightclicked the My Documents icon (the one without the link arrow) then properties then location from the resulting dialog. From here I could change the location without difficulty, also the My Videos, My Music and My Photos.

david