C:\Documents and Settings - what's happening?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jren57
  • Start date Start date
J

jren57

My User Account has messed up again!

Instead of using folders in C:\Documents and Settings\<USER> it now defaults
to a folder in the root of C:

C:\My Documents
C:\Application Data
C:\Favorites

So if I go to the Start Menu and click on "My Documents", I get an empty
folder in C:\ and not C:\Documents and Settings\<USER> \My Documents (which
still exists)

I am rumming XP Home SP2, and this is the second time this has happened.

happening
 
This generally means that you have modified the target line. More info
here:

Right click Windows Explorer/Properties and type this into the Target path:

To have C: open (No folders)
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /root, C:\

To have My Computer
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n

To have C: open expanded - Examples
%windir%\EXPLORER.EXE /e,c:
%windir%\EXPLORER.EXE /e,f:\Limited Documents

To have C: open and My Documents
%windir%\EXPLORER.EXE /e,c:,%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\My Documents

For it to open to My Documents:
explorer /n,/e,%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\My Documents or
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n,/e,%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\My Documents

To have My Documents open only (No folders)
Explorer /root, c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents
Explorer /root, c:,%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\Kelly's Computer

If you wish to have Explorer open at My Documents on another drive, you
would use:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e, f:\My Documents

To have another Drive letter assigned to opening: D for example
C:\Windows\Explorer.exe /e, d:\

d:\ can be modified for any folder/sub-folder you like. As in:
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e,d:\My Stuff

The /e switch tells Windows Explorer to open in the two pane explorer mode
and the c:\ tells it to open in folder C:\. If you omit the /e switch,
Windows Explorer opens in a single pane view.

Command Line Switches Examples for Windows Explorer
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_c.htm#comline

Command-Line Switches for Windows Explorer
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q130/5/10.asp
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];307856

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com
 
jren57 said:
Instead of using folders in C:\Documents and Settings\<USER> it now defaults
to a folder in the root of C:

C:\My Documents
C:\Application Data
C:\Favorites

So if I go to the Start Menu and click on "My Documents", I get an empty
folder in C:\ and not C:\Documents and Settings\<USER> \My Documents (which
still exists)

I am rumming XP Home SP2, and this is the second time this has happened.
Click to expand...

Use TweakUI - one of the XP Powertoys from
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Once installed you will find it in Start - All Programs - Powertoys for
Windows XP

In its My Computer - Special Folders page select My Documents and Change
Location to the right place. Check each of the items and make sure that
none is trying to use the same folder as another
 
Alex Nichol said:
Use TweakUI - one of the XP Powertoys from
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

Once installed you will find it in Start - All Programs - Powertoys for
Windows XP

In its My Computer - Special Folders page select My Documents and Change
Location to the right place. Check each of the items and make sure that
none is trying to use the same folder as another
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help, I've managed to fix My Documents and Favourites.

I've still got a problem with Application Data, in Environment Variables its
Set as APPDATA=C:\Application Data

Should it be APPDATA=%USERPROFILE%\Application Data or
%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH\Application Data
 
jren57 said:
Thanks for the help, I've managed to fix My Documents and Favourites.

I've still got a problem with Application Data, in Environment Variables its
Set as APPDATA=C:\Application Data

Should it be APPDATA=%USERPROFILE%\Application Data or
%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH\Application Data
Click to expand...

That sounds like something been added by an ill-informed software
install. I would not normally expect to see it at all - but change to
the %USERPROFILE% form to put it in with your other personal items in
that folder
 
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