Changing Path Of Default "User" Folder To Another Drive?
Apr 11, 2011
I am currently running Windows 7 64-bit off of an 80 GB SSD while storing the majority of my programs (and documents, videos, etc.) on my 1 TB other drive. I am quickly running out of space on the SSD and I think it has to do with the fact that it keeps my saved game files there in the User directory while some saves stay on the F (1 TB) drive. Is there a way to transfer/redirect the profile so that it defaults to saving in a User folder on my F drive?
If you have a small but fast (or maybe not so fast) drive that you would like to ONLY run Windows off of and a larger separate HDD that you want to use as the install drive for all programs.In my case I have a 50GB SSD and a RAID0 array of 2TB. With space being limited on the SSD the best option for me is to install everything to the RAID array and leave the OS on the SSD. Mind you, you don't have to be running a RAID array to do this. That's just how my system is set up. You'll probably be better off just using a larger single HDD for stability reasons.And if you are doing a fresh install you should give this tutorial a look: User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installation So the first step is to open REGEDIT. Simply click the Start Menu, type REGEDIT in the search bar and hit ENTER.Next look for the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" Once opened go to "SOFTWARE". There are two folder in this directory we will be editing. Note that the second folder "WOW64" is only for 64-bit users. If you are running 32-bit then the "WINDOWS" folder is all you will need to make changes to.Now from the "WINDOWS" folder you want to select "CURRENTVERSION". Simply click the folder itself not the arrow next to it. This is what you should see in the main window to the right of the directories. Now my registry settings have already been changed. Note that my secondary drive is "D:". Originaly everything here was set to "C:".
Once this is finished the 32-bit users are finished and can restart their systems. 64-bit users have one more step. Now you want to go to your "WOW64" folder. While I just realized I forgot to cut a snippet for this step it's fairly simple. Once in the "WOW64" folder you once again want to click the "CURRENTUSER" folder and observe the main window to the right.Just like in the "WINDOWS" registry you will make the same changes. Once you have implemented your drive your registry should look like this.Now restart your system. Though there is a chance you are completely finished I highly suggest running a command prompt session and typing "sfc /scannow". This will allow your system to scan for any conflicts in the internal settings and fix them.
I find it folly to install my applications on the C drive, especially the larger applications. Doing so makes the C drive so large that it is cumbersome to make the image backups that I think are necessary to insure an easy recovery from any problem causing a failure to boot. In WinXP, there is an easy way to change the default install location by changing ProgramFilesDir at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows Current Version. I changed that to a specific folder on my D drive and have used that for the last 8 years with no problem. It appears this registry key is only used by install programs to let them know where you want your programs installed.I really miss this wonderful feature in windows 7. Actually windows 7 has the same registry key, but unfortunately it does not seem to be used for the same purpose. I'm not sure exactly what it does, but at least for some programs, Windows seems to use it as a path to find the program when it is to be executed. Of course that would make little sense because there would be no way to actually change the key without breaking something. (What sense is there in having a registry key that can't be changed?). I have tried changing this key on two different systems and eventually it did lead to problems on both systems. So now I'm back to laboriously changing the path from C:program files or C:program files (x86) every single time I install an application (which it turns out I do quite often).
Is it possible that a script could be developed to search for C:program files or program files(x86) in an edit box and replace it with my preferred path with a single hot key? That would at least take most of the drudgery out of it, although it would still require choosing the "custom" install on many applications, not to mention the occasional errant applications that always install to the default install path with no chance for user intervention.
I did a clean install of windows 7 pro using sysprep to move my user files and program data to other drives. This works well as I only have a 120gb SSD running Windows 7 and a partition for Win 8 Pro that I haven't installed yet.
I changed the default installation path from c: to s: in both the 32/64 bit registry and now some of the programs (photoviewer, media player, defender) won't run. I've fixed the programs that I could, pointing those back to c: as I did not move any of the programs that comes with windows.
I changed the values in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList in order to move the default user locations to my second partition. I then created a new user profile but when I try to login I get the message 'The User Profile Service failed the login'. When I set these values back to normal, new accounts work fine but I really want my user accounts on the second partition.
When a user logs in a Windows 7 box, on the desktop, there is a folder with the user's name.Within that folder, you will find sub folders such as : My Documents, My Music, My Pictures and My Videos, just to name a few.What I would like to do is redefine the path, where the folder and files are now located on an external hard drive. This would be useful when my company updates my workstation, I can unplud the external with my data and then plug it in to the new system.
I have a computer with three partitions, the first with 100GB exclusively to Windows 7 (already installed), a partition for applications and another partition for personal files (photos, text, music, movies, etc.). I wonder how to configure the location of "My Documents", so that all users have only their personal files on drive of personal files. In Windows Explorer changed in each of the users the location of the Documents, Music, Video and Pictures.
- After changed the location of the folders above, there is still the same folders in C:users , and there are user settings that are there defined, eg Desktop, in C:Users. Is there any way to move all settings and folders to another drive? - Is there any way to do this operation automatic? for future users I will have to repeat the same operation, how can I indicate that all future users will have their settings and documents specified in this specific drive?
I installed some applications and found that some applications did not demand that the location where it was set to be installed the application, having been installed in C:users and C:Program Files, intended that all applications (except for windows and Office) were installed in drive applications. How do I specify that this is the default drive for installation applications? Keeping the installations of Windows + Office in this drive. Applications installed by the administrator are available for all users or must be given access to other users ? How done? In the drive file, which should contain the users and shared files, meant that each user only gets access their documents and shared. Where and how can make this configuration?
I build, and then support many computers for my friends and family. I have recently started making them feel a bit more "manufactured" by using a factory-style recovery option (press F9 at boot to enter recovery / uses a hidden recovery partition etc...).
The issue I have though, is I often get asked to "wipe" someone's computer following a virus/malware infestation (and yes, I do supply AV, but that isn't always enough).
So, I use Sysprep to install all additional software, drivers etc... but the one problem I have is that I like to have, and usually always configure PC's to store items like Documents/Pictures/Music/Videos etc... on a seperate partition.
The problem is, when I configure this in Sysprep - the settings are lost when the user completes OOBE.
Ideally, I do not want to move the entire "Users" directory, I just want the libraries to never look at any folders on the C: drive, only the ones on D: (D:\%USERNAME%Documents etc...).
I want it so that when files "detect" where to save, it locates the appropriate directory on the D: drive, so they dont have to always manually locate the folders.
The reason I dont want the entire "Users" folder on D: is that following a restore or 2, it will get messy...
I would like to either automate this during setup, or would happily take a manual approach during Sysprep - as long as it applied these settings to all users as and when they are created.
I would like the cleanest way to do this, ideally without junctions/symlinks.
I just upgraded from 32 bit to 64 bit windows 7, I have two harddrives, a 40 gig for my os (C and a 1 tb for everything else (D. That's how it was on the 32 bit system, but now on 64 bit, there are more folders to mess with (Program Files and Program Files x86). How do I tell windows to install to the bigger D: drive and not fill up my small C: drive? Also, the programs that were already installed on my D: drive, will they need to be moved to the x86 folder, reinstalled, or can I continue to run them from their current location?
I recently set up a new Windows 7 machine and, when asked for the name to be given to the users folder, I let it use the default name USER. I set up an account with my name on it but the folder name is still USER. It's locked and Rename isn't listed in the options menu displayed when I right-click it. How can I change the folder name?
I'm setting up the backup for my computer. When I tell it to back up the desktop for my user profile, however, there's nothing to backup, even though my desktop shows items on it. I found those items in the "public" desktop folder. When I check in HKEYCUSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsExplorerUsershellfolders, however, the Desktop data shows %USERPROFILE%Desktop, which is the path to my user desktop folder. I could just backup the public desktop folder, but I really don't want my desktop to be public.
A few days ago I decided to install windows 7 7100 on my newly built desktop, unfortunately a day later i get an error called 651, i looked around and found out that it is a bug so i am resorting to a more stable os (vista...but only for now) and i am trying to boot it from daemon tools becuz my dvd copy has trouble booting, but every time i try to install it, it keeps trying to install the OS on my system partition and gives me an error that says there is not enough space available.
So my question is, how can i change the default drive letter that windows 7 gives to Daemon Tools?
I would like to set the default folder view to be set to details, and control panel view set to small icons. I would like this set for the default user profile. What the relevant registry entries are ?
i've changed drive letters of my hdd and partitions so that coused loss of user;s files foldr content. before i have done that change there were two partitions - C and D. on parition D were my music, my pictures and my videos content, but after i changed drive letter from D to E all those folders are gone. i can make shortcuts, but i want it to be like it used to be when i have installed Windows 7.
I'm sure this has come up before but I'm after more detail. I have a new PC. My 'C' drive is a SSD.A second 2 TB HDD was assigned 'E'.I will choose, where possible to load apps onto 'E' because of the size, restrictions of the SSD. So far I've been hold back but have installed MS Office 2010 on 'E' and the Canon software for a Pixma multi-function.I have now installed 3 more, 1 TB HDDs (from older PCs) and one of these is 'D'.I'd like to change the 2 TB drive to 'D' and change the existing 'D' to 'E'.Microsoft issue a warning that some windows apps will have problems if a drive letter is changed but don't specify any.If I do change the letters, will this cause problems with the path to the Office suite? If problems do arise, does reverting to the original lettering resolve things - or is the registry well and truly screwed by then? Would getting a registry backup done and having it on the desktop be of any use?
I tried to move my Music library, but instead of including the 'Music' folder in F: drive, I included the drive itself.I promptly included the 'Music' folder in F: and set it as the default location, then removed F: from the Music library locations.I've since deleted the 'Music' library twice and performed restarts for each attempt. None removed my F: drive from my 'Users' folder or removed the 'Locations' tab from the F: drive properties.
A twist on the creation of user folders on a drive other than C: in Win 7 Ultimate. Does anyone know if one could designate a user folder location such as E:Data instead of using the users name and being a subdirectory of "Users". I am the ONLY one on my computer - and it would seem much easier to look to the top folder in the E drive than clicking thru E:, users, name, documents, project. I fully realize that I can set up shortcuts, but when you are in an application that wants to place a file somewhere else and presents you with an explorer windows it is a pain. The only method I thought of is using redirection with symbolic links.
I know that it's possible because I know my profile and files at work are on server somewhere allowing you to login at any machine. Is it difficult to configure all user's profile and folders (Documents Pictures ect.) to be created on another drive or partition? I know I can just create new folders with these name and store my files on another drive ( that's what I have done for years).
This means I have to ignore the folders designed for my account. Even doing it this way programs by default drop stuff in the default folders. I want to create a lean C: drive. I assume this is a registry edit. I am getting ready to clean install WIN7 PRO. If this is possible can anyone tell me how?
I have a 120GB SSD for system etc. I have a 1TB HDD for everything else. How do I change the default program files folders (x86 and regular) so that when I am installing a program the first choice is on this second drive instead of C?
I am using Windows Seven ultimate x64 and I started having a problem when trying to access user's folder under documents and settings or users on any attached external hard drive on my computer. i didn't have this problem before, it started on the same installation of windows and without any changes to my system settings or user settings. I am a computer tech and I use my computer to backup data before repairing computers so I attach the hard drive to my computer using a USB enclosure. This is limiting my work since I didn't find any solution yet. It's giving me the error below: "you don't currently have permission to access this folder" This is happening on any external hard drive I want to access the user's data.
I was having probs installing Office 2007 a while back and whilst using 2 forums for help to resolve the issue, one of the things i had to do was (i think) change the default install path for when i'm installing new programs. The 2 links for the help pages i was using are: Office 2007 Install Error 2203 - Office Setup Error 2203. An Internal Error has occurred.
The problem i've created is that now i'm unable to apply most updates for the programs that are currently installed (and thus on shutdown it always tries to apply updates, that fail) and also, i'm not able to install and new programs.
In XP, I re-directed My Documents to a Data partition. In my old computer with Windows 7, I think I used TweakUI (which worked) and Junction for my iTunes folder.In my new Windows 7 laptop, I read about this mklink feature (which seemed to pass me by). Before I got a chance to use this, I selected all of the visible (non-system) folders in c:usersmyusername and cut 'n' pasted them to d:usersmyusername.To cut a long story short, this worked. Obviously i know it didn't move system related folders but it works.Basically it looks like Windows has automatically changed the target of the folders I moved . Is this right?
I want to know if this is possible, I want by default have users data safe on to a different drive, so basically when I create a user, their Music, pictures, goto U<USERNAME> but their appdata folders and stuff stay on C drive, like this they will be able to login if something happens to external drive, also like this data is backed up! I use WIin7 Ultimate
Is there any way I can change the default install path for programs away from my system drive? It's getting kind of annoying having to change it manually every single time I install something.
TrendMicro Titanium Maximum Security 3 user( Tried their on line chat dropped 3 times different days, Agh )Wants to install directly to SSD C: drive,want to install on 1TB HD ( Partioned to D: E: F want on D: with all other programs.Does not offer an option to install anywhere, just default install on SSD,
I have acer 3830TG laptop.I have deleted my path variable accidentally .Now I repair it by default path variableBUT what about my priveous original path ?Is my syatem works as previous ?what about graphics path,bluetooth etc
I just built a new computer which includes a SSD and Hard Drive. I plan to use my SSD for only Windows 7 and my Games. I plan to install all other applications on my hard drive therefore I am trying to change the default software installation path from C:ProgramFiles to E:ProgramFiles. I have been following Microsoft's tutorial that says to change the key found in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion but that did not work as I am still getting the original installation path.
Testing a windows 7 setup and have problems with the default save as/ open location not defaulting to the users home area. It goes to the desktop insteadI have done thefollowinn group policy go to User Configuration AdministrativeTemplatesWindowsComponentsWindows ExplorerCommon Open File DialogClck ontems displayed in Places Bardd your Save Location. for example \myserverusers est\%USERNAME%i have put the setting in number 1 and i does not work, i have put it in all 5 and still does not work, i have tried just
