Can you delete/recreate My Docs in WinXP?

Can you delete and manually recreate the My Docs folder (in Windows XP) and its subfolders? Or will this totally mess up your operating system world?

I partitioned my hard drive into C: and D: partitions. I then used the Windows XP commands to move My Docs, along with all its subfolders and data, into the D: partition. I have been imaging both C: and D: using BootIt NG with no problems until last weekend when BootIt reported a problem reading the D: partition (consistently at each image attempt). Running both CHKDSK and Norton Disk Doctor on D: did not resolve the problem.

Someone on the TeraByte Unlimited support forum suggested I delete the D: partition and recreate it on the assumption that the partition is corrupt instead of the hard drive being defective.

So my question is, can I delete My Docs and its subfolders from D: (after copying all data to my big external hard drive) and manually recreate them? Or will this action somehow break a link between My Docs and the rest of Windows XP and totally mess things up?

I appreciate advice from Wilders folks who know whereof they speak!

Regards,
Stro

 

I've done this and there is a way to do it correctly. I will have to do a little bit of research.

My configuration at home is the same way. My Documents, and Program Files are on the D:. They were all originally on the C: until I added a second drive. I moved everything without reinstalling. Problem is, I did it A LONG time ago.

Stay tuned.

 

Read this Microsoft article. I think that that is all you need.

 

Thank you Close Hauled for the reply.

I already am aware of the information in the link you provided. I have a thick Microsoft Windows XP Inside/Out manual which told me how to move My Docs (& subfolders & data) from its default location, and how to move it back.

The issue is this: What if the size of all the photos, spreadsheets, etc that I have in D: exceeds the space allocated to C:? In that case, you could not perform a simple "restore My Docs to its default location."

Thinking about it, there may be several solutions. One might be to copy all D: data to the external HD, delete the data from D:, then once D: is empty of data restore My Docs to its default C: location, then delete and rebuild the D: partition, move My Docs back to D:, then copy all the data from the external HD back into D:.

I was just wondering what would happen if you deleted My Docs and manually re-entered the My Docs folder and its subfolder.

Stro

 

Do you have XP Home, or Pro?

 

I have XP Home on the PC with the D: partition read problem. But I do have a XP Pro in the house as well.

 

Sounds like you have some juggling to do.

Here is how I would do it (only because I have the resources):

I would use Norton Ghost (or Acronis True Image) to duplicate the partitions onto two separate drives. Or I would create images of both partitions onto CD or DVD-ROMs with Ghost. Then dump the images onto their respective drives.

I am certain that their are other ways of doing this with Norton PartitionMagic or something.

I hope I am on the same wavelength now. It took me a while to understand what you were trying to do.