Desktop

Hi Guys,

I've moved 'My Documents' from C:\ to D:\ is my desktop now on D:\ ?

Or if 'no' how do you move XP's desktop? I think this would be good for Returnil or DF enviornment, where C:\ = frozen & apps., while D:\ = unfrozen data. Good or Bad Idea?

Take Care
Rico

 

"Desktop" is on the same level as "My Documents", which means that your "Desktop" is still on [C:], because you only moved "My Documents".
My "Desktop" is also frozen, until I want it to change.

 

Hello Erik,

Not quite sure what you are saying in your post!

Now would this work or will I be in deep do do, or is there an easier way to move the desktop. If it can't be moved or will cause problems etc.. Let's move on

Thanks & Take Care
Rico

 

tweakui power toy from microsoft allows you to move the desktop to another partition.
lodore

 

Hi Lodore,

Yeah! I just saw that on 'tweakUI, also I just took a look at C:\documents & settings\...\Desktop <to see what & where files are involved>. Kind of scary! This seems like a good thing to do for a Returnil environment. Have not yet installed Returnil.

Thanks & Take Care
Rico

 

Rico,
I don't understand you either, but that doesn't mean I don't want to help you.
This freeware seems to allow you to move Desktop.

TweakUI (the first TweakUI on this website)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Open TweakUI
Click on My Computer / Special Folders
Choose Desktop in the list and click on "Change Location" button.

Let's hope it works.

 

All you have to do is drag the folders and move (not copy) them to wherever you wish. No need for software.

 

Hi Guys,

Well That was a disaster! Actually tweakUI has nothing to do with the move, other than to give instructions to right-drag to new location & then choose 'move here'

From c:\documents & settings\rick\desktop 'right dragged desktop to d:\desktop Next I chose 'move here'

I was prompted regarding move cpil.dll 'said yes to all' & 6 desktop icons were left on the desktop & were not present at d:\desktop. Ok move it all back c:\documents & settings error regarding moving a folder + cpil.dll again. This got me a folder on the spartan desktop, called desktop which contained most of the items. Next drag all items from desktop folder named desktop - seems ok. Next back to d:\desktop for the straggler & drag the stragglers (kicking & screaming) back to whatever desktop I now have.

I'm pretty sure none of the six failed items to originally move were being used. I'll check out cpil.dll. I wonder if this would have worked better, had i been in safe-mode? Soon the acid test reboot & see what the desktop looks like.

Take Care
Rico

 

Rico,

Why are you moving the Desktop to the un-frozen zone anyway? Wouldn't you be better served by just moving My Docs, your browser profile & your Outlook.PST?

just curious,

...screamer

 

I think it only will work if you move the entire folder "C:\Documents and Settings" to "D:\Documents and Settings" with nLite but that requires an install of Windows from scratch.

 

Yes I would like to know this too. My desktop is frozen.

 

Hi Guys,

Screamer - Thank You! I've been asking if this is wise at each post!
I've moved the things you mentioned. Thank You!

Erik You posted:

If this is the case why did you post this:

Your two posts seem to contradict, Rico CONFUSED

Regarding 'cpil.dll' this belonged to or was used for testing Comodo, something about 'injection test', anyway cpil.* went down fighting and had to be eliminated via "delete on reboot." I'll bet this mucked up the desktop move.

Oh also see the small paragraph about moving desktop, this gives no indication that matching folder names are required, nor nlite etc. Furthermore if you use tweakUI's dialog, you will not move the files to the new specified location via tweakUI. Tis why it say right-drag & choose 'move here'

Take Care
Rico

 

Rico,
I don't understand what you want to accomplish and why ?
"Documents and Settings" and "My Documents" are NOT the same, so you can't be confused.
Before I started doing this what you are doing, I had this prepared on paper and had done little tests. So it worked from the beginning without surprises.

 

Hi Erik,

ErikAlbert Wrote:

I'm preparing to install Returnil & thought it would be a good idea to have the 'Desktop' on the [d:] partition data, as [C:] will be frozen.

ErikAlbert Wrote:

Nowhere here (see Rico's 3rd post pic) or from the instructions at tweakUI, was I given the impression that the locations had to match. If so it would be

c:\documents & settings\rick\desktop & the <new folder would be> d:\documents & settings\rick\desktop

And when you mention this: c:\documents & settings\desktop & the <new folder would be> d:\documents & settings\desktop

It's

ErikAlbert Wrote:

What tests? How did you do them, without surprises?

Note If in your 'little tests' you used only tweakUI you did not transfer the files from the old location to the new location. See little pic for tweakUI, I posted.

Take Care
Rico

 

Hi Rico,

I'm not sure how familiar you are with Returnil. You can always boot into unprotected mode to add an icon or program to C: that you have saved on D: or the Virtual Partition if you created one. Then after adding the change, you can turn Returnils protection back on.

You also don't have to use the protection all the time. Returnil has a feature called 'Session Lock' that can turn the protection on anytime. 'Session Lock' turns on immediately and doesn't require a reboot. The only time Returnil needs a reboot is to turn off protection or clear all changes to C: if you have protection on all the time.

FWIW, I think Returnil is working on a new version that can exclude some files/folders or your choice. Perhaps the desktop is one that can be excluded.

I hope this helps.

 

Separating your data from system requires some preparation/thinking before and there are several possibilities to do this.

1. One of them is moving the entire folder "Documents and Settings" and I've seen quite a few solutions how to do this, but nLite was the only one to make it easy. You only have to change one setting in nLite and create a customized Windows Installation CD. After installing Windows you won't find the folder "Documents and Settings" on [C:], but on [D:] and all registry settings were adjusted. I also installed MS Office 2000 and this was also successful and the folder where my .doc-files were stored was also adjusted automatically and pointed to [D:]. The folder "Documents and Settings" contains alot more than the folder "My Documents" and is a complete separation. That was my biggest test.

2. Another option is to move folder "My Documents" to [D:], you can do this easily by changing the target via Windows Explorer.

3. Another option is not to move anything, which I did.
I created all folders myself in [D:] and I used the folder settings of each software to refer to [D:], which was easy and normal. But I tested all my softwares first, because not all softwares had folder settings, so I had to find a different solution.
Getting my emails and email-address-books to [D:] was different and a bit more complicated and I had to test this first.

4. There are probably other methods to do this, but I don't know these.

 

Hello Erik,


I wrote (post #1)

How's this different from EricAlberts post:

Well Erik this does not move the 'Desktop' to the new location.

ErikAlbert wrote:

Yes! You mentioned the 'TweakUI' method which does not move files.

Take Care
Rico

 

Rico,
There are different methods to move the folder "My Documents"
- using Windows explorer and change the target.
- using TweakUI
- using Folder Mover
and there are probably other methods, like changing registries.

I decided not to move anything. Everybody uses his own methods and I choosed mine.
There are no standard rules for this, because M$ expect that you install EVERYTHING on ONE partition.

 

Rico,

Just to clear things up:

It's not necessary to move anything other than My Docs, (i.e. just "My Docs", not Documents&Settings/username/appdata...), your browser profile, and your Outlook.PST

You said you already moved "only these folders". In that case, you're good to go. Nothing in these folders will be deleted when you use an app like Returnil or ShadowDefender.

If you D/L and test lotsa software you can make a duplicate "Download" folder. One on your desktop and another in your D:\My Docs folder. You can copy anything from the Desktop to the D version of Download prior to re-booting if, say, you want to keep the app. Then you just need to re-install it in un-protected mode.

Apps like this force one to think in a parallel mindspace. It gets easier once you get used to this type of thinking.

..screamer

 

Hi Screamer,

Thank YOU, for bringing some well needed excellent perspective, to this thread, you are wise.

Take Care Amigo
Rico

 

Have not used this yet but

http://www.eazsolution.com/en/download_foldermover.php

it might help ?

 

I think it does the same thing like TweakUI, but maybe without scaring warnings like TweakUI does.
It's almost 2 years ago, when I separated my data from system, so I don't remember much of all the things and tests I've done to make that separation possible.
The test with nLite and moving "Documents and Settings" was the most impressive one, regarding simplicity and results, but I dropped the idea, because this folder is also a target of malware and moving it to another harddisk wouldn't make much difference for malwares.

I wanted a separation without any relationship between system partition[C:] and data partition[D:] as much as possible, not complete of course.

 

My experience is that computer users fall into 2 camps on this one. My desktop has "my computer" top left and "recycle bin" bottom right with a solid blue background. Nothing is allowed to stay for longer than it takes to move it to where it belongs.

So Returnil works fine for me. My docs are stored on F: along with IE favorites, Outlook pst, Firefox Profile, Quicken data and Roboform data.

My wife, on the other hand, is of the religious persuasion that seems to require that every square inch of desktop is used to store an icon ( peferably for programs whose purpose has long been forgotten) in much the same way as the outlook in box is used to store e-mail for all time.

Anyway I had thought of moving the desktop to F: as a compromise solution when forcing her to use Returnil on a new lap top. Upon further reflection I have decided against this. As a good fundamentalist I feel that it is my duty to show her the error of her ways and to leave the desktop where it is supposed to be - giving her the choice to conform or loose her data on reboot.

 

I'm also an icon man, but every icon is actual and used. So my desktop usually also changes when I install new software permanently.

But my desktop is constantly frozen, in fact my whole system partition (snapshot) is frozen. Every change I do in my desktop is removed when I reboot. I never had a problem with that.

That's why I don't understand why users want to move their desktop to an unfrozen area. I didn't even think about doing this.
And it doesn't make a difference, if you use Returnil or a frozen snapshot, they both have the same result after reboot : no change in desktop.
I still wonder why some users want this.

 

Almost the same here:
- Royal black theme.
- Nice wallpaper.
- 4 desktop icons (My Computer, Recycle bin, Network Places and a folder with batch files)