Change folder/file location - use Move, Symbolic link or Junction?

[Highcountryride]

I've finished a new build that uses a SSD as the system drive (and some programs) and has a secondary HDD. I'm just getting ready to add programs and move data (documents, photos, music, etc.) to the new system.

First time SSD user and have done most of the suggested configurations to prolong SSD life. As I understand it the main cause of SSD performance and longevity degradation is caused by excessive or continuous writes to the drive. In order to avoid this I plan on using the secondary HDD as the location for My Documents, My Music, My Pictures and other data such as AppData which I believe gets written to a lot. Also have read that SSD performance decreases as the drive fills so that's why I plan on putting most of my data and programs on the secondary HDD

I'm checking out options for doing this properly and know I can use the Move function (under Location tab for the folder) to change the location of some of the above system folders. I've been looking at info on using either Symbolic Links or Junctions to achieve the same effect.

Hope my questions and intentions are clear. Would appreciate any suggestions or comments on which method (or combinations) would be the best to use.

System specs:
Silverstone TJ08B-E micro ATX case | ASRock Z77 Pro4-M micro ATX MB | Intel i5 3570K CPU | Samsung 830 256GB SATA 3 SSD | WD Caviar Black 500GB SATA 3 HDD | EVGA GTX 650 | 16 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600 SDRAM | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO | Windows 7 HP 64-bit

 

[Kaktussoft]

Did you install much software already? Did you change a lot of usersettings (not systemwide) already?
it's very difficult to modify all junction points to point to new location. And some programs read registry setting to determine were "My documents" is pointing to and COPY that to their registry settings.

 

[Highcountryride]

Very little software installed. Not sure what you mean about user setting changes but pretty sure I haven't modified that many, if at all.

 

[Kari]

Tutorial, mainly about junctions and how to use them: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/278262-mklink-create-use-links-windows.html

A valid idea if you do want to do it for complete Users folder, including all users, AppData and other system folders in a minute or two for all existing and future user profiles (future accounts automatically created on another drive): http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html

Kari

 

[Kaktussoft]

Listen carefully . Open regedit and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
On the right side you see a key named ProfilesDirectory its value is %SystemDrive%\Users

%SystemDrive%\Users is same as C:\USERS. Under this folder new users will be created.
doubleclick on ProfilesDirectory and change the value for example to D:\USERS (if you want new accounts under D:\users)

If value has been changed, create a new user. Logon as that user. Has it created a folder D:\users\<newuser>?
You may set the value of ProfilesDirectory back to old value to prevent the same for new users in the future.

When still logged on as the new user: Copy important files over from old account. Do it from within new user, forcing it to become the new owner of those files.

Check in old account folder C:\Users\old_user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Any stuff there? check if those programs are working in new account. Otherwise reinstall those programs

Check old account C:\users\old_user\Desktop as well

Those stuff indicates that a program was installed "for this user only". So reinstall that program in new account

If all is working fine you can delete the old user (and its files).

Any questions?

 

[Highcountryride]

Tutorial, mainly about junctions and how to use them: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/278262-mklink-create-use-links-windows.html

A valid idea if you do want to do it for complete Users folder, including all users, AppData and other system folders in a minute or two for all existing and future user profiles (future accounts automatically created on another drive): http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html

Kari

Thanks for the reply. I will study the tutorial. A little confused by your second paragraph. Does it mean this only works during Windows 7 installation? Also, would moving my user profile now re-locate everything onto the secondary HDD (E)? Would this move My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, etc. and the AppData folder to the E drive?

 

[Kari]

This post in the tutorial thread tells how to boot to Audit Mode on existig Windows installation and then move Users using the method described in tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ing-windows-7-installation-3.html#post1159551

The method moves the complete Users folder, with all users and all of their subfolders. Have been using the method since Vista on all of my rigs.

The biggest advantage is that it moves everything at once, and then in the future automatically creates also the new accounts on the new location. Do it once and forget.

Kari

 

[Kaktussoft]

Tutorial, mainly about junctions and how to use them: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/278262-mklink-create-use-links-windows.html

A valid idea if you do want to do it for complete Users folder, including all users, AppData and other system folders in a minute or two for all existing and future user profiles (future accounts automatically created on another drive): http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html

Kari

Thanks for the reply. I will study the tutorial. A little confused by your second paragraph. Does it mean this only works during Windows 7 installation? Also, would moving my user profile now re-locate everything onto the secondary HDD (E)? Would this move My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, etc. and the AppData folder to the E drive?

Relocating C:\users\<currentuser> to D:\currentuser can be done by creating a junction. Of course you have to copy all stuff first. Then delete currentuser folder in C:\user (or maybe rename so you still have the stuff). Then create a junction to new location.

But how will you copy all things with all permissions and owners intact? You can howower using robocopy.
But you still have to recreate all junction points inside currentuser. There are a lot of them!! Here what I have (in dutch)

C:\Users\Ron>dir/als
De volumenaam van station C is System
Map van C:\Users\Ron
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Application Data [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roami
ng]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Cookies [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roaming\Micros
oft\Windows\Cookies]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Local Settings [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Local]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Menu Start [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roaming\Mic
rosoft\Windows\Start Menu]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Mijn documenten [C:\Users\Ron\Documents]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> NetHood [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roaming\Micros
oft\Windows\Network Shortcuts]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Netwerkprinteromgeving [C:\Users\Ron\AppData
\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Recent [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roaming\Microso
ft\Windows\Recent]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> SendTo [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roaming\Microso
ft\Windows\SendTo]
23-10-2010 16:34 <KOPPELING> Sjablonen [C:\Users\Ron\AppData\Roaming\Micr
osoft\Windows\Templates]
0 bestand(en) 0 bytes
10 map(pen) 79.722.901.504 bytes beschikbaar


Why not simply create a new user with the trick I told you?

 

[Highcountryride]

Listen carefully . Open regedit and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
On the right side you see a key named ProfilesDirectory its value is %SystemDrive%\Users

%SystemDrive%\Users is same as C:\USERS. Under this folder new users will be created.
doubleclick on ProfilesDirectory and change the value for example to D:\USERS (if you want new accounts under D:\users)

If value has been changed, create a new user. Logon as that user. Has it created a folder D:\users\<newuser>?
You may set the value of ProfilesDirectory back to old value to prevent the same for new users in the future.

When still logged on as the new user: Copy important files over from old account. Do it from within new user, forcing it to become the new owner of those files.

Check in old account folder C:\Users\old_user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Any stuff there? check if those programs are working in new account. Otherwise reinstall those programs

Check old account C:\users\old_user\Desktop as well

Those stuff indicates that a program was installed "for this user only". So reinstall that program in new account

If all is working fine you can delete the old user (and its files).

Any questions?

Thanks for the detailed info. Sounds a bit scary but I suppose if I create a system image first and follow the instructions this should achieve my purpose of saving wear and tear on the SSD. One question though. Some programs I have, like Photoshop, MS Office, MS Outlook and a few others, I would like to install on the C: drive to take advantage of the speed of the SSD. If I install these (as the new user you described above) will the AppData for these programs be stored on the E drive (where new user profile has been created). Will that be the correct place for it even if the program itself is installed on the C drive?

 

[Kaktussoft]

It doesn't matter where you install the program. you decide and can be changed in install procedure.
Your profile will be on E. appdata, documts,images,videos.... user registry... everything specific for that user.

What makes you find it scary? You just create a new user on E. Copy files over from old account to new account. (not appdata!! only documents!)

old account is still there and working! Nothing to be scared about.

 

[Highcountryride]

It doesn't matter where you install the program. you decide and can be changed in install procedure.
Your profile will be on E. appdata, documts,images,videos.... user registry... everything specific for that user.

What makes you find it scary? You just create a new user on E. Copy files over from old account to new account. (not appdata!! only documents!)

old account is still there and working! Nothing to be scared about.

Scary when trying new procedures for the first time!:shock: OK, it sounds like you're saying that any programs or software I installed using my current user profile will have to be re-installed using the new user profile, is that correct?

 

[Kaktussoft]

It doesn't matter where you install the program. you decide and can be changed in install procedure.
Your profile will be on E. appdata, documts,images,videos.... user registry... everything specific for that user.

What makes you find it scary? You just create a new user on E. Copy files over from old account to new account. (not appdata!! only documents!)

old account is still there and working! Nothing to be scared about.

Scary when trying new procedures for the first time!:shock: OK, it sounds like you're saying that any programs or software I installed using my current user profile will have to be re-installed using the new user profile, is that correct?

No!! Only programs you installed "for this account only". You either did check it on install or program did it itself. Not many program do this.

Most programs install for all users by default. They do set settings in registry key HKLM and copy them only if they don't exist in HKCU. So if a user runs the program the first time the defult settings are copied. They can be changed later by the user. Otherwise a other or new user can't get the default settings!

 

[Kaktussoft]

In old account:

What's in folder %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs ?
What's in folder %userprofile%\Desktop (except files and stuff you placed there yourself)?

In new account:
Check those programs you saw in folders I described above. If not working...reinstall them

 

[Highcountryride]

I will study this, make the changes you suggested and let you know results. Thanks for the time and information. This should help with the SSD longevity and performance. Will the new user account profile on E be included in a system image backup?

 

[Kaktussoft]

I will study this, make the changes you suggested and let you know results. Thanks for the time and information. This should help with the SSD longevity and performance. Will the new user account profile on E be included in a system image backup?

You mean win7 standard system image backup? hmmmm... I don't know. Just try it. Maybe you can include E as well in the wizard?

I use Macrium Reflect FREE to make volume backups. Very easy and more flexibel. For example win7 system image backup can only be restored to the same disk and partition layout. If the destination disk doesn't have this... the destination disk will be wiped and be made exactly as it was when you made the backup. So all other partitions are gone in this case. This also means you can't restore to a smaller disk.

Use Macrium Reflect FREE instead! It is also possible to mount the image as virtual drive (read only) and restore only a few files.

 

[Slartybart]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html
Use option One if you want to move an exisitng account
Use Option Two to create all new accounts on another drive

I've used both - Option Two is easiest.

I've also played around with the idea of installing apps on a different drive. I ended up creating a junction on C:\ for
Program Files and Program Files (x86) that point to folders on the other drive.

 

[Slartybart]

Only System Reserve and C:\ are considered system image.

Kaktus is correct though, you can include drives/folders of your choosing.

I will study this, make the changes you suggested and let you know results. Thanks for the time and information. This should help with the SSD longevity and performance. Will the new user account profile on E be included in a system image backup?

 

[Highcountryride]

I will study this, make the changes you suggested and let you know results. Thanks for the time and information. This should help with the SSD longevity and performance. Will the new user account profile on E be included in a system image backup?

You mean win7 standard system image backup? hmmmm... I don't know. Just try it. Maybe you can include E as well in the wizard?

I use Macrium Reflect FREE to make volume backups. Very easy and more flexibel. For example win7 system image backup can only be restored to the same disk and partition layout. If the destination disk doesn't have this... the destination disk will be wiped and be made exactly as it was when you made the backup. So all other partitions are gone in this case. This also means you can't restore to a smaller disk.

Use Macrium Reflect FREE instead! It is also possible to mount the image as virtual drive (read only) and restore only a few files.

Yes, I did mean Windows 7 Backup. Actually, I have Acronis TI 2012 and can use that to customize a full system backup and then also create a backup of other files and folders which would include all the necessary stuff on the E drive (including the user profiles). I had been using Windows 7 backup with this new build just until I got everything installed and setup.

Thanks to all who responded. I've got as much information as I can handle right now on how to change the location of the user profiles. My main concern was to figure out a way to get the User>AppData>Roaming folder to the E drive as that folder can grow to a considerable size.

 

[Kaktussoft]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html
Use option One if you want to move an exisitng account
Use Option Two to create all new accounts on another drive

I've used both - Option Two is easiest.

I've also played around with the idea of installing apps on a different drive. I ended up creating a junction on C:\ for
Program Files and Program Files (x86) that point to folders on the other drive.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html is far from perfect! You copy when logged on as another user. That other user makes the files will be the owner of all files. Also permissions to files are lost. They will be default permissions so inhereted from parent. So most likely read and execute for standard users. and full control for administrators. Also junction points are not copied.

 

[Highcountryride]

Listen carefully . Open regedit and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
On the right side you see a key named ProfilesDirectory its value is %SystemDrive%\Users

%SystemDrive%\Users is same as C:\USERS. Under this folder new users will be created.
doubleclick on ProfilesDirectory and change the value for example to D:\USERS (if you want new accounts under D:\users)

If value has been changed, create a new user. Logon as that user. Has it created a folder D:\users\<newuser>?
You may set the value of ProfilesDirectory back to old value to prevent the same for new users in the future.

When still logged on as the new user: Copy important files over from old account. Do it from within new user, forcing it to become the new owner of those files.

Check in old account folder C:\Users\old_user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
Any stuff there? check if those programs are working in new account. Otherwise reinstall those programs

Check old account C:\users\old_user\Desktop as well

Those stuff indicates that a program was installed "for this user only". So reinstall that program in new account

If all is working fine you can delete the old user (and its files).

Any questions?

Well, I did as listed above. Everything worked...well, almost. I had to do some reconfiguring and a couple of the programs that I know were installed for all users are not working properly so looks like I will have to re-install those. Overall, this did exactly what I wanted which was to get all the documents, pictures, videos, AppData, etc. off the SSD and onto the secondary HDD.

I'm pretty sure Acronis will allow me to do a system backup and include the new user folder and the data that will be stored on the secondary HDD. A bit more of a hassle but worth it. Thanks again for your input and suggestions.