Windows 7: User Folders - Change Default Location

Hi Brink,

Today I received an email saying that 'nancybikburn8' had responded to this thread. When I clicked on the link, I was brought here. But there seems to be no response from her and your last response was two weeks ago.

The post could have been deleted.

It was just a spammer that got banned, and all posts removed.

dear brink, hello.. i have a question, regarding moving user folder location with using 2 drive on 1 laptop.

previously my laptop has C and D as primary, and 2 extended partition. I've used your tutorials since 1-1/2 years ago, and I set Downloads on D, and other stuffs (docs musics and pics) on the extended partition. It went smoothly without a hitch.
I just now decide to move to SSD. So now my laptop has 2 drive, drive 1 is C the SSD, and drive 2 is the old HDD, (im formatting the old HDD atm).

I'd like to ask, i want to make C (SSD) the drive for windows (which i've done), but i'd like to move downloads to D primary (the old hdd), and the other user folders (music pics and videos), to extended partition of the old HDD...

is it possible to move Docs, Pics, Musics, and Downloads to different disk, and is it a good idea to do it...?

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it's not about saving the SSD space really, i would like to do it just because i like it organized, but i'd like to ask here first because i don't want to reinstall and format stuff in case something goes wrong due to moving the user folder to different disk along the way...
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i hope my question make sense, sorry for the long post,

cheers,

KP

Hello KP,

Sure you could move each user folder to any internal hard drive or partition location you like using Option Two.

However, you might consider doing the yellow tip box for libraries at the top of the tutorial instead. This way you will still get the same effect with a new folder included a library, and is safer to use.

Either way will work.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

dear Brink, tq for the response. I've just finished installing the OS on the SSD and formatting the HDD

i hv a follow-up question, normally, i only move music picts downloads and documents, i know from my own experience that it's save enough to move the above,, but then i read another thread of yours User Folders - Restore Default Location

1) my Q is.. does Desktop, Favorites, and Contacts movable from SSD C drive to the HDD D/E drive...?
is it as simple as moving music and picts or does moving Desktop Favorites and Contacts warrants extra precaution and is better to be left alone..?

(i saved many stuff on the desktop so moving it to the HDD D drive would make it more organized really.)
because, i've read another thread as well long time ago regarding moving user profiles to another partition, which... i've decide not to do from a long time ago, moving user folders is enough.


2) I've just finished installing all my drivers and win updates, so the laptop is still empty at this point. My laptop bluetooth driver create some bluetooth folder on My Docs (which now sits on HDD drive), if for example, i want to move the My Docs to its default C:\Users location, is it only possible to be done when it's empty or can i move it when I already use the laptop at any point later on.

For example now, the bluetooth driver created a folder on My Docs, idk a lot abt registry but i assume the bluetooth driver pointed the installation and linked some registry to the direction of My Docs user folder, can i move it back to C without a hitch if i decide to do so in the future?


again, not an english native.. so, apologies for the long not-concise Qs.


cheers and hv a great weekend,

KP

KP,

You can move or restore your user folders when they are empty or have files in them. It doesn't matter. However, if you do have files in them, it's always better to make a backup of them first just to be safe.

While it's safe to move your uses folders, I just personally prefer to use libraries instead as mentioned in the yellow tip box at the top of the tutorial. This way you do not have to worry about whatever drive you moved the user folders to being included in system images and cannot be unselected. You also do not have to worry about some older program still trying to save something to the old location despite you moving the user folder to another location.

thanks again Brink for the exp. regarding possible future complications of moving user folders

cheers,

KP

You're most welcome KP.

Hi Shawn,

Is this the same as right clicking at the original library folder location from C drive (ex. Documents) and then going to the properties >>> "Remove" original folder location>>> then "Include a folder..." which is the new folder I created in another drive? This method is a lot faster to do but is this ok?

Here's a snapshot of what I am talking about (showing original folder location at c drive):