This PC vs Local Storage?

[Intervenator]

Im really confused here. Is everything in my Documents also in my C drive? Does moving something from my C drive to Documents change anything? What are Libraries, and should I use them?

Which do I organize? So confused! I just want to organize my file system logically. :/

 

[caqde]

Most of the time Libraries are stored in (C:\Users\"User Name"\Documents) etc. This is with the exception of OneDrive which is temporarily stored on the HDD but is uploaded and downloaded when needed. If the D drive contains your user folder then the C:\ would be D:\ but otherwise it will default to the C:\ drive.

EDIT: I should note the OneDrive stuff is only available using Windows 8/8.1/10 and is likely only available using a Microsoft Account for the user.

 

[Intervenator]

Shit Im sorry I meant C drive in all places where I said D drive.

 

[DataMedic]

The Documents folder is usually on your C: which is the default Windows drive unless you did some serious tweaks to the install.

However don't confuse your Documents folder with the "Documents Library" which shows up on the left side in explorer. The Documents library may actually show files stored in multiple folder locations on the actual hard drive. Your normal Document's folder on the other hand can be found by navigating to C:/Users/"your name"/Documents.

If you drag and drop a folder to the documents library on the sidebar, it may essentially create a link to the files on your D: rather than actually move them to your documents folder.

Hope this helps rather than confuses you more. It's a god aweful system Microsoft came up with.

 

[smog0]

Im really confused here. Is everything in my Documents also in my D drive?

Does moving something from my D drive to Documents change anything?

by default no to both which take us to your next point

What are Libraries, and should I use them?

Libraries are a feature in windows that lets you "merge" 2 or more 'physical' -as in p.e C:/mydocs and D:/workstuff/work - folders into one 'logical' library "Work" Library

 

[Intervenator]

Hmm... Very interesting...

 

[Intervenator]

Thx for the help so far I feel as if Ive grasped this system a little better. If anything, its just solidified my opinion on MSFT.

 

[Intervenator]

Im 19. I think the problem is the file system is terrible and really unintuitive, not necessarily that I'm not tech savvy enough. I will admit Im more knowledgeable about hardware than software, but I do know enough to understand any explanation you throw at me.

 

[yoji]

Im 19. I think the problem is the file system is terrible and really unintuitive, not necessarily that I'm not tech savvy enough. I will admit Im more knowledgeable about hardware than software, but I know enough to get around. But this... Is horrendous.

I don't think its the core "file system".. its the extra layer MS have put on top to try and make it simpler for people who don't want to know about details. e.g. the "pictures" library consolidates the private and public picture areas into a single place/view.. so people don't need worry about it.. they just press the "pictures" and they see all their own and any public ones shared with them.
Nice idea in concept.. but quickly gets confusing when you peek under the covers.

Cheers

 

[Intervenator]

So just ensuring I understand fully... If I want to delete something I go directly to my X: drive. Deleting from Libraries will only delete the connection from Library > X:.

Now the confusing part... The Docs / Music / Videos etc. section is where Windows auto organizes files for you for easy access? But they are copies, not "links" of files in the X: drive?

Also, I plan on getting a second SSD this year, so I should organize my files through my Libraries, correct? For example, I make a folder in Library named "Games", and all games that I place there will really just be paths that lead to the respective drive that the game is saved on?

 

[yoji]

So just ensuring I understand fully... If I want to delete something I go directly to my X: drive. Deleting from Libraries will only delete the connection from Library > X:.

Now the confusing part... The Docs / Music / Videos etc. section is where Windows auto organizes files for you for easy access? But they are copies, not "links" of files in the X: drive?

Also, I plan on getting a second SSD this year, so I should organize my files through my Libraries, correct? For example, I make a folder in Library named "Games", and all games that I place there will really just be paths that lead to the respective drive that the game is saved on?

No..a library will just be a number of real locations.. looking like a single one.
So.. if you delete a file.. then you delete it from where it is ... its not a copy
if you remove a location from your library.. you delete no real file.. you just delete the link (i.e. the link that says "include this physical location in this library")

Clear? (See.. like I said.. its gets messy when you look under the covers).
HTH
Cheers

 

[Intervenator]

So a folder in Library is essentially a virtual hard drive powered by physical hard drives, more or less?

 

[yoji]

So a folder in Library is essentially a virtual hard drive powered by physical hard drives, more or less?

Wow .. you taking some SERIOUS liberties.. but if I squint .. and pretend I missed half of what you said... YES ;-)

Cheers