How can I set a new default location for new Pictures & Documents etc.

townsbg said:

Firstly the registry edit will only set the default but it won't move the files. The preferred method is the move option which moves it and sets it. Your data will have to be there first. Really setting the default isn't necessary to free the space. Only getting the data off of the drive/partition is. It just makes it easier to access later since you would still be able to click on your name and then pictures and there you are. However you don't have to do that. But more importantly we need to explore the error message because you still have to move the pics.

The name length error is caused by having a file path that is too long. Really the error isn't exactly correct. Until Windows 10 the is a limit on the entire path and name of a file is 255 characters. Anything more and you get the name length error. So if the path to a pic for example is c:/users/name/pictures/folder1/folder2/folder3/myfile.jpg that's 57 characters right there. Look at that restriction and think about how many layers of folders you have, how long the file names are, and, where on the other drive you are moving the files to. I don't know that information. Only you do. Think about your destination as well. If you are moving your pics on the other drive into another set of nested folders you could be increasing the length of the path just by moving it. What you can do is shorten the name of some of the higher level folders (such as in our example folder1 or folder2) or consolidate some of the folders together. Maybe get rid of folder3. Either of those will shorten the length of the path of all the files in the folder. To my knowledge that is the only way around that error. Do you get that error if you manually copy or only if you do the move option?

Hello again townsbg,

Thanks very much for the information and for your suggestions - I do not want to come across as `Lazy` / want only a very easy `Fix` for the problem of not being able to MOVE the Folders using the correct method but attempting what You suggested is beyond Me because of lack of knowledge regarding not making errors in renaming Files and because of the amount of TIME required as I am guessing / describing below.

I described what happened when I tried to MOVE the Folders and specify the new Default location for future Pictures, Videos, PDF`s etc. previously more fully on this thread:

Tried to move Folders from C Drive to F drive - Error re. File Name


I have already Copied & Pasted the CONTENTS of the Computer`s C Drive Libraries `Pictures` and `Videos` Folders into the F Drive so I wanted to find out how to set the F Drive as the future Default location for Pictures, Videos, PDF`s etc. to go to and then I was going to DELETE the `Pictures` and `Videos` Folders from the C Drive [`Libraries`] to regain that amount of Free space on the C Drive.

See a Screenshot of the Computer`s Libraries list showing the `Pictures` and `Videos` Folders and others which was attached to one of my previous messages on this thread.


What I really need now is the information on this please:


I would welcome any advice about setting the new default location for Pictures, Documents, Videos, PDF`s etc. to go to the F Drive please.

If that cannot be done [as there have been no messages with the instructions] what is the reason for there being 2 Drives on a Computer - on my Computer designated as the C Drive and the F Drive if the user cannot select / set either as the Default destination for Data items / Documents, Pictures etc. ?


With regard to your advice about locating the Files that are causing the Error message / preventing me from MOVING the Libraries Folders to the F Drive:


I cannot try to find / identify the Files that are causing me to get the Error message about the File name[s] being too long because there are almost 30,000 Pictures / Files etc. in 1580 sub folders amounting to approximately 32 GB`s of Data just in the `Pictures` Folder - there is also approximately 32 GB`s of Data in the `Videos` Folder so again probably thousands of Videos / Files.

I cannot imagine anyone however knowledgeable and experienced in `Computing` could ever be able spend what I am guessing would be a vast amount of time to identify and re-name probably Thousands of Files that could be causing the problem that I have when I tried to use the correct method to MOVE the `Pictures` and `Videos` Folders from my Computers`s C Drive to the F Drive and set the F Drive as the Default location for those and future Pictures, Videos, PDFs etc.

Certainly I would never be able to even contemplate doing that - even if I could imagine spending the amount of time required to carry out the task I just do not have the knowledge to ensure that I was renaming items correctly and not altering File names in such a way that they would never open again


I have previously noticed that when I rename even just ONE File that File moves to a new alphabetically listed [?] location within the Folder - so even if there was a LIST of Files / Pictures / PDF`s etc. on my Computer as I was renaming files they would MOVE them up or down the List [IF there was a List] or onscreen display so I would never be able to keep track of what had been renamed and where the items had moved to and what had not been renamed.

Every renamed File would have moved to a new position within the Folder but would be unknown to me and impossible to keep track of.


Because of that I would never be able to work through a Folder [or a `List`] even if I wanted to spend the vast amount of `Brain numbing` time that I am guessing attempting to find and rename the probably thousands offending File names would take - and without missing even ONE File with a `Name` that is too long.

I know that there would be Thousands of Files with `Names` that are too long because I have given a long descriptive Name to almost every Picture / Video / PDF etc. that I have ever put onto my Computer without ever knowing that would cause problems in the future.


Thanks again for your interest, knowledge, expertise, information and suggestions I really appreciate your attempting to help me.


Chris

Did you not read what I posted? The error message isn't entirely correct. That file name error is really the entire path and not just the file name. If you shorten a folder name that shortens the path of all of the files in it. So as an example if you change pictures to pics that takes away 4 characters right there for every single file in and beneath the pictures folder. If you don't want to go through and do a little renaming or reorganizing of the files the only recourse I know of would be to install Windows 10 which doesn't have that restriction. Maybe someone would have an easier way using another tool but I don't know of anything else.

As for the default location that can be done in the registry using the guide I posted. However that won't put the current files there. You will still have to do that manually which goes back to your name length issue.

townsbg said:

Did you not read what I posted? The error message isn't entirely correct. That file name error is really the entire path and not just the file name. If you shorten a folder name that shortens the path of all of the files in it. So as an example if you change pictures to pics that takes away 4 characters right there for every single file in and beneath the pictures folder. If you don't want to go through and do a little renaming or reorganizing of the files the only recourse I know of would be to install Windows 10 which doesn't have that restriction. Maybe someone would have an easier way using another tool but I don't know of anything else.

As for the default location that can be done in the registry using the guide I posted. However that won't put the current files there. You will still have to do that manually which goes back to your name length issue.

Hello again townsbg,

I did read everything that You wrote but before writing your comment above - `If you don't want to go through and do a little renaming or reorganizing of the files` I wonder if You have taken into consideration the fact that I have stated in this and another thread that you read that I have almost Zero knowledge or experience in `Computing` / carrying out what seem to me to be complicated / easy to get wrong processes.

I have been previously informed on the Forum that even just ONE File `Name` / File Path that is too long would cause the Error message that I previously described and result in the same situation regarding the Computer`s C Drive Libraries `Pictures` Folder not being able to be MOVED to the F Drive and within that process the setting for the F Drive to become the Default location for future Pictures.


I am certain that even if I went through and renamed the 1580 Sub folders that contain the 30,000 / 32 GB`s of Files in the `Pictures` Folder in order to shorten the `File Paths` there would still be File names that are too long for the `Move Pictures Folder to F Drive` process to work.

And even with my almost Zero knowledge and lack of experience in `Computing` I know that renaming 1580 Sub folders is NOT going through and doing a little renaming or reorganizing of the files - it would be a very daunting and very time consuming task and because of what I previously described about me creating very long descriptive `Names` for almost all of the Pictures / Files during the last 11 years even if I did rename every one of the 1580 Sub folders there could still be thousands of Pictures / PDF`s etc. with names that are too long.

I see your description about - going through and doing a little renaming or reorganizing of the files as a vast understatement of the amount of Time that would be required to rename even the 1580 Sub folders especially as I would almost certainly find out afterwards that there were still probably Thousands of File Names / File Paths were still too long.


The fact that even ONE Picture / File within a Sub folder that had a long File Path / File Name would still result in the Error message / prevent the `Move Pictures Folder to F Drive` process from working makes what You describe as `going through and doing a little renaming or reorganizing of the files` an impossible task for me or I am guessing any similarly inexperienced Computer user.


Could You or any other Members help me with the answer to these questions please - two of which I previously asked on this thread:


It seems obvious to me that there must be a simple method of putting Files / Data onto the Computer`s F Drive / a way to create Default settings otherwise what is the point in having an F Drive / second Drive ?


What is the reason for there being 2 Drives on a Computer - on my Computer designated as the C Drive and the F Drive if the user cannot select / set either as the Default destination for Data items / Documents, Pictures etc. ?


When Children are taught how to use a Computer would being able to set Default destinations on EITHER Computer Drive for various Files / Pictures, Documents, Videos, PDF`s etc. not be one of the most basic things to learn ?

I have had no Computer / Computing training I just bought one about 11 Years ago having realised by watching friends on their Computers that I would be able to work out how to use it for all that I wanted to do which was Internet browsing, online Shopping, Emails and storing Photos, PDF`s, downloading Documents etc.


Thanks again for your messages and for trying to help me townsbg - please don`t be offended by the comments in this reply - I am just explaining the situation on my Computer and the fact that over 11 years I created tens of Thousands very long File names for almost everything that is on it without knowing that would cause the problem that I now have.

Chris

P.S: Regarding your suggestion about installing Windows 10:


When it was released for free Windows 10 would not install on my Desktop PC even though I had used the Microsoft Compatibility Tool which checked my Computer and gave the result that Windows 10 would install but there were a couple of Programs that I had on the Computer that would not work afterwards.

I downloaded the free Windows 10 operating system and tried 4 times to install it - I do not remember what the Error messages displayed after those attempts stated but it would just not install on my Computer.

I was very disappointed as I had wanted to take advantage of the Free new Operating system and I did search on Google for any `Fixes` that might help but could not find out how to resolve the problem / get Windows 10 installed.

Chris

The "move" process from windows explorer failed because of the file name name length error. You are questioning why you can't set it as the default. That error is why. Normally it would work. Although I might be wrong I feel like essentially you are asking me why there is that 255 character limitation and I didn't program windows so I don't know. I suspect it goes back to the early days of Windows programming and they didn't think to change that until Windows 10. The why really doesn't matter. Now I've given you a working alternative for setting the default location which is by changing the registry however that won't get the files there. You will still have to get them there manually. Frankly I don't understand why you are so hung up on changing the default location when you can't using the normal method and changing it in the registry won't fix the file name length issue. The only way that I know how to do it is to change the folder names and if you don't want to do it then I don't know how to help you further. You seem to think that you have to change the filename for every single one of your 30k+ files. That isn't true. I understand that you aren't a computer expert but I feel like you aren't even accepting what I am telling you.

You might be able to use a built-in utility called robo copy to facilitate changing the names but I have no idea how to help you with that because I've barely used it myself and never to the extent that you will need. There might be other utilities but I don't know what they are. The only thing that I can think of to do would be to use a bootable copy of linux like ubuntu to move the files however I have no idea how windows will react to that. There might not be any issues with that or it might cause data corruption or it might even cause windows to crash for all I know once it realizes that you have files with a path that's too long. Also to do this you will need to learn how to burn a copy of linux to a disk, boot into it, navigate Linux, etc. There are countless guides on the entire process online. Frankly you seem hesitant to try to learn anything new when it comes to computing in order to fix your issue and if that's the case then I really can't help you. If that's the case then maybe it would be best to hire someone local to fix this for you because we can't. We can only tell you what you need to do but if you can't then you will need to get expert help from someone close to you.

I'll ask to see if I can get someone else more knowledgeable to help you because I've gone as far as I can.

On your F: Drive

Create a new set of user folders Documents, Pictures Etc - This should be created in a folder directly off the root of the drive f:\ (I call it "My Stuff" on my systems )

On your System drive ...

right click on the folders you wish to relocate and on the properties tab there should be a Location Tab Go to this tab and follow the instructions to relocate the special folder remembering to accept the suggestion to move the existing folder contents ( your files ), to the new location.

Note

There is a limit on the overall length of a filename including the folder tree, due to limitations in the 16 / 32 bit file structure still used in older operating system such as Windows 7 so, if you get errors that this has been exceeded you need to rearrange / rename your folders on your system drive Before you start the operation to move the files

this limit is as fundamental as there being only 26 letters in the english alphabet and would require a move to a purely 32 bit or higher operating system specifically coded to remove the limitation

If you do not have the location TAB you are not dealing with the special folders, which are the only ones that have the special tab - there is a tutorial on this site with step by step instructions to do these operations, but it's simple as long as you follow the prompts

If you are very short of space on your system drive you can manually move the files to the F: drive folder structure after you make it and then follow the procedure to relocate the fspecial folders

Move folders is item 6 here ... User Folders - Change Default Location

Reset folders to special status can be done info is here ... User Folders - Restore Default Icon note that this is a quite complex option requiring overwriting the Desktop.Ini system file in the folder

townsbg said:

The "move" process from windows explorer failed because of the file name name length error. You are questioning why you can't set it as the default. That error is why. Normally it would work. Although I might be wrong I feel like essentially you are asking me why there is that 255 character limitation and I didn't program windows so I don't know. I suspect it goes back to the early days of Windows programming and they didn't think to change that until Windows 10. The why really doesn't matter. Now I've given you a working alternative for setting the default location which is by changing the registry however that won't get the files there. You will still have to get them there manually. Frankly I don't understand why you are so hung up on changing the default location when you can't using the normal method and changing it in the registry won't fix the file name length issue. The only way that I know how to do it is to change the folder names and if you don't want to do it then I don't know how to help you further. You seem to think that you have to change the filename for every single one of your 30k+ files. That isn't true. I understand that you aren't a computer expert but I feel like you aren't even accepting what I am telling you.

You might be able to use a built-in utility called robo copy to facilitate changing the names but I have no idea how to help you with that because I've barely used it myself and never to the extent that you will need. There might be other utilities but I don't know what they are. The only thing that I can think of to do would be to use a bootable copy of linux like ubuntu to move the files however I have no idea how windows will react to that. There might not be any issues with that or it might cause data corruption or it might even cause windows to crash for all I know once it realizes that you have files with a path that's too long. Also to do this you will need to learn how to burn a copy of linux to a disk, boot into it, navigate Linux, etc. There are countless guides on the entire process online. Frankly you seem hesitant to try to learn anything new when it comes to computing in order to fix your issue and if that's the case then I really can't help you. If that's the case then maybe it would be best to hire someone local to fix this for you because we can't. We can only tell you what you need to do but if you can't then you will need to get expert help from someone close to you.

I'll ask to see if I can get someone else more knowledgeable to help you because I've gone as far as I can.

Hello again townsbg,

Thank You very much for your message.

In my last reply to You I had hoped that I had described that I had moved away from trying to rectify the situation regarding the `File Path too long` Error.

I have tried to understand all of the details that You very kindly described to me regarding me not being able to MOVE the Folders that I previously asked about to my Computer`s F Drive and I am resigned to the fact that it cannot be done my me because trying to find the File Path / File Names that are causing the Error is a task that is beyond me.

I have now decided that I do not want to pursue trying to `Fix` the original problem that we have been corresponding about but I think that if I can find out answers to my questions below I will be still able increase the Free space on my Computer`s C Drive.

I have really appreciated all of the time that you have spent writing very detailed replies to me and I have accepted all that you wrote as being facts but the `Fixes` are beyond me in terms of both a lack of confidence in trying to carry out the Finding and Renaming of the File Paths without missing even ONE and in the time that I feel that process would almost certainly take.

I think that I did understand that I would not have to Rename all 30,000 Files but even then there are 1580 Sub Folders and out of the 30,000 Files there would be Thousands that I have given very long descriptive names to during the last 11 years of using my Computer so within those 1580 Sub Folders there will certainly be thousands of Files that have Names that are too long even without the Folders and Sub Folders Names / Titles.


I hope that You will continue to help me with these questions:


1. I have already Copied and Pasted the contents of the C Drive Libraries `Pictures` and `Videos`
Folders to the Computer`s F Drive where there is now a Libraries type list of Folders showing -
Screenshot attached.

2. I need to find out how to set the Default destination for FUTURE Pictures, Videos, Documents, PDF`s
etc. so that they automatically go to the Folders on the F Drive where there will be much more Free
space.

3. If I can find out how to set the Default destinations to the Computer`s F Drive I could then delete the
`Pictures` and `Videos` Folders in the Libraries list on the C Drive which I hope would increase the
Free space and solve the problem that I was trying to resolve when I originally wanted to MOVE the
Folders using the correct method.


I have asked this previously and I am not being awkward in asking again but I genuinely feel that the process that I am asking about should be something that Children would learn about using a Computer:

When Children are taught how to use a Computer would being able to set Default destinations on EITHER Computer Drive for various Files / Pictures, Documents, Videos, PDF`s etc. not be one of the most basic things to learn ?

I would really appreciate it if we could leave aside the `File Path too long`problem as too onerous a task for me to carry out and if You could help me with the above questions as I think that being able to find the answers would have the same result regarding me being able to create more Free space on the Computers C Drive.

Regards,

Chris




This attached Screenshot is of a new list that was created on the Computer`s F Drive when I Copied and Pasted the CONTENTS of the Computer`s Libraries list `Pictures` and `Videos` Folders from the C Drive to the F Drive.

I was surprised to see all of the items on this list as I thought that I had only Copied & Pasted the contents from the `Pictures` and `Videos` Folders from the Computer`s Libraries list.

What is the actual file path?

you should be able to copy the path from the file explorer to check the length - go to the folder containing a file at the deepest level single click on the small folder icon at the top of the window becomes this ... D:\My Stuff\_New Stuff\_Work In Progress\Chew Valley Lake Maps when you copy the converted address - you could count this to see if the character count exceeds the limit (256).

The way I would go about this is to create the new folder structure on your F drive and then manually transfer the files in small batches as the error you are getting could just be a small number or even a single file. I have seen file and file path strings that the computer reads as too long that are actually within limits but contain a bad character ... when you get the error you know the fault is in the last batch and you can go one by one to identify the bad file path

Barman58 said:

What is the actual file path?

you should be able to copy the path from the file explorer to check the length - go to the folder containing a file at the deepest level single click on the small folder icon at the top of the window becomes this ... D:\My Stuff\_New Stuff\_Work In Progress\Chew Valley Lake Maps when you copy the converted address - you could count this to see if the character count exceeds the limit (256).

The way I would go about this is to create the new folder structure on your F drive and then manually transfer the files in small batches as the error you are getting could just be a small number or even a single file. I have seen file and file path strings that the computer reads as too long that are actually within limits but contain a bad character ... when you get the error you know the fault is in the last batch and you can go one by one to identify the bad file path

Hello again Barman58 / Nigel,

Thanks for your reply.

There would be Thousands of Files where the File Path is too long - Files in every one of the 1580 Sub Folders would have individual names that are very long - when added to the Folder name and the Sub Folder name would mean that almost EVERY File would probably need to be Renamed not just the Folders or Sub Folders - 30,000 Files !:

Although Member townsbg stated that when he was explaining about the Renaming process he did not mean that I would have to rename all of the 30,000 Files because of what I describe below I feel that almost exactly that could be required:

When I bought my Computer about 11 Years ago I started giving a long descriptive `Name` to almost every Picture, Document, PDF and Video etc. - there would be Thousands of Files named in that way and I had no way of knowing that was NOT a good thing to do - but I have now found out.

I think that I am remembering correctly that for the first couple of Years when I typed a long File name I used to occasionally get an error message which stated something like `File name too long` but that then seemed to have changed slightly and I was able to use many more characters for the last 8 or 9 years obviously creating more of a problem for what I wanted to do regarding moving the Folders to the F Drive.

Because there would be Thousands of Files where the File Path is too long and just missing ONE of them would still cause the Error message / prevent me Moving the Folders I just cannot even contemplate attempting to Find and Rename the File Paths / File `Names` that are causing the problem.


Thanks again for your interest and messages.

Chris

There may be a way around this issue, Windows 10 has an option to set the character length to follow the NTFS file system rules rather than the windows 7 limit of 260, (256 when you take away the"x:" ), for the whole folder tree

The NTFS file system allows 256 characters per file address segment ie the characters between any two backslash characters c:\>256 Characters\>256 Characters/>256 Characters ... and so on up to a total character limit for the total file tree of approx 32768 for each folder branch

Ok the upgrade to windows 10 is a big step but with the options for making the OS look and act like Windows 7 ( and still being a free upgrade last time I checked ), it's an easy option. In my experience, (been using Windows 10 in production systems since 2014) the differences to Win7 are not that great and certainly the advances in the OS are worth the switch.