Vista - "User's Files" folder and Shell Folders like Documents, Desktop, M

VI was glad to see that in the folder options of the 'User's Files' folders
that you could change the locations. And I changed them all to my second
drive. This moved the folders from the C:\users\username folder to the new
location.

Then i installed an app that wanted to use one of the folders. It 'called'
to the C:\USERS\<USERNAME>\CONTACTS folder which wasnt there, and so created
a new one. Now in my User's Files folder there are two contacts folders. did
this with another app and created another documents folder.

So i thought, maybe i will create symlinks in the c:\users\username folder
for the contacts folder, documents etc. then redirect the folders back to the
c:\users location (but really the data was still on second drive becasue i
created the symlinks <thought that was crafty myself :-) > BUT errored
saying i couldnt move to symlink. (it actually stated a proper term for a
symlink\junction but i cant remember that name right now )

So, what is the point of being able to move the location of the folder the
links/hardlinks/shell folder in the "users files" folder if it doesnt
redirect the other pointers to C:\users\username\folder as well? Poor by
design poor by installation?

Any ideas on how to redirect the folders entirely/achieve what i am trying
to do? andy information on the folder "User's files"? is it a Hardlink, shell
folder/component, something else? i think they are shell folders.

Thanks everyone!

What are the apps?

If the registry entries under:

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders"

have your redirected paths, you've done everything right and your app should
be "asking" Where the Contacts folder is, not assuming a default path.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"flux burner" <fluxburner@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6EE642B9-7A52-4AC4-908A-DC77C03D4649@microsoft.com...
> VI was glad to see that in the folder options of the 'User's Files'
> folders
> that you could change the locations. And I changed them all to my second
> drive. This moved the folders from the C:\users\username folder to the new
> location.
>
> Then i installed an app that wanted to use one of the folders. It 'called'
> to the C:\USERS\<USERNAME>\CONTACTS folder which wasnt there, and so
> created
> a new one. Now in my User's Files folder there are two contacts folders.
> did
> this with another app and created another documents folder.
>
> So i thought, maybe i will create symlinks in the c:\users\username folder
> for the contacts folder, documents etc. then redirect the folders back to
> the
> c:\users location (but really the data was still on second drive becasue i
> created the symlinks <thought that was crafty myself :-) > BUT errored
> saying i couldnt move to symlink. (it actually stated a proper term for a
> symlink\junction but i cant remember that name right now )
>
> So, what is the point of being able to move the location of the folder the
> links/hardlinks/shell folder in the "users files" folder if it doesnt
> redirect the other pointers to C:\users\username\folder as well? Poor by
> design poor by installation?
>
> Any ideas on how to redirect the folders entirely/achieve what i am trying
> to do? andy information on the folder "User's files"? is it a Hardlink,
> shell
> folder/component, something else? i think they are shell folders.
>
> Thanks everyone!
>

Hello Keith, thanks for replying,

In particular Windows Live Messenger created the Contacts folder. In XP this
was not a folder, so Messenger would create it. I wonder if the programming
of the installer is not (excuse my terminology) "calling" the Contacts
folder, but "create"ing the folder. In this case wouldnt it /not/ check for
the already existing path, but just create a new one?

Perhaps that is the issue; however, if i could achieve a symlink as the
location folder, still in the C:\users folder, then i could get around even
that...or i would have to modify the junction/symlink for C:\Documents and
Settings and all the others to point to the same location as my location for
the shell folders i am redirecting. perhaps that is not necesssary. seems to
me that leaving the shell folders 'locations' in c: and having those folders
being able to be redirected would work better.

Last option would be to create an WIM for the system, and with an unattend
file, redirect the :\users folders to the seperate drive. not digging that
option, but would be a learning experience.

Flux Burner
_____________________________________________________________


"Keith Miller MVP" wrote:

> What are the apps?
>
> If the registry entries under:
>
> "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
> Shell Folders"
>
> have your redirected paths, you've done everything right and your app should
> be "asking" Where the Contacts folder is, not assuming a default path.
>
>
> --
> Good Luck,
>
> Keith
> Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
>
> "flux burner" <fluxburner@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6EE642B9-7A52-4AC4-908A-DC77C03D4649@microsoft.com...
> > VI was glad to see that in the folder options of the 'User's Files'
> > folders
> > that you could change the locations. And I changed them all to my second
> > drive. This moved the folders from the C:\users\username folder to the new
> > location.
> >
> > Then i installed an app that wanted to use one of the folders. It 'called'
> > to the C:\USERS\<USERNAME>\CONTACTS folder which wasnt there, and so
> > created
> > a new one. Now in my User's Files folder there are two contacts folders.
> > did
> > this with another app and created another documents folder.
> >
> > So i thought, maybe i will create symlinks in the c:\users\username folder
> > for the contacts folder, documents etc. then redirect the folders back to
> > the
> > c:\users location (but really the data was still on second drive becasue i
> > created the symlinks <thought that was crafty myself :-) > BUT errored
> > saying i couldnt move to symlink. (it actually stated a proper term for a
> > symlink\junction but i cant remember that name right now )
> >
> > So, what is the point of being able to move the location of the folder the
> > links/hardlinks/shell folder in the "users files" folder if it doesnt
> > redirect the other pointers to C:\users\username\folder as well? Poor by
> > design poor by installation?
> >
> > Any ideas on how to redirect the folders entirely/achieve what i am trying
> > to do? andy information on the folder "User's files"? is it a Hardlink,
> > shell
> > folder/component, something else? i think they are shell folders.
> >
> > Thanks everyone!
> >
>
>