I had no intention of being unfriendly, nor do I see where I was.
Straight-forward, perhaps, but if you see insult in my previous post, I
suggest that you look inwards at your own motives for thinking so. My
questions are those of a technician in search of answers. If you are
reinstalling your system every 3-5 months, you are doing things terribly
wrong. It's that simple. It's not an opinion, it's fact. And it's not the
computer's fault, it's yours.
It's a simple fact, not opinion, that you shouldn't crowd up the Desktop
with projects and lots of user data files (there are proper places for those
to be stored, and then you use shortcuts on the Desktop to reach them.) It's
also simple fact that you must be doing something(s) terribly incorrectly if
you require your machine to be flattened that often. From a technician's
point of view, I wish to know what it is that you are doing that requires
flattening (or makes you think it is required.) If we could fix those
issues, backing up the Desktop or moving it or any other Shell folders
(except My Documents) would be unnecessary.
Pointing out user error or bad habits is part of the job. If you're going to
take it personally, that's your right. It just won't make your computer run
any better, and that's the whole purpose of this newsgroup. Shall I consider
this a goodbye? Or would you like to discuss your computer maintenance
habits? I mean, I treat my own machine horribly, but I've never had to
flatten it. I've had two main XP systems running over the last six years (I
screwed up the mobo in some manner which I haven't yet had time to fully
diagnose, but I needed it replaced ASAP so I got new hardware and built a
new system), running a LOT of apps, including lots of installations of
crapware just so I can figure out what the source of a client's problem is,
and still, my machine, though it needs cleaning up on a regular basis due to
my being a slob, runs as well as it did when I first installed it (better,
actually.) Note that except for the Desktop and Address Book, there isn't
anything on my C:\ drive that can't be easily replaced. In other words, few
if any user files on C:\.
Why not at least store your Desktop projects in folders on D:\, with
shortcuts to them on the Desktop? One or two click and Voila!, your project
folder is open and ready for action.
--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.com
SinSoul said:
Gary S. Terhune said:
1. Why in the world do you have to flatten (reformat/reinstall) your
system
so often that you think this is a big issue? What are you doing so wrong
that this is required?
2. What items on the Desktop would you like to save? They are created in
different ways and located in different folders. You shouldn't need to
worry
about the virtual links created by the Registry, as they are put there by
Windows and other apps (My Computer, My Documents, etc.) Nor should you
worry about applications' shortcuts, as they, too, can be recreated when
the
apps are reinstalled. That leaves personal shortcuts, for instance if you
made one to a folder you created for a special project, to hold all the
project's documents. It also includes the files you unwisely have stored
on
the Desktop, like downloaded installation files, or one of those special
project folders I mentioned a minute ago. If those are all you're worried
about, fine, they probably *are* all stored in C:\Documents &
Settings\[yourusername]\Desktop. (Most applications shortcuts will be in
C:\Documents & Settings\All Users\Desktop.)
3. What is so difficult about getting to C:\Documents &
Settings\[yourusername]\Desktop? Just how much simpler do you want the
path
to be? C:\Desktop?
4. To move your personal folders, including the Desktop, first create the
folder you want (and you don't have to call it Desktop), then fix the
path
here:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders
(all one line from HKEY to Shell Folders.
5. Get ready for the fun when some stupid app that isn't programmed to
look
in that Registry Key for the path they want to throw an error because it
can't find "C:\Documents and Users\[yourusername]\Desktop, though that
can
be a lot more interesting with some of the other personal shell folders.
6. Get ready for more fun if you don't take the time and search for
'[yourusername]\Desktop" in the Registry and change them all to the new
location.
7. Even when you think you have it all figured out, be ready to be, er,
"upset" when two weeks of seeking an answer to a really weird problem
turns
out to be due to your moving your personal Desktop folder. Take it from
me,
I've tried it all.
Now, back to number 1., above. WTF?
Why does it has to be a question, why do you need it? Of course I thank
you,
I actually see the answer to my question and some scary stuff which makes
me
to consider not doing it. My disk is divided, so I have C and D disks, so
when I reinstall my system, D disk remains unharmed. No I don't flatten
(reformat/reinstall) my system ofter, but yes it pisses me off even doing
it
once a 3-5 months. I am student and have works tied with computers, so my
Desktop is overcrowded with different files(no shortcuts). In any case.
many
thanks for your answer, but try to be more friendly next time =] Cheers.
