|
Windows Vista Problem solving for the Windows Vista Operating System. Please remember to state which edition of Vista you are using - Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate etc. and whether you are using the 32-bit or 64-bit version if you know. |
|
Topic Tools |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Unable to Relocate Documents Folder
Hello,
I just reinstalled vista-Ultimate, and I want to relocate the "Documents" folder to the "D" drive so I can separate my data from the OS, whihc is installed on the "C" drive. The process to do this is described at the link below. However, I am unable to relocate the "Documents" folder, despite this should be an easy process!! http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=215 When try to move the "Documents" folder, FROM: C:\Users\J Martin Software Tester\Documents TO: D:\Data Files - JSM\Documents, I recieve the following msg: "There is already a file with the same name in this location". However, there is no file; the "D" drive was just formatted and is brand new. Why Do I get this msg? And what do I do to resolve the issue? My purpose is to put my data on a drive, separate from the Vista-OS. Thanks! Scott PS At one point, I believe I was successful; but since I wipe and reformmated my drive, I have not been successful at placing the Documents folder on the "D" drive. |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Hi Scott. Try Start and rightclick on Documents > Properties > Location > Move.
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Thx for the suggestion--This is exactly the right idea, but this is also exactly my point: This doesn't work; it gives me the errors listed above and I am wondering why and what I can/should do to address the problem. Scott |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Scott, just out of curiosity, was the D drive connected when you initially installed Vista and reinstalled Vista?
|
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Scott |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
Try reformatting your D drive again and see if you still have the same problem.
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Basically, what I did was: 1. Insert the VISTA software and boot from it. I am unable to format the "C" drive volume but I delete the volume. 2. After this is done, I move to repair mode and go to the DOS prompt to format the drive. I issue command: format c: fs:ntfs. I don't know the command for deleting the volume, which is why I do this from the "install mode" of VISTA, as noted in #1. 3. After the c drive is formatted in this "DOS" mode. I then restart. And I proceed to install the OS. 4. Once the OS is installed in "C", I move to "Disk Management" and delete the "D" volume, recreate it, and reformat it. I think what you are suggesting is somehow there is a "Fragment" of the OS on drive D, right? And somehow this fragment is the "Documents" and other system folders from the previous OS maybe? Thanks for the suggestion! I do think you are onto something. Can you explain to me what you think is happening? I hope this fixes it. Should I delete the volume first and then reformat or just reformat? Hmmm. NOTE 1: Drive D is also a RAID 1 drive and I deleted the volume and reformatted from Disk manager! When I did this, I wondered how it handled the issues of two drives in a RAID1 array. Does it really format each drive? But it seemed to work, so I forgot about it. Maybe I needed to reformat each drive from the Raid BIOS? NOTE 2: I also have another drive, Drive E. It was never 'touched' and it has the same problem. In other words, I never reformatted this drive, and I have the same issue when trying to save the 'Documents' folder to this drive. Hmmm. Scott Last edited by jsmartin22; July 12th, 2007 at 02:19 PM. Reason: Additional Info |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Unable to Relocate Documents Folder--Unfortunately
Ann Marie, et al.
Even after reformatting my "D" hard drive, I still am unable to move the "Documents" folder without getting "The File Already exists...". Perhaps I need to reformat each drive individually? Or maybe I need to consider something else? I am pretty sure that I'd be OK if bought two new drives!! After all, this did work for me originally before I wiped and reinstalled my system. Hmm... Suggests & comments? Scott Last edited by jsmartin22; July 13th, 2007 at 01:44 AM. |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
Hi Scott, well I know that Vista has been known to load boot code on additional harddrives that are plugged in during installation so I wondered if perhaps something similar might have happened.
Perhaps we can change the location in the Registry. You will have to copy the Documents Folder and files manually to your D drive first though. When you have done this, set a restore point before trying the registry edit please and then try the steps outlined here for moving the Favorites folder. The Documents folder value is listed as Personal with value data of %userprofile%\Documents |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
1. I reformatted each drive individually and then in the RAID BIOS, I rebuilt the array and when I did this, I was forced to (again) reformat the drive when I rebooted into Vista. Vista asked if I wanted to use "MBR or GPT" and the MBR was checked. I hadn't seen this before. Maybe this will install a new MBR and format and my drive will then behave normally? I sure hope so. 2. Your method is easy for you but more difficult for those (like me) who've never played with the Registry before. Is there some way I can just completely wipe my drive and start over? 3. Can I just reformat my D drives, unplug them, and then reinstall VISTA on drive C? Thanks for all your help AM. I really appreciate it. Scott Last edited by jsmartin22; July 13th, 2007 at 06:13 AM. |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
So my D drives are "contaminated" with some boot code, right? can I just reformat drives C and D, and then reinstall VISTA OS, ensuring drive D is not connected? Will this resolve problem? Or is the boot drive "contaminated" and this will affect even a new install by contaminating the new registry? My goal, btw, is to move all the User Shell Folders to the alternative "D drive". Last edited by jsmartin22; July 13th, 2007 at 02:22 PM. |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Let's look at the settings in your registry. Go here and download, unzip and run SteelWerX Registry Search utility. Type documents in the upper listbox and click OK. The Registry Search will search the Registry and report what it finds. The results are saved to a file named RegSearch.txt in the same location as the program but it will be probably be too large to post here so send it to me. Copy the text file to a new folder, zip it up (this is important) and email it to me (include a link to this thread) and title your email "Requested File". My address is anniefriday@xtra.co.nz. I will post back when I have checked it out. |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Thanks Scott, I received the file. I am not 100% certain but I think the problem may be caused by your Norton software. I found the below entry:
Code:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Symantec\N360\SPProtectedLocations] "CSIDL_COMMON_DOCUMENTS"="C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents" If this is not a setting you activated, the only real way to find out is to uninstall Norton, reboot and see if you still have a problem. I could remove the key but there may be others tied into to this so this may not be effective. |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Unable to Successfully Move Documents Folder
Quote:
Also, if I move only the "Documents" folder into: D:/Files, where Files is a folder, 'Documents' moves, but it replaces 'Files'; that is, D:/Files => D:/Documents, where the folder "Files" has disappeared. I mention this just in case it is a clue. Sure would be nice if I could ID the issue, since relocating the user shell folders to a separate drive directly separate data from the OS, which I belive is invaluable. Thx for all your help (AM). Scott Last edited by jsmartin22; July 15th, 2007 at 02:19 AM. |
#15
|
||||
|
||||
What is on your E drive Scott? Have you tried moving the folder there?
|
Bookmarks |
«
Previous Topic
|
Next Topic
»
Topic Tools | |
|
|
Similar Topics | ||||
Topic | Topic Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
C:\Documents Folder | umc276 | Windows XP | 9 | June 19th, 2018 05:18 PM |
Picture folder in Documents | Ddude58 | Windows XP | 6 | January 3rd, 2008 02:18 PM |
Windows Explorer and Folder shortcuts open to "my documents" and not the folder | Sxerfg | Windows XP | 1 | April 3rd, 2007 03:23 AM |
No Shared Documents Folder | dumified | Windows XP | 1 | August 23rd, 2004 04:32 PM |
Documents folder at startup | rock32189 | Applications | 1 | August 20th, 2004 03:30 PM |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:44 PM.