If you try to move or rename the “Documents and Settings” folderin Windows, you receive the following error message:
“Documents and Settings is a Windows system folder and is requiredfor Windows to run properly. It cannot be moved or renamed.”
This behavior is by design.
To specify a different folder for the “Documents and Settings” folderduring installation, follow these steps:
| 1. |
Use the /UNATTEND switch with Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe and insert the following entryinto the Unattend.txt file, where z:\foldername is the path and foldername you want:
[GuiUNattended]
ProfilesDir = z:\foldername
|
| 2. |
Install Windows. The path you included in the Unattend.txt file is used instead ofthe default “Documents and Settings” folder. |
For more information about unattended setup of Windows 2000, click the following articlenumber to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
183245 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/183245/) Changesto Windows 2000 Unattended Winnt[32].exe command line
NOTE: The following section provides information about a configurationthat Microsoft does not support. We provide this information for informational purposesonly; Microsoft makes no guarantee that this configuration functions properly.
WARNING: Microsoft strongly recommends against renaming any system folder.Catastrophic system failure or an unstable computer could result if you rename systemfolders. If implemented, a backup should be made of the system before attempting thisprocedure.
To rename or move the “Documents and Settings” folder, use the appropriate method.
User-specific
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectlyby using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might requirethat you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problemscan be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
NOTE: This method does not relocate key Windows components. Use this methodif you require only user-specific data to be moved.
To specify a different folder for the “Documents and Settings” folder after you installWindows for a particular user, follow these steps:
| 1. |
Identify the user’s profile path. There are two methods to identify the profile path.Either by user path settings or user SID. The user SID method is preferred.
| • |
User SID method
| a. |
Use the GETSID tool from the Windows Server Resource Kit to obtain the SID. Use syntaxsimilar to the following example:
GETSID \\SERVER1 UserName \\SERVER1 UserName
|
| b. |
Once you obtain the SID, use Regedit.exe or Regedt32.exe to select the user’s SIDunder the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
|
|
| • |
User path setting
| a. |
Log on to the computer as the user, and then type SET ata command prompt. Note the setting for USERPROFILE, and then close the command promptwindow. |
| b. |
Log on as an administrator of the computer. |
| c. |
Use Registry Editor to add the USERPROFILE setting to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
|
| d. |
Click the registry key, and then click Find on the Edit menu. |
| e. |
In the Find box, type the value of the USERPROFILE setting, and then click FindNext. |
|
|
| 2. |
Change the ProfileImagePath value to use the new path you want in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList registry key. |
| 3. |
Close Registry Editor, and then log on as the user. Type SET atthe command prompt to verify the path has changed. |
Entire Folder
NOTE: This method relocates key Windows components. Use this method only ifyou require the “Documents and Settings” folder to be moved or renamed and you cannotuse the Unattend.txt file to change the name during installation.
To specify a different folder for the entire “Documents and Settings” folder, includingkey system components, follow these steps:
| 1. |
Log on to the computer as an administrator. |
| 2. |
Create a new folder. |
| 3. |
Open the current “Documents and Settings” folder. |
| 4. |
On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the View tab. |
| 5. |
Under Advanced settings click Showhidden files and folders, and then click to clear the Hidefile extensions for known file types and Hide protectedoperating system files check boxes. |
| 6. |
Click OK. |
| 7. |
Click and drag to copy all the folders to the new folder, except for the currentlylogged on users folder. |
| 8. |
In Control Panel, double-click System, and then click the User Profiles tab. |
| 9. |
Copy the current user’s profile to the new folder. |
| 10. |
Click OK, close Control Panel, and then log off and log on to the computeras an administrator again. |
| 11. |
In Registry Editor, click Find on the Edit menu. |
| 12. |
Type documents and settings, and then click Find. |
| 13. |
Replace the value data or rename the value or registry key to the new path for eachand every registry key and value that contains the original path.NOTE: Youmust complete this change for every instance in the registry or your computer maynot start. It is imperative that you update all registry keys and values with thenew path.
|
| 14. |
Restart the computer. |
| 15. |
You can now safely remove the original “Documents and Settings” folder. |
Note If you search the registry for “Documents and Settings,” you will finda string value in the following subkey: HKLM\system\controlset001\control\hivelist.This string value is \Device\HarddiskVolume#\Documents and Settings. Do not changethis string value. After you finish searching for “Documents and Settings,” also searchfor the short file name “Docume~1.” Change the path for those results.
