Moving user, public, and app data to another drive or partition.

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firstserverpcbuild

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Jun 29, 2013
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I wanted to move my data to a separate partition (D drive). So after the partition was made I created users folder on drive D:\

* Then in user account I right clicked on my documents folder. selected properties.
* Clicked on location tab.
* Clicked move button
* Then clicked move to the new folder on D drive.
Then I repeated it for Pictures, Music, Videos, and other folders and users.

But when I finished, everything moved except the music, pics, and videos now has 2 folders one on C:\ and one on D:\.

1. Will my data now be installed on both drives in both folders, and if so how can I fix this so I dont clutter up my C:\?

And for the public folders I read on Microsoft community to create a public folder on D:\ and then go to cmd prompt as administrator. Copy all public folders to new folders by using the command robocopy / MIR C:\users\public D:\public.
then I deleted the existing public folder by booting into safe mode as administrator. Went to cmd prompt and as administrator and typed
rmdir /s /q C:\users\public
then I did a Directory junction by doing the cmd
mklink /j C:\Users\Public D:\ public

and now I see public folders still on C:\ and D:\

2. Once again, will data be installed on both drives and both folders, and if so how can fix this so I dont clutter up my C:\. and by having two copies on both drives?

any advise on moving app data would be highly appriciated as well.

Thank in advance.


 
Solution
Chicano
Yes, the WMP Network Svc probably was the cause for the media folders not moving and instead copying. As the name implies, the WMP Network Scvc is a Windows Service, it's purpose in the Security tab is to allow access to your shared media files from anywhere in a private network... So, if you don't have a local network, you can remove that "user" from the security tab and if you do have a network, you can probably share the media folder in drive D to replace the one in C. To do so, right click on the folder and click on "Share with" and specify the user or group you want to share with. If the media folders aren't accessible from the network (if any), you may have to share starting from the D drive.
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Its very hard to move user data after an install as programs rely on these directories. Moving folders should be done during an installation using Audit mode. As far as i'm aware it cant be done in your situation. Which is why its got messy.
Is it possible for you to back-up relevant data and then do a clean install of windows?
 
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Just go to the C:\Users\Manager\Music folder properties \ Location tab \ and replace the C for a D on the folder location path, then click on Apply... a box will pop-up asking for confirmation to create a folder... Accept it and the folder should move automatically.. not copy but move. Repeat with each Videos and Pictures folder and it's as simple as that.

The folders on C should move: disappear from C and appear on D
 
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I just tried it and folders are moved without a problem... the registry data should be changed automatically so there shouldn't be a problem with applications.

 
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Ah fair enough. I have tried it before and ended up being a right mess with duplicate folders etc. I just set everything up from install nowadays. Ill bare it in mind for the future reference though 😉
 
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I understand what you mean... I honestly had previously done it in Windows XP from the Start Menu and the results were not as good as desired... but with Windows 7 I tried it directly from the user folder (exactly as I described it) and I even repeated it half a dozen times reverting each time with both C and D windows on display and you can watch the folder disappear from C and appear on D with the *same folder structure. So I guarantee it works flawless and goes quicker and simpler than this complicated sevenforums tutorial:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18629-user-folders-change-default-location.html

*It should also work with a different folder structure if you prefer it.. just edit the Location Path and desired folder names and the structure is created automatically. Just confirmed this... even the registry data changes to D and new auto created folder names.
 
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To delete the copy you first have to idenfy which one is the original and which is the copy.. if you lost track of it, check the registry for that info. Start > search: type regedit and press enter... browse to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\"Folder name" say for example it's the Pictures folder the default data should say C:\Users\Your Account\Pictures... the moved folder data would say D:\Users\YourAccount\Pictures. So, the registry data is your guide.. if the registry says C, then D is your copy... and if registry says D, then C is your copy. Once the copy is identified, you can proceede to delete it.

On the public folder and appdata:
You can only move any folder that includes the Location tab and those are basically folders that contain user files... system folders can only be moved along with the complete profile folder.. it's a bit more complicated because it involves editing the registry* and if done incorrectly some problems with applications may arise. If you dont want to risk your user profile folder, you could practice moving a newly created user account's profile, and once you see it working, then you can move your own user folder.

*How to Change User Profile Default Location in Windows 7
http://www.windows7hacker.com/index.php/2009/05/how-to-change-user-profile-default-location-in-windows-7/

To move the Public folder you should be able to use the same method replacing the user name for Public.
http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-change-user-profile-default-location-in-windows-7/...
you can check the relative registry data here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
 
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After trying it again with two users, one with admin rights and one with std rights. All moved except for the music, video, and pictures on the admin user acc.

So I created two other users, one with admin. rights and one std rights. I tried again and no problems, everything moved.

Then trying to see where I went wrong I made two other users to see if I could mess this up and see what happen with the first admin user. But to luck everything moved as well.

Not sure why the first administrator user did not move the music, pictures, and video witout creating a duplicate on each drive. Wonder if it has anything to do with WMP Network Svc found under properties \ security \ groups or user names. because the other users does not have that in there.

Thanks for all your help and I feel like I am a lot closer and would like to under stand.

P. S. Do to work it has taken me a while to get back to this
 
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Yes, the WMP Network Svc probably was the cause for the media folders not moving and instead copying. As the name implies, the WMP Network Scvc is a Windows Service, it's purpose in the Security tab is to allow access to your shared media files from anywhere in a private network... So, if you don't have a local network, you can remove that "user" from the security tab and if you do have a network, you can probably share the media folder in drive D to replace the one in C. To do so, right click on the folder and click on "Share with" and specify the user or group you want to share with. If the media folders aren't accessible from the network (if any), you may have to share starting from the D drive.
 
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Solution


Do not know much about registry yet, a little worried, but will check it out.

Can I create a different admin user and then delete the original admin user? actually already done but will there be any problems?
 
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No, if the folders moved without a problem, you don't have to edit the registry.. guess you hadn't read my last response before posting this last comment.

You can create another "administrative" user (belonging to the administrators group).. You won't notice a difference in user rights from the administrator's... You can't delete the original Administrator, that is a system account and if you manage to delete it, it will be created again automatically. And besides the Administrator account is the only way to access the computer should your regular user account get corrupted... what you can do is create a password for it, and save it (account and password) for emergency use.
 
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No network on the computer that I am working on. Fresh hard drive, windows seven, and other apps. Trying to get the D:\ drive (data partition) and users set up before I do an image and then install my data.
 
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Thanks and I did miss some of your answer. Sorry. I restored the default location and then removed the WMP Network Svc group or what ever, from the security tab and then was able to move the media folders with no problem. Thanks again.

Just curious, I read that all I need to do is create folders on the D:\ with the user names and then move the user folders to the user name folder. So when I moved them it was like example, C:\users\user name\music TO D:\user name\music. will there be any problem with that or should have I did a users folder on the D:\? And would I be able to make a folder now on the D:\ called users and then just drop the folders (user names) in themThanks again
 
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It should work anyway you do it.. But I'd take the shortest, simplest and automatic way... which is to just edit the folder path in the specific folder properties > Location tab. For example:

The default location for the music folder is:
C:\Users\your_user\Music

The moved location will be:
D:\Users\your_user\Music

So, all you need to do is edit the folder > properties > location tab > path information, replacing C with D, and next Apply the change... even if Drive D is empty, that edition alone will create the Users folder, the your_user folder and the Music folder, and move the music files to the new Music folder in D. Repeat this action in every folder: Videos, Pictures, etc. as long as folders include the "Location" tab the move can be done automatically, but folder by folder. I have to add that these must be personal folders to include the Location tab... system folders within your_user folder, such as the Local Settings, and Temp folders, remain in the system drive. The point is that only personal files are normally moved to a separate drive for backup purposes, and you don't normally backup system folders.

There is also another way.. Any edition of Windows has different methods for doing specific settings and configurations, that achieve the same results... So, this next is the classical way but a bit different and improved from the way it's done in Windows XP. Right click on your Documents link in the Start Menu... click Properties > a box/tab tittled Library pops-up... Select My Documents C:\Users\your_user next click on "Include a Folder", select the folder and next click on Include Folder... repeate to include the next folder and when you have included all the folders in your_user, click Apply and next OK in the Library Tab, and you're done.

This last method may appear more complicated but it's really not... something I have to make clear is that you don't have to create the Users or your_user folder or any of them, just by editing the location path and Applying the change creates the folders automatically... you may be prompted to confirm the creation of the folders, so confirm the action and you'll have finished.
 
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