How do I move My Documents and my Pictures to a different hard drive

[DJT]

I am intending to install a SSD in my Win 7 64Bit Home Premium system

Before I can I need to move the default references and actual files
for Documents and Pictures to a different drive (Drive D so that the
current C: will fit on the SSD.

How Do I alter the references it the system defaults to the other
drive.


DJT

 

[...winston]

Open Windows Explorer
Rt. click Documents (or Pictures), select Properties, click on the Location
Tab.
- Use the 'Move' option



--
....winston
msft mvp mail


"DJT" wrote in message
I am intending to install a SSD in my Win 7 64Bit Home Premium system

Before I can I need to move the default references and actual files
for Documents and Pictures to a different drive (Drive D so that the
current C: will fit on the SSD.

How Do I alter the references it the system defaults to the other
drive.


DJT

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

Open Windows Explorer Rt. click Documents (or Pictures), select
Properties, click on the Location Tab. - Use the 'Move' option

Just to clarify, the "Documents," "Pictures," etc. libraries don't have
a location property. It is the library subfolders, like "My Documents,"
"Public Documents," "My Pictures," etc. that are relocatable.

 

[Paul]

I am intending to install a SSD in my Win 7 64Bit Home Premium system

Before I can I need to move the default references and actual files
for Documents and Pictures to a different drive (Drive D so that the
current C: will fit on the SSD.

How Do I alter the references it the system defaults to the other
drive.


DJT

I see an example here.

http://www.windows7hacker.com/index...e-user-profile-default-location-in-windows-7/

What I find a bit scary, about that description, is what happens if
D:\ goes missing ? It's pretty hard to lose C:\Users when C: is
also the home of the OS files. They're kinda bolted together. But
when you move users to a separate partition, that opens the way for
more "disaster" scenarios. You'd want some assurance of what a "repair
procedure" might do to your system, if the two parts become separated
for some reason.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it
in, and it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D:
partition to become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory card
reader. But then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it runs one
time, and the profiles are missing ?

I'm sure people have done this before, and all I'm after is proof
there isn't a disaster waiting to happen later.

Paul

 

[Char Jackson]

http://www.windows7hacker.com/index...e-user-profile-default-location-in-windows-7/

What I find a bit scary, about that description, is what happens if
D:\ goes missing ? It's pretty hard to lose C:\Users when C: is
also the home of the OS files. They're kinda bolted together. But
when you move users to a separate partition, that opens the way for
more "disaster" scenarios. You'd want some assurance of what a "repair
procedure" might do to your system, if the two parts become separated
for some reason.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it
in, and it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D:
partition to become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory card
reader. But then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it runs one
time, and the profiles are missing ?

Hard drive letters usually don't get shuffled around once they've been
assigned. The only exception that I've run across was when I assigned
a drive letter to a drive, removed that drive, assigned the same
letter to another drive, then reconnected the first drive so that both
drives were connected. Obviously, something had to give. In this case,
the last-connected drive got shuffled to a different letter, as you'd
expect.

Bottom line, I wouldn't expect any problems with D: being assigned to
a different drive, and I wouldn't expect any catastrophes if D: went
missing for a time.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Hard drive letters usually don't get shuffled around once they've been
assigned. The only exception that I've run across was when I assigned
a drive letter to a drive, removed that drive, assigned the same
letter to another drive, then reconnected the first drive so that both
drives were connected. Obviously, something had to give. In this case,
the last-connected drive got shuffled to a different letter, as you'd
expect.

Bottom line, I wouldn't expect any problems with D: being assigned to
a different drive, and I wouldn't expect any catastrophes if D: went
missing for a time.

+1

 

[DJT]

Open Windows Explorer
Rt. click Documents (or Pictures), select Properties, click on the Location
Tab.
- Use the 'Move' option

Thanks, That is what I was looking for

DJT

 

[...winston]

You're welcome.

As Dave noted (and which you apparently figured out on your own)...the
'Location' *Move* option is not applicable to the Library root folders
(Documents, Pictures, etc. are 'virtual folders') but only applicable to
those user profile specific subfolders within the Libraries root folders
(which by default are stored, unless moved, within your Windows User
Profile).


--
....winston
msft mvp mail


"DJT" wrote in message

Open Windows Explorer
Rt. click Documents (or Pictures), select Properties, click on the Location
Tab.
- Use the 'Move' option

Thanks, That is what I was looking for

DJT

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Paul.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it in, and
it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D: partition to
become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory card reader. But
then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it runs one time, and the
profiles are missing ?

Disk Management handles all this.

When we let Windows assign letters to new devices (HDD partitions, SD cards,
USB flash drives, etc.), it generally assigns "the next available letter" -
and thus the assignment can vary from one session to the next, depending on
what is already plugged in and assigned.

But if we use DM to assign the letters we want to each device, then Windows
remembers that assignment and will use it for THAT device each time, unless
we've somehow created a conflict since the initial assignment. There is NO
requirement that we assign letters in sequence and no prohibition against
skipping letters. If you want your memory card reader to always be S:, T:,
U: and X:, then use DM to assign those letters. When you remove the
card(s), then re-insert them, the same letters will be used again. None of
this will affect the letter assignments on your HDD or SSD. And if the HDD
or SSD "goes missing", either because it is unplugged or defective - or
you've changed its letter with DM - those memory card letters won't have
changed.

We can use DM to assign/reassign "drive" letters to our heart's content as
often as we like - EXCEPT for the Boot Volume, which holds the entire
\Windows folder tree (typically C:, but NOT always) and the System
Partition, which holds bootmgr (or NTLDR) and other tools to actually start
the computer (also not always but typically C: until Win7, when the scheme
changed). The only way (for us mere mortals) to reassign those two drive
letters is to run Setup again - which means to re-install Windows.

Disk Management has been one of our most useful utilities since it was
introduced in Windows 2000, and improved with each Windows version since
then.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2011 (Build 15.4.3555.0308) in Win7 Ultimate x64 SP1


"Paul" wrote in message

I am intending to install a SSD in my Win 7 64Bit Home Premium system

Before I can I need to move the default references and actual files
for Documents and Pictures to a different drive (Drive D so that the
current C: will fit on the SSD.

How Do I alter the references it the system defaults to the other
drive.


DJT

I see an example here.

http://www.windows7hacker.com/index...e-user-profile-default-location-in-windows-7/

What I find a bit scary, about that description, is what happens if
D:\ goes missing ? It's pretty hard to lose C:\Users when C: is
also the home of the OS files. They're kinda bolted together. But
when you move users to a separate partition, that opens the way for
more "disaster" scenarios. You'd want some assurance of what a "repair
procedure" might do to your system, if the two parts become separated
for some reason.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it
in, and it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D:
partition to become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory card
reader. But then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it runs one
time, and the profiles are missing ?

I'm sure people have done this before, and all I'm after is proof
there isn't a disaster waiting to happen later.

Paul

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

Hi, Paul.


Disk Management handles all this.

When we let Windows assign letters to new devices (HDD partitions, SD
cards, USB flash drives, etc.), it generally assigns "the next
available letter" - and thus the assignment can vary from one session
to the next, depending on what is already plugged in and assigned.

But if we use DM to assign the letters we want to each device, then
Windows remembers that assignment and will use it for THAT device each
time, unless we've somehow created a conflict since the initial
assignment. There is NO requirement that we assign letters in sequence
and no prohibition against skipping letters. If you want your memory
card reader to always be S:, T:, U: and X:, then use DM to assign those
letters. When you remove the card(s), then re-insert them, the same
letters will be used again. None of this will affect the letter
assignments on your HDD or SSD. And if the HDD or SSD "goes missing",
either because it is unplugged or defective - or you've changed its
letter with DM - those memory card letters won't have changed.

[]
That's all very nice, but hasn't answered RCW's question. If he has hard
drive partitions C and D, and he sometimes plugs in a card reader that
grabs D E F and G (because he _hasn't_ done the thing you describe with
DM), his D hard drive partition may become H.

If he has a hard drive partition that is sometimes D and sometimes H in
this manner, does the system - registry, presumably - look after
references to D/H, or not? (Such as where "My Documents" is.)

 

[Char Jackson]

Hi, Paul.


Disk Management handles all this.

When we let Windows assign letters to new devices (HDD partitions, SD
cards, USB flash drives, etc.), it generally assigns "the next
available letter" - and thus the assignment can vary from one session
to the next, depending on what is already plugged in and assigned.

But if we use DM to assign the letters we want to each device, then
Windows remembers that assignment and will use it for THAT device each
time, unless we've somehow created a conflict since the initial
assignment. There is NO requirement that we assign letters in sequence
and no prohibition against skipping letters. If you want your memory
card reader to always be S:, T:, U: and X:, then use DM to assign those
letters. When you remove the card(s), then re-insert them, the same
letters will be used again. None of this will affect the letter
assignments on your HDD or SSD. And if the HDD or SSD "goes missing",
either because it is unplugged or defective - or you've changed its
letter with DM - those memory card letters won't have changed.

[]
That's all very nice, but hasn't answered RCW's question.

RCW? Who dat? Anyway, the original question has been answered multiple
times already.

If he has hard
drive partitions C and D, and he sometimes plugs in a card reader that
grabs D E F and G (because he _hasn't_ done the thing you describe with
DM), his D hard drive partition may become H.

The card reader CAN'T grab D E F G if D is already assigned to a drive
volume unless D is currently disconnected from the system. If D is the
location of the user's personal (system) folders, then presumably D
isn't disconnected (since doing so would make the user's folders
inaccessible) and hence, there is no drive letter collision because
the card reader will be allocated unused drive letters.

If he has a hard drive partition that is sometimes D and sometimes H in
this manner, does the system - registry, presumably - look after
references to D/H, or not? (Such as where "My Documents" is.)

No, the location wouldn't be dynamically updated, but fortunately the
scenario you describe is exceedingly rare. Why would someone redirect
their personal folders to a volume that is (sometimes) disconnected?

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Hi, Paul.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it
in, and it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D:
partition to become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory
card reader. But then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it
runs one time, and the profiles are missing ?

Disk Management handles all this.

When we let Windows assign letters to new devices (HDD partitions, SD
cards, USB flash drives, etc.), it generally assigns "the next
available letter" - and thus the assignment can vary from one session
to the next, depending on what is already plugged in and assigned.

But if we use DM to assign the letters we want to each device, then
Windows remembers that assignment and will use it for THAT device each
time, unless we've somehow created a conflict since the initial
assignment. There is NO requirement that we assign letters in sequence
and no prohibition against skipping letters. If you want your memory
card reader to always be S:, T:, U: and X:, then use DM to assign those
letters. When you remove the card(s), then re-insert them, the same
letters will be used again. None of this will affect the letter
assignments on your HDD or SSD. And if the HDD or SSD "goes missing",
either because it is unplugged or defective - or you've changed its
letter with DM - those memory card letters won't have changed.

[]
That's all very nice, but hasn't answered RCW's question.

RCW? Who dat? Anyway, the original question has been answered multiple
times already.

If he has hard
drive partitions C and D, and he sometimes plugs in a card reader that
grabs D E F and G (because he _hasn't_ done the thing you describe with
DM), his D hard drive partition may become H.

The card reader CAN'T grab D E F G if D is already assigned to a drive
volume unless D is currently disconnected from the system. If D is the
location of the user's personal (system) folders, then presumably D
isn't disconnected (since doing so would make the user's folders
inaccessible) and hence, there is no drive letter collision because
the card reader will be allocated unused drive letters.

If he has a hard drive partition that is sometimes D and sometimes H in
this manner, does the system - registry, presumably - look after
references to D/H, or not? (Such as where "My Documents" is.)

No, the location wouldn't be dynamically updated, but fortunately the
scenario you describe is exceedingly rare. Why would someone redirect
their personal folders to a volume that is (sometimes) disconnected?

I run into that from time to time, mostly because I mess around with
hardware.

So my file sync program can go crazy. That's ok, I just psychoanalyze
it. I.e., I manually respecify the new drive letter in the program's
settings.

With Macrium backup scripts the same problem occurs, but the cure is
different. You can tell it to look for the new letter while leaving the
old letters on its list. If the first drive letter isn't correct, it
refers to the list. Thus I might not have to intervene after any letter
changes (if I'm lucky).

 

[Char Jackson]

In message <[email protected]>, R. C.
Hi, Paul.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it
in, and it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D:
partition to become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory
card reader. But then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it
runs one time, and the profiles are missing ?

Disk Management handles all this.

When we let Windows assign letters to new devices (HDD partitions, SD
cards, USB flash drives, etc.), it generally assigns "the next
available letter" - and thus the assignment can vary from one session
to the next, depending on what is already plugged in and assigned.

But if we use DM to assign the letters we want to each device, then
Windows remembers that assignment and will use it for THAT device each
time, unless we've somehow created a conflict since the initial
assignment. There is NO requirement that we assign letters in sequence
and no prohibition against skipping letters. If you want your memory
card reader to always be S:, T:, U: and X:, then use DM to assign those
letters. When you remove the card(s), then re-insert them, the same
letters will be used again. None of this will affect the letter
assignments on your HDD or SSD. And if the HDD or SSD "goes missing",
either because it is unplugged or defective - or you've changed its
letter with DM - those memory card letters won't have changed.
[]
That's all very nice, but hasn't answered RCW's question.

RCW? Who dat? Anyway, the original question has been answered multiple
times already.

If he has hard
drive partitions C and D, and he sometimes plugs in a card reader that
grabs D E F and G (because he _hasn't_ done the thing you describe with
DM), his D hard drive partition may become H.

The card reader CAN'T grab D E F G if D is already assigned to a drive
volume unless D is currently disconnected from the system. If D is the
location of the user's personal (system) folders, then presumably D
isn't disconnected (since doing so would make the user's folders
inaccessible) and hence, there is no drive letter collision because
the card reader will be allocated unused drive letters.

If he has a hard drive partition that is sometimes D and sometimes H in
this manner, does the system - registry, presumably - look after
references to D/H, or not? (Such as where "My Documents" is.)

No, the location wouldn't be dynamically updated, but fortunately the
scenario you describe is exceedingly rare. Why would someone redirect
their personal folders to a volume that is (sometimes) disconnected?

I run into that from time to time, mostly because I mess around with
hardware.

So my file sync program can go crazy. That's ok, I just psychoanalyze
it. I.e., I manually respecify the new drive letter in the program's
settings.

With Macrium backup scripts the same problem occurs, but the cure is
different. You can tell it to look for the new letter while leaving the
old letters on its list. If the first drive letter isn't correct, it
refers to the list. Thus I might not have to intervene after any letter
changes (if I'm lucky).

I've run into similar situations with scripts and such, but I've
always been careful not to redirect my Documents folder, for example,
to a drive that is susceptible to being removed or disconnected.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

On Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:06:03 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

In message <[email protected]>, R. C.
Hi, Paul.

A typical scenario might be, you buy a memory card reader, plug it
in, and it grabs D:,E:,F:,G: for drive letters, forcing your HDD D:
partition to become H:. Of course, you can always unplug the memory
card reader. But then, how does the OS modify the registry, if it
runs one time, and the profiles are missing ?

Disk Management handles all this.

When we let Windows assign letters to new devices (HDD partitions, SD
cards, USB flash drives, etc.), it generally assigns "the next
available letter" - and thus the assignment can vary from one session
to the next, depending on what is already plugged in and assigned.

But if we use DM to assign the letters we want to each device, then
Windows remembers that assignment and will use it for THAT device each
time, unless we've somehow created a conflict since the initial
assignment. There is NO requirement that we assign letters in sequence
and no prohibition against skipping letters. If you want your memory
card reader to always be S:, T:, U: and X:, then use DM to assign those
letters. When you remove the card(s), then re-insert them, the same
letters will be used again. None of this will affect the letter
assignments on your HDD or SSD. And if the HDD or SSD "goes missing",
either because it is unplugged or defective - or you've changed its
letter with DM - those memory card letters won't have changed.
[]
That's all very nice, but hasn't answered RCW's question.

RCW? Who dat? Anyway, the original question has been answered multiple
times already.

If he has hard
drive partitions C and D, and he sometimes plugs in a card reader that
grabs D E F and G (because he _hasn't_ done the thing you describe with
DM), his D hard drive partition may become H.

The card reader CAN'T grab D E F G if D is already assigned to a drive
volume unless D is currently disconnected from the system. If D is the
location of the user's personal (system) folders, then presumably D
isn't disconnected (since doing so would make the user's folders
inaccessible) and hence, there is no drive letter collision because
the card reader will be allocated unused drive letters.

If he has a hard drive partition that is sometimes D and sometimes H in
this manner, does the system - registry, presumably - look after
references to D/H, or not? (Such as where "My Documents" is.)

No, the location wouldn't be dynamically updated, but fortunately the
scenario you describe is exceedingly rare. Why would someone redirect
their personal folders to a volume that is (sometimes) disconnected?

I run into that from time to time, mostly because I mess around with
hardware.

So my file sync program can go crazy. That's ok, I just psychoanalyze
it. I.e., I manually respecify the new drive letter in the program's
settings.

With Macrium backup scripts the same problem occurs, but the cure is
different. You can tell it to look for the new letter while leaving the
old letters on its list. If the first drive letter isn't correct, it
refers to the list. Thus I might not have to intervene after any letter
changes (if I'm lucky).

I've run into similar situations with scripts and such, but I've
always been careful not to redirect my Documents folder, for example,
to a drive that is susceptible to being removed or disconnected.

The remarks above about my experience relate to such things as a cell
phone or camera SD card (synchronization) and a USB backup drive
(Macrium).