Redirect User Folders in Vista

[Pat Garard]

G'Day All,

I will be installing Vista HP on a new PC next week.

During installation, I will create the Administrator account as required (can't
really do much else!).

Next, I would like to redirect ALL user data folders/files (Documents, Pictures
....) to drive D:.

I believe I need to alter the profiles for the Default User, and of course the
new Administrator a/c.

I do not have the faintest idea how this may be done - could someone please
advise?

 

[Pat Garard]

Hi again Shawn,

is not recommended that you try to redirect the main (user name) folder

Please clarify - the usual day-to-day User (lots of files/docs), or the
principal Administrative a/c created during installation?

Thanks for your response,

Pat

 

[Pat Garard]

Ok Shawn - since I have not yet seen Vista, I was applying 'main' to the 'User
Name'.

You mean the root folder (to the folders that I want to redirect) should not
itself be redirected - right?

Cheers,

Pat

 

[Richie Hardwick]

Ok Shawn - since I have not yet seen Vista, I was applying 'main' to the 'User
Name'.

You mean the root folder (to the folders that I want to redirect) should not
itself be redirected - right?

I think he means the user folder with YOUR name on it... i.e., the
"main" user folder under c:\Users\.

Richie Hardwick

 

[Pat Garard]

Shawn & Richie - many thanks!

Pat

Ok Shawn - since I have not yet seen Vista, I was applying 'main' to the 'User
Name'.

You mean the root folder (to the folders that I want to redirect) should not
itself be redirected - right?

Cheers,

Pat



--
Regards,
Pat Garard
Melbourne, Australia
_______________________

 

[Harvey Brydon]

The messages provided (including the tutorial) I don't believe answer the
questions properly. My understanding is that Pat is asking how to create
usernames which are not on the C: drive at all. The answers provided showed
how to move some of the directories off of the C:\users\<username> hierarchy
either in part or by use of shortcuts. These techniques still require the
system to "think" that home base is back on C:\users. I went through this
myself successfully (including messing it up sufficient to reload from
media).

The solution:
- Create a new "disposable" Administrator account.
- Login to it, go to registry editor (regedit or regedt32), drill down to
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
- Edit the ProfilesDirectory key, changing its value from "C:\Users" to
"D:\" (note that there is no trailing "\" on the old value, there is on the
new one)
- Create all the new usernames you wish. When you login to each of them the
first time, their entire directory structure will be created under D:\
There will be no trace of C:\Users references for that username (except for
shared data) and you won't need to redirect anything from C:\Users.

Optional:
- Create a new Administrator account.
- Logout of the "disposable" account, login to the new account and delete
the "disposable" one and all of its files.

Note that this does not completely remove the need for the C:\Users
directory structure. The default user wants to live there and shared files
want to live there as well.

DANGER:
Also note that the above only affects new accounts created after the
registry change. If you attempt to "fix up" an existing username by moving
files and changing pointers in the registry, you stand a considerable chance
of messing up the username and getting the dreaded message "The User Profile
Service service failed the logon. User Profile cannot be loaded". Game
over for that username (as far as I have been able to determine).