How to move program folders to new location (default is My Documents)

Kaktussoft said:

Use regedit to find the key(s) that point to that location.

Thank you. I've figured out how to start up regedit, but I don't know how to use it. Could you please instruct me on how to find the keys and what to do next?

Alejandro85 said:

One option would be to make a junction or symlink to take its place in "my documents" while moving the real content out of the way. This makes the data easily accessible where you most want it, but still leaves the clutter in the folder.

My personal choice due to these problems and a few others is to simply abandon "my documents" to be bloated by anyone and store my data in another place, out of any predefined system paths.

Thanks, Alejandro. Could you please explain further how I could make a junction or symlink? I would rather not abandon "My Documents", but if I end up doing so, is it possible to rename "My Documents" and/or move it to a different location, without breaking the paths to the games?

stebobibo said:

Programs that I have installed on my computer (mostly games) have automatically made their own folders, mainly in My Documents, but also in My Pictures and My Videos. When I move these folders regularly, the program just makes a new one in the previous location when I start it again. So, my question is: how do I move these folders permanently (without losing any information)? Below is a screenshot of the folders in My Documents that I would like to move.
Thanks for your help!

Try to see if the game has a option of itself to move that folder.

Also check to see if that folder in the registry and try editing that path
Becareful though, Improper editing of the registry can cause your system to start misfunctioning.

If you can not find any of those, an alternative is to use Junctions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_junction_point

A very nice program that will create a shell extension in your rightclick menu:
Link Shell Extension


Edit: *Ninjad *

Midori said:

Try to see if the game has a option of itself to move that folder.

Also check to see if that folder in the registry and try editing that path
Becareful though, Improper editing of the registry can cause your system to start misfunctioning.

If you can not find any of those, an alternative is to use Junctions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_junction_point

A very nice program that will create a shell extension in your rightclick menu:
Link Shell Extension


Edit: *Ninjad *

Thanks for your response, Midori. Could you please explain how I would go about any of those solutions, as I don't know how.

RolandJS said:

Maybe leave things alone? Some fixes, some major changes, to Default lead to unintended consequences, especially if ReInstalls are called for, whether OS and/or programs running within said OS; OS restores of previous images, etc. There are blockbuster articles detailing features, benefits, possible consequences, etc. with major-league changing default settings [here and BleepingComputer].

stebobibo said:

Thanks for your response, Midori. Could you please explain how I would go about any of those solutions, as I don't know how.

Go all the way down and download the 'Link Shell Extension' (x32 or x64 your windows system) and 'vcredist 2005' (x32 and/or x64 based on Link Shell Extension version).

Then move the game folder to your new Documents folder or wherever you put it, Right-click on it and select 'Pick Link Source'.
After that go to the original documents folder and rightclick on a empty spot, select 'Drop As' > 'Junction'.

This will create a special file which fools any program it is a folder, but instead links somewhere else.

Becareful though to not create a junction which links to a parent(higher) folder which contains the junction or you will create a endless loop.
https://superuser.com/questions/4163...directory-tree

RolandJS said:

Maybe leave things alone? Some fixes, some major changes, to Default lead to unintended consequences, especially if ReInstalls are called for, whether OS and/or programs running within said OS; OS restores of previous images, etc. There are blockbuster articles detailing features, benefits, possible consequences, etc. with major-league changing default settings [here and BleepingComputer].

Good point, best he could also just let it be and not do anything, nothing broken, nothing to fix.
But that is up to him ^^.

Midori said:

Becareful though to not create a junction which links to a parent(higher) folder which contains the junction or you will create a endless loop.
https://superuser.com/questions/4163...directory-tree

Just to be safe, could you further explain what this means?
The folder I want to move is in User>Stephen>My Documents. Could I move it to User>Stephen>My Videos for instance? Thanks for your help.

I tried made a junction, but it left a new "junction folder" in My Documents. The reason for the junction was so I wouldn't see the folder in My Documents anymore, but this defeats the purpose. Is there a way to make it invisible? In the screenshot the folder circled in red is what appeared after making the junction.