Moving users "Documents" folders to a different drive

Dear All

Under WinXP I was able to relocate, one-at-a-time, all users My
Documents folders to a different drive and rename each My Documents
folder so that I could have all users My Documents folders co-existing
on a single drive.

I've tried to do the same thing under Vista and, though successful for
the first user, I have come a bit unstuck with subsequent users because
though renaming the My Documents folder to "<User's> Documents" Vista
still sees it as "Documents" so gets all confused with seeing two
folders of the same name on the drive and tries to merge the contents!

Is there a solution?

Thanks!

JT


--
JTHM

There is an additional problem in Vista with moving the Documents folder:

Many applications are still written for XP (and before) using "My Documents"
as the installation path for certain files. Vista attempts to correct this
by redirecting to the "Documents" folder. If that folder has been moved, a
shortcut exists in the folder instead and the installation is unable to
create the subdirectory it wants to create. The installtion then attempts to
create the folder "Documents", but Vista refuses to allow more than one
"Documents" folder. (It equates the shortcut equal to the folder for this
function.) This continues until it gives up and produces Error 1720.

While this is technically not a problem with Vista, it may make installation
of various applications difficult. (Especially when multiple users are
involved and the Documents folder has been moved.)

"JTHM" <guest@unknown-email.com> wrote in message
news:09e3407e9e570dff3047469415492cdd@nntp-gateway.com...
>
> Dear All
>
> Under WinXP I was able to relocate, one-at-a-time, all users My
> Documents folders to a different drive and rename each My Documents
> folder so that I could have all users My Documents folders co-existing
> on a single drive.
>
> I've tried to do the same thing under Vista and, though successful for
> the first user, I have come a bit unstuck with subsequent users because
> though renaming the My Documents folder to "<User's> Documents" Vista
> still sees it as "Documents" so gets all confused with seeing two
> folders of the same name on the drive and tries to merge the contents!
>
> Is there a solution?
>
> Thanks!
>
> JT
>
>
> --
> JTHM

Mark H;945063 Wrote:
> There is an additional problem in Vista with moving the Documents
> folder:
>
> Many applications are still written for XP (and before) using "My
> Documents"
> as the installation path for certain files. Vista attempts to correct
> this
> by redirecting to the "Documents" folder. If that folder has been
> moved, a
> shortcut exists in the folder instead and the installation is unable to
> create the subdirectory it wants to create. The installtion then
> attempts to
> create the folder "Documents", but Vista refuses to allow more than one
> "Documents" folder. (It equates the shortcut equal to the folder for
> this
> function.) This continues until it gives up and produces Error 1720.
>
> While this is technically not a problem with Vista, it may make
> installation
> of various applications difficult. (Especially when multiple users are
> involved and the Documents folder has been moved.)
>
> "JTHM" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
> news:09e3407e9e570dff3047469415492cdd@xxxxxx-gateway.com...> > >
> > >
> > > Dear All
> > >
> > > Under WinXP I was able to relocate, one-at-a-time, all users My
> > > Documents folders to a different drive and rename each My Documents
> > > folder so that I could have all users My Documents folders
> > co-existing
> > > on a single drive.
> > >
> > > I've tried to do the same thing under Vista and, though successful
> > for
> > > the first user, I have come a bit unstuck with subsequent users
> > because
> > > though renaming the My Documents folder to "<User's> Documents" Vista
> > > still sees it as "Documents" so gets all confused with seeing two
> > > folders of the same name on the drive and tries to merge the
> > contents!
> > >
> > > Is there a solution?
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > JT
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > JTHM > >

Assuming that the same applies for My Movies, My Videos, My Pictures,
etc. that means that for me to only have one folder for Documents my C:
partition has to be HUGE, and I can't simply do a FORMAT C: to commence
a clean reinstall.

From my perspective it probably would have been a "feature" best
avoided.


--
JTHM