User Profile - Change Default Location

Hi Brink. I had noted the advice to take a System Image and that has enabled me to go back safely to where I was before I started fickering with moving the profile.

So now I will be sensible and follow the suggestion in the yellow tip box - once I have digested it. This library thing has me a tad confused.

Anyway I'm back up and running again.

Am off for a long week-end down south with the grandchildren so will pick up again when I return.

Kindest. Aurondium.:)

mmmelaney said:

I believe I have managed it successfully in Win8.1x64! It's been stable for a week now.

I used method 1 but there were some important things not mentioned.

First, there are a few additional registry keys which make things go a lot smoother:

*MAKE SURE YOU DO THE REGISTRY EDITS BEFORE YOU MOVE YOUR FILES!

• Tell Windows where to find ntuser.dat and userclass.dat

**Note: If you've already moved your files you have to move ntuser.dat and usrclass.dat AGAIN, because these registry entries are being changed in your local copy of those files.

**Note: The Volume# in HarddiskVolume# is counted from the first partition on the first drive STARTING WITH 1, not 0 as you see it in Windows or Linux. So mine was HarddiskVolume8 since it's behind 7 partitions.

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\hivelist\
• Registry\User\S-1-5-21.... = \Device\HarddiskVolume1\Users\YOU\NTUSER.DAT
• Registry\User\S-1-5-21.... = \Device\HarddiskVolume1\Users\YOU\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat

I also changed (=Your new path):

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Volatile Environment\Appdata
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Volatile Environment\Homepath
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Volatile Environment\LocalAppdata
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Volatile Environment\Userprofile
  
  • Leave Homedrive alone.
  
  

and of course

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.....\ProfileImagePath\ = Your new path.

Second, what to do about the Junctions (reparse points to the real folders)? They are broken when you move the folders. You have to reconnect them exactly like the folder structure on the C:\ drive. I use Hard link shell extension.

Update: Copy the Junctions in one simple step with Far Manager. See my post here (gggirlgeek.)

Third, what to do with the stubborn ntuser, usrclass and crypt files that don't want to move. I logged into another installation of Windows, took ownership and then used Unlocker to force them.

Reboot once or twice and Windows should catch on. If not, check your HarddiskVolume# again. And make sure you move NTUSER.DAT and USRCLASS.DAT after you edit the registry!

FWIW: I am using the built in Admin account as my own. This should have made things harder but it worked!

NONE OF YOU ARE CHANGING THE NTUSER.DAT AND USRCLASS.DAT LOCATIONS IN THE REGISTRY!! That is why you're getting these errors. You also have to copy the Junctions, not the contents of the junctions! Please read my post. I'm trying to help. (I've also updated it.)

I have Read Many Different Descriptions for this but find them mostly very complicated.
Especially for the average User.
Here's my Method, and I have been Using it for Years without any problems, Windows 7 and 8.
Lets Say My Present User Account is in C:\Users\Tom.
And I want to Move it to to d:\My Documents.
I Create a Folder in D: Called My Documents.
I then Copy all the Folders I want from c:\Users\Tom to d:\My Documents.
Then One by One, Open each of the Original Folders and Change the Location to Reflect the New Location.
Simple But it Works.

I try the 2 way and doesn't work at all to my one and only profile with mozilla firefox 29.0.1 i use as default browser.

I noticed that in the last screen short you have left the public folders in the default location. Can these also be changed in the way described or is there a reason why they should remain on the c drive?

Why public any less than default or individual users? I'm in 2 minds whether to go the full hog or just redirect the data folders through the move location option. Problem is that AppData mushrooms to many gigs so I would prefer to keep it separate to the os. Any views?