How to move Documents and Settings folder to another drive?

[mydejamail]

How can the Documents and Settings folder be moved or set to another
drive?

I want it that way so that using a Recovery Tool like Acronis or Ghost
to restore or corrupted system does not destroy user settings and data.

Is there some registry hack to do it that way?

 

[Sharon F]

How can the Documents and Settings folder be moved or set to another
drive?

I want it that way so that using a Recovery Tool like Acronis or Ghost
to restore or corrupted system does not destroy user settings and data.

Is there some registry hack to do it that way?

There's no good way to do this after Windows is installed. The time to
change it is when XP is first installed and then a special type of
installation needs to be done (unattended) to accomplish that goal. The
following MSKB article explains in more detail:
Cannot move or rename the Documents and Settings folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;236621

Not sure I understand your imaging question. Both of those programs create
exact images of a partition. They do not backup specific folders and files.
Also, if the system is corrupted, a full system image of a partition
containing good copies of both Windows and Documents and Settings would be,
I think, desirable.

Separating Documents and Settings to a different partition could be viewed
as added complication (more chances for something to go wrong): two images
to manage and restore instead of one.

 

[Guest]

mydejamail,

I beg to differ that you cannot change the storage location of your My
Documents folder. It is really quite easy to do what you're asking.
Right click on the My Documents icon and left click on properties.
this will bring up the properties screen where you can choose a different
location(Target) to store your My Documents files.
If you are worried about using ghost I would either use a 2 partition scheme
where the OS and progs are loaded on the C partition and the user data is on
the D partition.
That way you can re-image the C partition and not destroy the users info.

We have Windows 2000 servers here and are migrating in XP pro desktops.
I've changed the users My Documents folder to point to there Home Directory

 

[mydejamail]

In my experience, restoring an image of the C partition to the last
known good configuration is usually the quickest way to deal with the
myriad problems PC users face, and run and update virus checkers and
spyware removers afterwards.

Even Windows Update can render systems unstartable, which is something
I am having to tackle right now

The problem is that restoring the image usually wipes out any user
files stored on the C: partition. With the current large hard disks a
lot of people have, backing up with the DVDs, MP3s etcetera is not
practicable when saving the systems configuration is all that is
required.

 

[Sharon F]

I beg to differ that you cannot change the storage location of your My
Documents folder. It is really quite easy to do what you're asking.
Right click on the My Documents icon and left click on properties.
this will bring up the properties screen where you can choose a different
location(Target) to store your My Documents files.

It's good that you brought that up but...

That moves the My Documents folder only. The steps, however, do not move
the entire Documents and Settings hierarchy which is what the original
question addresses.

 

[AJR]

I suggest you disregard the article to which you referred.

First - never have your primary backup on a partition located on the same
drive or partition containing the info you are backing up - obvious reason -
lose the drive and you have lost the backup.

A file or complete PC backup will include the Documents and Settings
folder - no need to "handle" it separately.

Take Acronis True Image - it can create "Acronis Secure Zone" (Guess what? -
a hidden partition) to which can be scheduled automatically full,
differentail or incremental backups. It modies the MBR to provide a message
at boot to press a "F" key to restore the backup (much like OEM Restore
Partitions).

In light of paragraph one - Acronis will back up to another internal,
external or removeable drive (USB, CD or DVD) in the event you lose access
to the secure zone.

back

 

[ju.c]

Moving the '\Documents And Settings\' Folder to Another Drive

The following is based on KB236621 but revised for XP.

1. Open Explorer.
2. Create a new folder called 'Documents and Settings' in
your desired drive.
3. Create a new profile with administrative permission and
call it "move".
4. Logoff then logon to the "move" account.
5. Copy all the folders inside 'C:\Documents and Settings\'
(except the 'LocalService', 'NetworkService', and 'move'
folders) to the new location. (The LocalService and
NetworkService folders will be re-created automatically.)
6. Open the Registry Editor and Find & Replace all
instances of "\Documents and Settings\", including:
- '\Device\HarddiskVolume1\Documents and Settings\'
- '%SystemRoot%\Documents and Settings\'
- '%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings\'
- 'C:\Docume~1\'
7. Shutdown your computer, wait 30 seconds and turn it on.
8. Logon to the 'move' account.
9. Repeat step 6.
10. Reboot and logon to your original account.
11. Test by renaming the '\Documents and Settings\' folder
in drive C. If you can rename it then it worked!
12. If everything's OK, you can delete the 'move' account
you created before.


ju.c