redirect folders

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kodjo Stiles
  • Start date Start date
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Kodjo Stiles

Hi,

Is it possible to redirect all folders on a machine to a different one over
the network (a share on a server)?
I have many users using the same machine and would like all of them to store
and retrieve their documents on a newtwork share.
So, somebody accessing for example c:\some\local\path would in fact be
accessing a folder such as \\server\sharename that I would have specified.

Thanks,
Kodjo



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
 
I think so, at least at my work's computers all roaming profiles have as their "My
Documents" folder a folder on a network drive, albeit different ones for each user in
this instance.

Try typing the full network [UNC] path to the shared "documents" folder into the
registry value :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Personal"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents"

....noting that the path above is only a fictitious example.

You may also need to change some other values under the same key :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"My Pictures"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My
Pictures"
"My Music"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My Music"

....you could create a reg-file with the modified paths for the registry values
[above] and import it in each profile on each PC that you want to share the same
network folder as their "My Documents" folder....

Explanation : XP machines are directed to their "My Documents" folder by the value
in the registry shown above called "Personal", by changing this value on all your
machines (and profiles on them), you effectively "re-direct" those machines into
using a shared single folder for their "My Documents". However, if you change this
value and don't change the values under the same key for "My Music" and "My Pictures"
those destinations will remain on the local drive.

==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)
 
Thanks a lot Tim.
This goes a long way towards solving my problem.

I still would like to do the same for every single folder on the machine;
not only the shell's special folder. Might there be a programmatic way to do
this?

Tim Meddick said:
I think so, at least at my work's computers all roaming profiles have as
their "My Documents" folder a folder on a network drive, albeit different
ones for each user in this instance.

Try typing the full network [UNC] path to the shared "documents" folder
into the registry value :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"Personal"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents"

...noting that the path above is only a fictitious example.

You may also need to change some other values under the same key :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"My Pictures"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My
Documents\My Pictures"
"My Music"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My
Music"

...you could create a reg-file with the modified paths for the registry
values [above] and import it in each profile on each PC that you want to
share the same network folder as their "My Documents" folder....

Explanation : XP machines are directed to their "My Documents" folder by
the value in the registry shown above called "Personal", by changing this
value on all your machines (and profiles on them), you effectively
"re-direct" those machines into using a shared single folder for their "My
Documents". However, if you change this value and don't change the values
under the same key for "My Music" and "My Pictures" those destinations
will remain on the local drive.

==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Kodjo Stiles said:
Hi,

Is it possible to redirect all folders on a machine to a different one
over
the network (a share on a server)?
I have many users using the same machine and would like all of them to
store
and retrieve their documents on a newtwork share.
So, somebody accessing for example c:\some\local\path would in fact be
accessing a folder such as \\server\sharename that I would have
specified.

Thanks,
Kodjo



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
 
I don't quite understand what you are asking here?

"do the same for every single folder on the machine" ?

Once you specify a network folder for "My Documents" any file (or folder "hierarchy")
that user creates or places into "My Documents" will subsequently be on the network
drive.

You certainly cannot have the WINDOWS folder on a remote machine, for instance, so
what exactly do you mean by "for every single folder" ??

Have you read up on "Roaming Profiles" by any chance?

Making profiles and their userdata (which can include the "My Docs" folder) stay on
the server is called having roaming profiles.

This could be a more relevant solution given what it is (I think) you are wanting, as
most of a profile's userdata remains located on the server...

However, I have never set up a roaming profile so you'd have to read up on this
yourself if you think it might be for you.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Kodjo Stiles said:
Thanks a lot Tim.
This goes a long way towards solving my problem.

I still would like to do the same for every single folder on the machine; not only
the shell's special folder. Might there be a programmatic way to do this?

Tim Meddick said:
I think so, at least at my work's computers all roaming profiles have as their "My
Documents" folder a folder on a network drive, albeit different ones for each user
in this instance.

Try typing the full network [UNC] path to the shared "documents" folder into the
registry value :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"Personal"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents"

...noting that the path above is only a fictitious example.

You may also need to change some other values under the same key :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"My Pictures"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My
Pictures"
"My Music"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My Music"

...you could create a reg-file with the modified paths for the registry values
[above] and import it in each profile on each PC that you want to share the same
network folder as their "My Documents" folder....

Explanation : XP machines are directed to their "My Documents" folder by the
value in the registry shown above called "Personal", by changing this value on all
your machines (and profiles on them), you effectively "re-direct" those machines
into using a shared single folder for their "My Documents". However, if you
change this value and don't change the values under the same key for "My Music"
and "My Pictures" those destinations will remain on the local drive.

==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Kodjo Stiles said:
Hi,

Is it possible to redirect all folders on a machine to a different one over
the network (a share on a server)?
I have many users using the same machine and would like all of them to store
and retrieve their documents on a newtwork share.
So, somebody accessing for example c:\some\local\path would in fact be
accessing a folder such as \\server\sharename that I would have specified.

Thanks,
Kodjo



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...
 
Hi Tim,

I see your point about the Windows folder.
I guess I'll disable the user's write access to all folders and only allow
writing to the special folders which I will redirect.

Thanks.
Tim Meddick said:
I don't quite understand what you are asking here?

"do the same for every single folder on the machine" ?

Once you specify a network folder for "My Documents" any file (or folder
"hierarchy") that user creates or places into "My Documents" will
subsequently be on the network drive.

You certainly cannot have the WINDOWS folder on a remote machine, for
instance, so what exactly do you mean by "for every single folder" ??

Have you read up on "Roaming Profiles" by any chance?

Making profiles and their userdata (which can include the "My Docs"
folder) stay on the server is called having roaming profiles.

This could be a more relevant solution given what it is (I think) you are
wanting, as most of a profile's userdata remains located on the server...

However, I have never set up a roaming profile so you'd have to read up on
this yourself if you think it might be for you.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Kodjo Stiles said:
Thanks a lot Tim.
This goes a long way towards solving my problem.

I still would like to do the same for every single folder on the machine;
not only the shell's special folder. Might there be a programmatic way to
do this?

Tim Meddick said:
I think so, at least at my work's computers all roaming profiles have as
their "My Documents" folder a folder on a network drive, albeit different
ones for each user in this instance.

Try typing the full network [UNC] path to the shared "documents" folder
into the registry value :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"Personal"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents"

...noting that the path above is only a fictitious example.

You may also need to change some other values under the same key :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"My Pictures"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My
Documents\My Pictures"
"My Music"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My
Documents\My Music"

...you could create a reg-file with the modified paths for the registry
values [above] and import it in each profile on each PC that you want to
share the same network folder as their "My Documents" folder....

Explanation : XP machines are directed to their "My Documents" folder
by the value in the registry shown above called "Personal", by changing
this value on all your machines (and profiles on them), you effectively
"re-direct" those machines into using a shared single folder for their
"My Documents". However, if you change this value and don't change the
values under the same key for "My Music" and "My Pictures" those
destinations will remain on the local drive.

==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Hi,

Is it possible to redirect all folders on a machine to a different one
over
the network (a share on a server)?
I have many users using the same machine and would like all of them to
store
and retrieve their documents on a newtwork share.
So, somebody accessing for example c:\some\local\path would in fact be
accessing a folder such as \\server\sharename that I would have
specified.

Thanks,
Kodjo



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com






__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
 
By default, Windows rights access grants a "limited user" only to create / delete /
own files in their "My Documents" folder (and all folders within their profile's
folder) but does NOT grant "full access" to files and folders within the WINDOWS
folder (and sub-folders) but are given read-only / execute rights ONLY.

So, if the "user" you were talking about has a non-administrator-level account, then
you really need do nothing at all because the access is set that way by default
anyway....

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Kodjo Stiles said:
Hi Tim,

I see your point about the Windows folder.
I guess I'll disable the user's write access to all folders and only allow writing
to the special folders which I will redirect.

Thanks.
Tim Meddick said:
I don't quite understand what you are asking here?

"do the same for every single folder on the machine" ?

Once you specify a network folder for "My Documents" any file (or folder
"hierarchy") that user creates or places into "My Documents" will subsequently be
on the network drive.

You certainly cannot have the WINDOWS folder on a remote machine, for instance, so
what exactly do you mean by "for every single folder" ??

Have you read up on "Roaming Profiles" by any chance?

Making profiles and their userdata (which can include the "My Docs" folder) stay
on the server is called having roaming profiles.

This could be a more relevant solution given what it is (I think) you are wanting,
as most of a profile's userdata remains located on the server...

However, I have never set up a roaming profile so you'd have to read up on this
yourself if you think it might be for you.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Kodjo Stiles said:
Thanks a lot Tim.
This goes a long way towards solving my problem.

I still would like to do the same for every single folder on the machine; not
only the shell's special folder. Might there be a programmatic way to do this?

I think so, at least at my work's computers all roaming profiles have as their
"My Documents" folder a folder on a network drive, albeit different ones for each
user in this instance.

Try typing the full network [UNC] path to the shared "documents" folder into the
registry value :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"Personal"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents"

...noting that the path above is only a fictitious example.

You may also need to change some other values under the same key :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders]
"My Pictures"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My
Pictures"
"My Music"="\\RemotePC\$C\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My Music"

...you could create a reg-file with the modified paths for the registry values
[above] and import it in each profile on each PC that you want to share the same
network folder as their "My Documents" folder....

Explanation : XP machines are directed to their "My Documents" folder by the
value in the registry shown above called "Personal", by changing this value on
all your machines (and profiles on them), you effectively "re-direct" those
machines into using a shared single folder for their "My Documents". However,
if you change this value and don't change the values under the same key for "My
Music" and "My Pictures" those destinations will remain on the local drive.

==


Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




Hi,

Is it possible to redirect all folders on a machine to a different one over
the network (a share on a server)?
I have many users using the same machine and would like all of them to store
and retrieve their documents on a newtwork share.
So, somebody accessing for example c:\some\local\path would in fact be
accessing a folder such as \\server\sharename that I would have specified.

Thanks,
Kodjo



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com






__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com






__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...


__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...



__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature
database 4798 (20100122) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...
 
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