Copying library folders.

[kol12]

Does it matter how I copy the library folders to another drive for backup? By library folders I mean Documents, Downloads and Pictures.

I've found that if I right click on the library and copy and paste it to my data drive the folder retains the Downloads or Documents folder icons.

Is it copying any other rules when I copy this way? Am I safer to just copy all of the files within these library's instead? I plan on linking them back to the corresponding library's after clean installing.

 

[USAFRet]

It matters!

Copy the contents, NOT the actual upper level 'Library' (Doc/Photos/etc).
If you copy/paste the whole folder, it will also carry over the permissions. Leading to extra work later.
The files within do no have that issue.

 

[kol12]

It matters!

Copy the contents, NOT the actual upper level 'Library' (Doc/Photos/etc).
If you copy/paste the whole folder, it will also carry over the permissions. Leading to extra work later.
The files within do no have that issue.

Wow thanks, glad I asked about this.

 

[Hlsgsz]

It doesn't matter. You can also use these folders directly in tyour new install so you will never have to worry about this(you can change teh default location of each in teh properties). It's actually a recommended practice since media does not need to reside on your (presumably) fast system drive.

 

[Hlsgsz]

It matters!

Copy the contents, NOT the actual upper level 'Library' (Doc/Photos/etc).
If you copy/paste the whole folder, it will also carry over the permissions. Leading to extra work later.
The files within do no have that issue.

Assuming OP creates a user with the same name and password, this shouldn't matter in principle.
But yeah, whyh not just copy teh contents and not worry.

 

[USAFRet]

It doesn't matter. You can also use these folders directly in tyour new install so you will never have to worry about this(you can change teh default location of each in teh properties). It's actually a recommended practice since media does not need to reside on your (presumably) fast system drive.

It matters.
The same NTFS properties that hide those libraries between 2 different accounts on the same system also would hide them from a new user account in a new OS. Even if that 'user' has the same name.

Yes, of course you can move those to elsewhere, within the same user account.

 

[Colif]

It must only apply to copies as you can take ownership of documents folders after a fresh install. I did that last time I fresh installed

 

[USAFRet]

It must only apply to copies as you can take ownership of documents folders after a fresh install. I did that last time I fresh installed

Yes, you can take ownership of those folders after.
But just copying the actual files eliminates even that step. No take over needed.

 

[Hlsgsz]

It must only apply to copies as you can take ownership of documents folders after a fresh install. I did that last time I fresh installed

Yes, you can take ownership of those folders after.
But just copying the actual files eliminates even that step. No take over needed.

Correct. Why bother with taking ownership and such if one can avoid such matters from the get-go?

 

[Colif]

We only talking the library folders, right? copying music over file by file would get annoying if you had to make an folder for every new album again.

 

[USAFRet]

We only talking the library folders, right? copying music over file by file would get annoying if you had to make an folder for every new album again.

No...everything under the top level "Music folder" can be copied as needed.
The only issue stems from that actual Library. That is the only thing that is linked with the NTFS permissions.

 

[Hlsgsz]

We only talking the library folders, right? copying music over file by file would get annoying if you had to make an folder for every new album again.

You can copy the entire contents of the library folder, subfolders included. Just not the library folder itself.

 

[Colif]

Good to know