A few questions about "Editing the Registry"

[cyranodesade]

A few questions about "Editing the Registry"

All,
I was hoping that someone might be able to walk me through editing the
Registry File... basically what I'm trying to do is move my special
folders without the benefit of tweakUI. I'm comfortable editing the
keys but I just wanted to make sure that I am editing everything that
is necessary.

I found a post on MSDN's Channel 9 that indicated the two registration
keys that I need to change are:

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
\Shell Folders -- POINTS TO d:\PATH
\FOLDER_NAME_WHERE_I_WANT_FOLDER_TO_BE
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO d:\PATH
\FOLDER_NAME_WHERE_I_WANT_FOLDER_TO_BE

However after moving the "MY MUSIC" folder, I've noticed there are
seven other Registry keys that point to "MY MUSIC":

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\explorer\FolderDescriptions\{xxxxx} - Name\MY MUSIC
- HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO %USERPROFILE%\Music
- HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO %USERPROFILE%\Music
- HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-19\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO %USERPROFILE%\Music
- HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
\Explorer\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO %USERPROFILE%\Music
- HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-xxxxxxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx-1000\Software\Microsoft
\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO d:
\PATH\FOLDER_NAME_WHERE_I_WANT_FOLDER_TO_BE
- HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-xxxxxxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxx-1000\Software\Microsoft
\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders -- POINTS TO d:
\PATH\FOLDER_NAME_WHERE_I_WANT_FOLDER_TO_BE

My first question is do any of these other registry keys need to be
modified?
Secondly, if I modify the HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\... keys does that mean
all subsequent users that are created will have special folders
pointing to the correct path ie:
-- POINTS TO d:\PATH\FOLDER_NAME_WHERE_I_WANT_FOLDER_TO_BE
Finally, there are a few keys that are new to me such asAppData,
PrintHood, NetHood... I'm pretty sure I know what each one of these
does I was wondering if anyone knew of a resource that explains these
registration keys. And I'm assuming that as with the other special
folders it is okay to move them to a different drive.

Thanks in advance. - CES

 

[dean-dean]

In general, I think I'd use the Properties>Location tab of each of the
special folders to relocate those folders, and not regedit. You may end up
losing the defaults and causing a number of hidden junctions in Vista to
fail if you get into the wrong keys. Windows will set the necessary paths
in the registry. Paths that *seem* to point to the wrong folder in the
registry are namespaces for other Windows functions and other programs, but
will get re-directed to your chosen location. Also, you may want to read
this, by Raymond Chen:

The .Default User is Not the Default User
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/03/02/1786493.aspx

PrintHood and NetHood are junctions (hidden), not folders (although they may
appear as such in Windows Explorer), named for real folders used by previous
operating systems that some older programs may have used, with certain
expectations as to there paths, whereby Vista can redirect them to Vista's
new locations. The AppData folder is the new name for the Application Data
folder. It has a junction pointing to it, as well as containing even more
junctions. It wouldn't be a good idea to move this folder; there are are
too many programs and functions, as well as environment variables, that
depend on its location (you could move Temporary Internet Files, using
Internet Properties, however).

Hope this in-a-nutshell helps.

Dean

 

[cyranodesade]

In general, I think I'd use the Properties>Location tab of each of the
special folders to relocate those folders, and not regedit. You may end up
losing the defaults and causing a number of hidden junctions in Vista to
fail if you get into the wrong keys. Windows will set the necessary paths
in the registry. Paths that *seem* to point to the wrong folder in the
registry are namespaces for other Windows functions and other programs, but
will get re-directed to your chosen location. Also, you may want to read
this, by Raymond Chen:

The .Default User is Not the Default Userhttp://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2007/03/02/1786493.aspx

PrintHood and NetHood are junctions (hidden), not folders (although they may
appear as such in Windows Explorer), named for real folders used by previous
operating systems that some older programs may have used, with certain
expectations as to there paths, whereby Vista can redirect them to Vista's
new locations. The AppData folder is the new name for the Application Data
folder. It has a junction pointing to it, as well as containing even more
junctions. It wouldn't be a good idea to move this folder; there are are
too many programs and functions, as well as environment variables, that
depend on its location (you could move Temporary Internet Files, using
Internet Properties, however).

Hope this in-a-nutshell helps.

Dean













- Show quoted text -

Dean,
Thank you, for your responce... after I posted the question I found
the location tab under properties as you indicated, this is an
excelent addition to windows and solves 90% of my problem.

Unfortunately program folders such as Start Menu, Programs, and
Startup are not able to be changed that way.

- When you say namespace I want to make sure that we are talking
about the same thing ie: %MyDocuments% is Namespace that refers back
to where My Documents physically resides on the hard drive?

- Finally is there a resource where I can find more information on
hidden junctions in Vista, because I have absolutely no idea what this
means. I noticed that Visual Studio put a VS in front the my documents
namespace ie:%VSMyDocuments%, this would seem to indicate to me that
Visual Studio setup its own namespace that ultimately refers back to
the %MyDocuments% namespace. Is this an example of what you mean by
hidden junctions?

In any event I really appreciate your help. Thanks in advance. - CES