Question about My Documents

Sorry if this has already been answered, however Google has not helped me.

All I want to do is link the "start --> documents" to a remote folder on a file server. This shouldn't be hard at all, however right-clicking the "documents" link and clicking "properties" produces no way to simply redirect that link to a remote server.

Here is the local path I'm trying to give to "Documents":

\\192.168.1.80\shared\jasonmicron

If I try to tell Windows 7 to include that path I get this error message:

"This network location can't be included because it is not indexed."

The kicker here - my file server is running Linux, Fedora 10 to be exact. Yes, SAMBA is working just fine. It was working just fine 2 hours ago before I installed Windows 7.

Why that matters is beyond me. All I want is for the Documents link to map to my file server. Why is this so impossible?

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If you're wondering *why* I desire this, it is because I save everything to My Documents from XP. Everything saved there goes to my server which is in a mirrored RAID setup.

Dzomlija said:

Have you tried mapping a drive letter to that particular network location, and then adding that network drive to the index? From there, you should be able to add the network drive to the "Documents" folder.

I've mapped it fine and I can browse it. However I am unable to figure out how to add it to the index. The Help & Support link in Windows 7 returns no useful links when queried for "index". No links, actually.

And what I want to do is remap my "Documents" to a remote network share that I have backed up and mirrored. I do not simply want a link to the share, I want the entire Documents link to map to that share.

This might help me - How can I add a network share to an index? Is there a step-by-step guide for this? And why does an index even matter?

It's really dangerous to mapp "My docs" (and other user special folders) to an network place !
If you try to boot when the network or the server is unreachable, Windows wouldn't boot in anyway!

You should use Libraries which allow you to have a network place in the "doc library"!
But for that it depends of the kind of the server.
At this time adding an network place into index/library need a server which run Windows Desktop Search V4.x
If you have a linux file server, you simply cannot do this.

LePoilu said:

It's really dangerous to mapp "My docs" (and other user special folders) to an network place !

I will disagree with this. The "My Documents" link should just be that - a link to your documents. Where those files are hosted should not matter at all.

LePoilu said:

You should use Libraries which allow you to have a network place in the "doc library"!
But for that it depends of the kind of the server.
At this time adding an network place into index/library need a server which run Windows Desktop Search V4.x
If you have a linux file server, you simply cannot do this.

Well there's my answer. Do'h!

jasonmicron said:

The "My Documents" link should just be that - a link to your documents. Where those files are hosted should not matter at all.

There's a difference between what It should be and what it is...

"My docs" is not just a link, it's a special folder as "Desktop", "Links" or even "Appdata"
Windows need a full access to this folder.
I've allready made the experience as I allways move Docs & Cie on a second HDD. One day the Second HDD didn't work.. I wasn't able to open my session, even in safe mode.

But what you ask is precisely what libraries does and are made for! Libraries are just link to the place you want, and there's no issue is the place is no reachable.
I use it with a Windows home Server. Added some places in Seven Libraries, when WHS is not online, Seven just show me an empty place. As soon as the server is on, the files come back

That kills me though for my games.

I play several games on Windows. They store their data in "My Documents". I have that mapped to an external computer.

On top of that, I have several videos and music files that require direct access to "My Documents".

I guess I will have to change how I map that stuff, however it is a pain. And honestly, is not warranted.

"My Documents" should NOT be a special folder - it should simply be a link to your data. Nothing more.

But I guess that is another thread. I'll start moving my files around. Thank you very much for your advice.

I have to agree that windows takes things that work well and dummies them down so far for the masses that it screws up everything I as a network admin tries to do. This is stupid to not map the my docs directly to a shared server location. If your estimation is correct then why did windows XP never screw up you documents when the My Documents is mapped to server folder? This is why I am still a fan and always will be of windows XP. just my 2 cents...

1. Create a folder on your hard drive for shares. i.e. c:\share
2. Create another folder in the above share. i.e. c:\share\music
2. Link the Library to this folder.
3. Delete the folder.
4. Use the mklink in an elevated command prompt to make a symbolic link. Name the link the same as the folder you created above.
i.e - mklink /d c:\share\music \\server\music
5. Done. Now you have non-indexed UNC path as a library.

Try this...remove My Documents from the library then try to change it over to a network share.