Virtual Folder "My Documents"

Hi Tweakers,
When I open "Windows Explorer" I see 4 folders on the left side under "Desktop" :

My Documents
My Computer
My Network Places
Recycle Bin

I know that the first folder "My Documents" is some kind of virtual folder,
while the real folder is stored here : "C:\Documents and Settings\Erik\My Documents"
The real folder is not a problem. I don't even use that folder, because my personal data is stored on another harddisk/partition.

The virtual folder "My Documents" is bugging me and I would like to see this :

My Computer
My Network Places
Recycle Bin

How can I remove the virtual folder "My Documents" without affecting the real folder ?
I'm almost sure that it can be done with some setting, but I don't remember how and I can't find it in my tweaking softwares either.

 

"My Documents" IS "C:\Documents and Settings\Erik\My Documents"

Try doing this:
"Click Start, then Run and type: regsvr32 /u mydocs.dll"

 

I did this, but it doesn't work, the virtual folder is still there, even after reboot.

I also tried to delete the virtual folder, but it's back after reboot.

 

Right click desktop - properties - Desktop tab - Customise desktop - untick what you don't want to see on desktop - OK and Apply out of there.

 

Huh ?

 

Or here.
Were the instructions that hard to follow

 

I am Dumb,your right ....

 

Guys,

I think you're misinterpreting Erik's question I believe he wanted 'My Documents' to disappear from Explorer's folder list, not from desktop.

I'm not sure why you bother with this Erik. I personally use 'My Documents' in Explorer, I just don't use the default folder under 'C:\Docs & Settings', instead I point it to some other folder on my drive D (where I keep my data). Like this -



I know this is not the answer to your question, but could be a solution for you...

 

I did same way you proposed some time ago,but it does't move but copied it instead to another part.Weird,if i delete content of my documents on C,also same content in my documents on G[in my case] are deleted too.

 

Dear Tweakers,
Thanks for all the answers and beautiful pictures (= 1000 words).
It seems to me that making the virtual folder "My Documents" INVISIBLE isn't possible in WinXPproSP2.
I probably remembered that it was possible in Win2000pro and that's why I was almost sure, that it was also possible in WinXPproSP2.

Nevertheless, there is an improvement, thanks to your suggestions.
When I open Windows Explorer now, it looks like this :

My Computer
My Documents
My Network Places
Recycle Bin

I can live with this, except for one thing : when I open Windows Explorer, the cursor is still on "My Documents" and not on "My Computer".
BUT I remember vaguely a registry setting, where you can change the cursor.
Once I find that setting, I'm satisfied and I can do this myself.

@Seer,
As you said, it wasn't my question and it wasn't about moving the folder "My Documents" either.
I separated my data from my system since March 2006, but without moving the folder "My Documents" from [C:] to [D:], because I wanted my own folder-name(s) on [D:].
My [C:] has never been changed and is like any computer with one harddisk and one big partition[C:] with everything on it, except for one thing : no personal files of any kind, emails and email-address-books.
This separation and installing FirstDefense-ISR changed my computer forever in a very good way. My computer is a paradise now, instead of a nightmare in the past. Of course also a paradise can be improved and that's what I'm doing with my total re-install of September.
Thanks for the help.

 

R-click 'explorer' icon, click 'properties', in 'target' field (which reads '%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe') change the line to '%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}'
This will force the focus to 'My Computer'.

 

Thanks alot. That really works and saves me time and research.

 

Hello Tweakers,
After the removal of many components and even more tweakings,
I still have one very annoying issue in my new installation image.

During reboot and right before my Desktop, I still get that annoying Logon Screen, where I still have to click on my "Avatar and Erik" to get my desktop.
I know it is possible to remove that Logon Screen, but I don't know HOW and that is my question.
I hope this is an easy one for you.

 

Hi Erik thats a really easy question.
see the screenshot attached of tweakui power toy.
im sure you can do it without the tweakui power toy
lodore

 

Thanks alot. It seems to me that I have to install TweakUI as second tweaking software in my new image. I was trying to avoid it, but my actual Tweaking software doesn't seem to have that option.

FYI, regarding "removal of components", done with XPLite Pro, I was surprised by one thing.
The volume of my system partition [C:] was 3,51gb BEFORE the removal of components.
After the removal of components the volume was 3,54gb, I expected at least a decrease, not an increase. I checked a few removals and they were gone. So the removal was done correctly.
Then I did all my tweakings and my volume was back to 3,51gb.
Very weird.

 

Hi Erik,
that does seem very strange.
i would of thought it would be less as well.
since when has taking stuff out use more space.
all ive removed on this pc is the indexing service and the windows messenger since i have windows live messenger.

Im still confused about the virtual my documents folder.
in windows 2000 i moved the my documents to D:/Tim/my documents by right clicking on my documents and clicking on move.
then i went to C:documents and settings/Tim and removed the original my documents folder and it didnt affect my other folder.
is this different in Windows Xp?
lodore

 

I didn't move the folder "My Documents" to another partition[D:], like you did.
My Windows is still the same and has a complete folder "C:\Documents and Settings" and the folder "My Documents" is still there.
So I have no experience with MOVING Windows folders, because I never did.

I created new folders with other names in my data partition[D:] for EVERYTHING.
The only move I did was for Thunderbird to get my emails and email-address-book on my data partition[D:], but Thunderbird isn't Windows.

I did the same for Firefox in the past, but I changed my mind because I didn't trust it. There was also a problem with certain extensions, that didn't work properly anymore due to that separation.
Mozilla website warns you in advance for possible extension problems, but that was not my reason. Browsers are constantly on the internet and a source of infections. My system partition is always cleaned by my freeze storage on reboot, but not my data partition. I store my bookmarks on delicio.us to keep them.

 

I found a reasonable explanation in the knowledgebase of XPLite Pro, why the volume wasn't reduced after the removal of components.
I still have to verify it, but it's most probably true.

When you remove components, XPLite creates a folder "lastgood".
If something goes wrong, you can boot in Safe Mode and boot from there in the last good configuration and then Windows will use that folder "lastgood" to fix the problem.
Normally Windows removes that folder after the next reboot, but sometimes it fails to do that and then the user has to delete it manually.
So I will search for that folder, delete it and then I will see the difference.

 

Hi Erik,
that does make sence.
tell me the result once you have deleted that folder.
lodore

 

The folder "lastgood" didn't exist on my system partition [C:].

 

Erik if your on an XP slimming quest you could follow Bold Fortune's guide which is what I use mainly to get rid of the larger useless files/folders.

I haven't got into the individual dll's as yet but may get around to it when I feel like tinkering a bit more.

Xplite finally rang a bell here and I only use it to turn off file protection.

Bold Fortune's XP Slimming Guide

 

Hello,

I don't understand the fuss.
I use My Computer to access files and folders on different drives.
It opens a list of hard drives, optical drives and that's it.
My Documents is nowhere to be seen.

I hate the Explore option. I find the Windows Explorer to be totally annoying and useless. Not the friendliest of ways to browse folders. I prefer two separate windows using My Computer - or a different explorer.

That said, you can replace it with a decent alternative, freeCommander for example.

Mrk

 

this might not be what you are talking about, but you can customise places with this programme too.
http://www.ioisland.com/placesbar/

 

OK. Thanks alot for the advice and usefull link.
I'm going to postpone the removal of components in WinXPproSP2, until I know what I'm doing.
I don't have enough time to prepare this thoroughly, because I want to re-install my computer from scratch somewhere in September.
If I remove too much or wrongly, I will get other unwanted problems.
I will prepare this gradually in test images instead of my new actual system partition.