Move Docs & Settings to different partition?

[Peter Wilkins]

I'm using XP Pro with a master HDD NTFS with 3 partitions (C Boot, D
Data, E CD burning) and a slave HDD FAT32 (F Backups) for backups and
archives.

I would like to move the whole Docs & Settings folder for all users
off C: and onto my Data partition D:. Does anyone know if there is an
easy way to do this? I have full administrator access. I know I can
move my own My Docs folder using TweakUI for XP or even TweakXP Pro,
but I want to move the whole Docs & Settings folder and don't know how
to do this without risking a stuffup.

Reason is that I like to use Ghost 2003 to do my backup images, and
I'd like to be able to just do a daily backup image of D: to get all
my data for all users, without having to do daily images of both C:
and D:. I could then do a backup image of C: less frequently, only
when I add/delete programs or make config changes.

I backup the images first to a second HDD so it doesn't take too long,
and I can restore individual files or folders using Ghost Explorer
without having to restore the whole image. I'm also paranoid and
backup weekly to CD too.

TIA

--=20
Regards,
Peter Wilkins

[Jim Eshelman]

Peter Wilkins wrote:
> I would like to move the whole Docs & Settings folder for all users
> off C: and onto my Data partition D:.

That's one folder that Windows is extremely picky about having moved. You
can move some of its subfolders, but not the D&S folder and its primary
contents.

--
Jim Eshelman
MS-MVP, Windows Shell/User
http://aumha.org/
http://WinSupportCenter.com/

[David Candy]

It can be done.
1. Use a custom setup file to specify the location during instalation. =
This is the only way that will work for sure.

2. You can attempt to move by hand. This may not work or may cause minor =
issues. I have not tried this but when I look at office 2000 or later's =
registry entries it seems that it is not possible to follow the steps =
required if office (and potentially other windows installer installed =
programs) is installed. If office is not installed then it seems from a =
cursery glance of the a large sample of registry keys (there are =
hundreds of thousands - I can't check them all) that it would likely =
work.

3. You can move individual profiles anywere. One problem for you here is =
that they are still cached in the old location. However the cache =
locations can be moved on a profile by profile basis as well (normally =
the cache and profile are the same item).

4. As you know you can move nearly every folder in your profile =
individually. I move Desktop, My Docs, Favourites, and TIF (I don't care =
enough about cookies to bother), TIF gets moved only because it's a =
fragmentation pig.

I've included an article about 1 & 2. For 3 go to =
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows =
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList and in the user's change ProfileImagePath =
to the path you want. The profile must exist and you should have moved =
it with the Move Profile tool (in the System Applet). If you put a value =
in Central Profile that is where your profile is stored and =
ProfileImagePath is the cached version. If only a value for =
ProfileImagePath then it is stored and cached there.


Knowledge Base =20

Cannot Move or Rename the Documents and Settings FolderPSS ID Number: =
236621

Article Last Modified on 10/10/2002


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The information in this article applies to:


a.. Microsoft Windows 2000 Server=20
b.. Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server=20
c.. Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional=20
d.. Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

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This article was previously published under Q236621
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the =
registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and =
make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem =
occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the =
registry, click the following article number to view the article in the =
Microsoft Knowledge Base:=20
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry=20

SYMPTOMS
If you try to move or rename the "Documents and Settings" folder in =
Windows, you receive the following error message:=20
"Documents and Settings is a Windows system folder and is required for =
Windows to run properly. It cannot be moved or renamed."=20
CAUSE
This behavior is by design.=20
RESOLUTION
To specify a different folder for the "Documents and Settings" folder =
during installation, follow these steps:=20
1.. Use the /UNATTEND switch with Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe and insert =
the following entry into the Unattend.txt file, where z:\foldername is =
the path and folder name you want:=20
[GuiUNattended]
ProfilesDir =3D z:\foldername

2.. Install Windows. The path you included in the Unattend.txt file is =
used instead of the default "Documents and Settings" folder.
For additional information about unattended setup of Windows 2000, click =
the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge =
Base:=20
183245 Windows 2000 Unattended Setup Parameters=20

MORE INFORMATION
NOTE: The following section provides information about a configuration =
that Microsoft does not support. We provide this information for =
informational purposes only; Microsoft makes no guarantee that this =
configuration functions properly.=20

WARNING: Microsoft strongly recommends against renaming any system =
folder. Catastrophic system failure or an unstable computer could result =
if you rename system folders. If implemented, a backup should be made of =
the system before attempting this procedure.=20

To rename or move the "Documents and Settings" folder, use the =
appropriate method.=20
User-specific
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious =
problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. =
Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from =
using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: This method does not relocate key Windows components. Use this =
method if you require only user-specific data to be moved.=20

To specify a different folder for the "Documents and Settings" folder =
after you install Windows for a particular user, follow these steps:=20
1.. Identify the user's profile path. There are two methods to =
identify the profile path. Either by user path settings or user SID. The =
user SID method is preferred.=20
a.. User SID method=20
1.. Use the GETSID tool from the Windows Server Resource Kit to =
obtain the SID. Use syntax similar to the following example:=20
GETSID \\SERVER1 UserName \\SERVER1 UserName=20

2.. Once you obtain the SID, use Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe to =
select the user's SID under the following registry key:=20
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows =
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList=20

b.. User path setting=20
1.. Log on to the computer as the user, and then type SET at a =
command prompt. Note the setting for USERPROFILE, and then close the =
command prompt window.=20
2.. Log on as an administrator of the computer.=20
3.. Use Registry Editor to add the USERPROFILE setting to the =
following registry key:=20
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows =
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList=20

4.. Click the registry key, and then click Find on the Edit menu.=20
5.. In the Find box, type the value of the USERPROFILE setting, =
and then click Find Next.
2.. Change the ProfileImagePath value to use the new path you want in =
the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows =
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList registry key.=20
3.. Close Registry Editor, and then log on as the user. Type SET at =
the command prompt to verify the path has changed.
Entire Folder
NOTE: This method relocates key Windows components. Use this method only =
if you require the "Documents and Settings" folder to be moved or =
renamed and you cannot use the Unattend.txt file to change the name =
during installation.=20

To specify a different folder for the entire "Documents and Settings" =
folder, including key system components, follow these steps:=20
1.. Log on to the computer as an administrator.=20
2.. Create a new folder.=20
3.. Open the current "Documents and Settings" folder.=20
4.. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the View =
tab.=20
5.. Under Advanced settings click Show hidden files and folders, and =
then click to clear the Hide file extensions for known file types and =
Hide protected operating system files check boxes.=20
6.. Click OK.=20
7.. Click and drag to copy all the folders to the new folder, except =
for the currently logged on users folder.=20
8.. In Control Panel, double-click System, and then click the User =
Profiles tab.=20
9.. Copy the current user's profile to the new folder.=20
10.. Click OK, close Control Panel, and then log off and log on to the =
computer as an administrator again.=20
11.. In Registry Editor, click Find on the Edit menu.=20
12.. Type documents and settings, and then click Find.=20
13.. Replace the value data or rename the value or registry key to the =
new path for each and every registry key and value that contains the =
original path.NOTE: You must complete this change for every instance in =
the registry or your computer may not start. It is imperative that you =
update all registry keys and values with the new path.


14.. Restart the computer.=20
15.. You can now safely remove the original "Documents and Settings" =
folder.
Keywords: kberrmsg kbprb kbui KB236621=20
Technology: kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000DataServ =
kbwin2000DataServSearch kbwin2000Pro kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Search =
kbwin2000Serv kbwin2000ServSearch kbWinAdvServSearch kbWinDataServSearch =




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=A9 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
"Peter Wilkins" > wrote in message =
...

I'm using XP Pro with a master HDD NTFS with 3 partitions (C Boot, D
Data, E CD burning) and a slave HDD FAT32 (F Backups) for backups and
archives.

I would like to move the whole Docs & Settings folder for all users
off C: and onto my Data partition D:. Does anyone know if there is an
easy way to do this? I have full administrator access. I know I can
move my own My Docs folder using TweakUI for XP or even TweakXP Pro,
but I want to move the whole Docs & Settings folder and don't know how
to do this without risking a stuffup.

Reason is that I like to use Ghost 2003 to do my backup images, and
I'd like to be able to just do a daily backup image of D: to get all
my data for all users, without having to do daily images of both C:
and D:. I could then do a backup image of C: less frequently, only
when I add/delete programs or make config changes.

I backup the images first to a second HDD so it doesn't take too long,
and I can restore individual files or folders using Ghost Explorer
without having to restore the whole image. I'm also paranoid and
backup weekly to CD too.

TIA

--=20
Regards,
Peter Wilkins

[Jim Eshelman]

David Candy wrote:
> It can be done.

You learn smething new everyday. :)

> 1. Use a custom setup file to specify the location during
> instalation. This is the only way that will work for sure.

Pretty extreme! But yeah, that *would* do it. Thanks, David.

--
Jim Eshelman
MS-MVP, Windows Shell/User
http://aumha.org/
http://WinSupportCenter.com/

[Peter Wilkins]

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 22:14:29 -0700, "Jim Eshelman"
> wrote :

>Peter Wilkins wrote:
>> I would like to move the whole Docs & Settings folder for all users
>> off C: and onto my Data partition D:.
>
>That's one folder that Windows is extremely picky about having moved. =
You
>can move some of its subfolders, but not the D&S folder and its primary
>contents.

Thanks. I thought it was difficult!
--=20
Regards,
Peter Wilkins

[Peter Wilkins]

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 15:54:34 +1000, "David Candy" >
wrote :

>It can be done.
>1. Use a custom setup file to specify the location during instalation. =
This is the only way that will work for sure.
>
>2. You can attempt to move by hand. This may not work or may cause minor=
issues.=20
snip

Thanks David,

for your very comprehensive and informative reply.

I will read your post thoroughly and cogitate carefully before doing
anything drastic - in the meantime I will just stick with my My Docs
and Favourites on D: - everyone else can stay on C:. After all, it's
only MY backups I really need to worry about!

Don't think I want to reinstall with a custom setup file just yet-
it's taken me ages to get my system running perfectly with XP exactly
the way I like it, and I don't want to risk it just yet!

Thanks again, the expertise of people on the internet and their
willingness to help less gifted bodies never ceases to amaze me.

--=20
Regards,
Peter Wilkins