Moving the Shared Documents folder from the System Drive
This article first appeared in PCW, November 2004; Hands on Windows XP by Tim Nott.
The impossible thing we're going to do is to move the Shared Documents folder. Although the contents of these, by definition, are available to any user of the PC, including the guest account, many users prefer to keep data files on a different partition - it makes backing up a lot easier and, should the Windows partition get hopelessly damaged and need to be reformatted, the data is safe.
By default, the Shared Documents are stored at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users \Documents, assuming Windows is installed on the C: partition. Whereas you can change the location of My Documents simply by right-clicking, choosing Properties, then changing the target folder location, Shared Documents - and its system subfolders - is apparently welded into place. TweakUI reckons it can move it, and if you run this then go to My Computer, Special Folders, and select Shared Documents from the list, it will let you go through the ritual of specifying a new location. However, it doesn't move anything - but it does report the current location correctly. Nor will you have any luck if you try dragging the folder elsewhere - Windows won't let you move it. A more subtle strategy is needed.
First, you need to create the new folders at their new location - these may, but don't have to, have the same names as the original, and at the risk of stating the obvious they shouldn't be inside a private folder. Next, having taken the customary precautions of creating a System Restore point (see Windows Help for more information on this), run Regedit and go to:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders.
Double-click on the string value named Common Documents and change its value to the path to your new top-level target shared folder. Repeat for CommonMusic, CommonPictures and CommonVideo, giving each the value of the new path; note that unlike Common Documents, these three don't have a space in their names.
Now go to:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
and repeat the change to the Common Documents string value. Next you will have to create three new String Values, named CommonMusic, CommonPictures and CommonVideo, giving each the value of its new path, exactly as it appears in the Shell Folders key. Note that you don't get the luxury of a folder browse control here, so check your typing carefully. Close Regedit, and populate your new folders with a few test files.
Log off, and log back on as another user - you should then find the new shared documents folders are available. Log off, and log back on as yourself, and you should find your new shared folder appears in the top level of My Computer. Finally, if you want to share the contents of the folders over a network as well as on the same PC, don't forget to enable sharing on the folders.
