Documents folder is missing and other folder worries

When I used XP I kept the My Documents file on my D: drive. Apart from
anything else this made backing-up a cinch. After upgrading to Vista, I
played around and managed to get the D: drive to appear on my start menu.

It also appears under my Username folder on the start menu. However, it is
grey rather than green and in both places is is called DATA (D rather than
documents (or possibly Documents).

My Music and Pictures folders are stored as sub-folders in this drive/folder
in the right place, but the other default folders such as Links, Saved
Games, Searches, Downloads and Favourites are not, for some reason they
still sit on the C: drive. My Videos folder is on my E: drive where I would
like to keep it.

Ideally I'd like all these folders to sit on D: with a green Documents
folder and all the sub-folders (except Videos). I've seen plenty of online
tips about moving folders, sometimes they involve tinkering with the
registry, but not much about fixing wrongly configured folders. This isn't
just petty nonsense, I really need everything in one place so I can organise
simple and reliable back-ups.

Where do I start?

I assume that you are talking about the `My Documents` as a
`folder/directory` and not `file` as mentioned in your first line.What
exactly do you mean by a folder being `green/gray`?
There seems to be a volume-labeling issue about the mapping which you have
done.The reason that the folders you mentioned do not appear at that
location is because XP did not HAVE those folder created by default for
users.Vista does have.You also probably need to tinker with templates by
customising the folders.

"billb" <> wrote in message
news:9ED4AB1C-D7D0-4D3A-84AE-...
When I used XP I kept the My Documents file on my D: drive. Apart from
anything else this made backing-up a cinch. After upgrading to Vista, I
played around and managed to get the D: drive to appear on my start menu.

It also appears under my Username folder on the start menu. However, it is
grey rather than green and in both places is is called DATA (D rather than
documents (or possibly Documents).

My Music and Pictures folders are stored as sub-folders in this drive/folder
in the right place, but the other default folders such as Links, Saved
Games, Searches, Downloads and Favourites are not, for some reason they
still sit on the C: drive. My Videos folder is on my E: drive where I would
like to keep it.

Ideally I'd like all these folders to sit on D: with a green Documents
folder and all the sub-folders (except Videos). I've seen plenty of online
tips about moving folders, sometimes they involve tinkering with the
registry, but not much about fixing wrongly configured folders. This isn't
just petty nonsense, I really need everything in one place so I can organise
simple and reliable back-ups.

Where do I start?

billb;753824 Wrote:
> When I used XP I kept the My Documents file on my D: drive. Apart fro
> anything else this made backing-up a cinch. After upgrading to Vista,
> played around and managed to get the D: drive to appear on my star
> menu
>
> It also appears under my Username folder on the start menu. However, i
> i
> grey rather than green and in both places is is called DATA (D rathe
> tha
> documents (or possibly Documents)
>
> My Music and Pictures folders are stored as sub-folders in thi
> drive/folde
> in the right place, but the other default folders such as Links, Save
> Games, Searches, Downloads and Favourites are not, for some reason the
> still sit on the C: drive. My Videos folder is on my E: drive where
> woul
> like to keep it
>
> Ideally I'd like all these folders to sit on D: with a green Document
> folder and all the sub-folders (except Videos). I've seen plenty o
> onlin
> tips about moving folders, sometimes they involve tinkering with th
> registry, but not much about fixing wrongly configured folders. Thi
> isn'
> just petty nonsense, I really need everything in one place so I ca
> organis
> simple and reliable back-ups
>
> Where do I start

Hi Billb

These tutorials may be able to help you out

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90...ll-folders.htm

an

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14...ing-folder.htm

Hope this helps
Shaw

--
Brin

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not as
them.*
'*VISTA FORUMS*' *Please post feedback to help others.*

Yes, I meant folder.

Vista's named default folders appear as green icons. Non-default folders
have yellow icons. Discs have grey icons. On my system DATA (D shows up
with a grey disc icon. I suspect this is directly related to the way it
doesn't work as expected.


"Hiren" <> wrote in message
news:3DF00120-7300-4E91-A8A1-...
> I assume that you are talking about the `My Documents` as a
> `folder/directory` and not `file` as mentioned in your first line.What
> exactly do you mean by a folder being `green/gray`?
> There seems to be a volume-labeling issue about the mapping which you have
> done.The reason that the folders you mentioned do not appear at that
> location is because XP did not HAVE those folder created by default for
> users.Vista does have.You also probably need to tinker with templates by
> customising the folders.
>
> "billb" <> wrote in message
> news:9ED4AB1C-D7D0-4D3A-84AE-...
> When I used XP I kept the My Documents file on my D: drive. Apart from
> anything else this made backing-up a cinch. After upgrading to Vista, I
> played around and managed to get the D: drive to appear on my start menu.
>
> It also appears under my Username folder on the start menu. However, it is
> grey rather than green and in both places is is called DATA (D rather
> than
> documents (or possibly Documents).
>
> My Music and Pictures folders are stored as sub-folders in this
> drive/folder
> in the right place, but the other default folders such as Links, Saved
> Games, Searches, Downloads and Favourites are not, for some reason they
> still sit on the C: drive. My Videos folder is on my E: drive where I
> would
> like to keep it.
>
> Ideally I'd like all these folders to sit on D: with a green Documents
> folder and all the sub-folders (except Videos). I've seen plenty of
> online
> tips about moving folders, sometimes they involve tinkering with the
> registry, but not much about fixing wrongly configured folders. This isn't
> just petty nonsense, I really need everything in one place so I can
> organise
> simple and reliable back-ups.
>
> Where do I start?
>
>
>
>
>

Thanks Brink, I'd already seen those tutorials they are well written and
clear. However, I can't even get to first base with them. In the first
tutorial, How to Fix a Personal User Shell Folder Displayed as a Standard
Yellow Folder Icon in Vista, the step one says:

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Type in the Shell command for the Personal User folder and press Enter..
NOTE: For a list of Shell commands and how to use it, see: How to Use the
Vista Shell Command

If I use the Shell command for the Personal User folder, it finds nothing. I
guess this means that as far as my system is concerned there is no Personal
User folder -- other Shell commands seem to work. But I do have a Personal
User folder on the C: drive. Incidentally if I navigate directly to it, it
does show as a special green folder.

Likewise in the second tutorial, the Shell command doesn't find the Personal
User folder. If I use Regedit, there isn't an entry for Documents. I even
tried creating a new regedit entry for Documents -- but that didn't seem to
work.



"Brink" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Hi Billb,
>
> These tutorials may be able to help you out.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90...l-folders.html
>
> and
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14...ng-folder.html
>
> Hope this helps,
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> Brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
> them.*
> '*VISTA FORUMS*' > *Please post feedback to help others.*

billb;754581 Wrote:
> Thanks Brink, I'd already seen those tutorials they are well written an
> clear. However, I can't even get to first base with them. In the firs
> tutorial, How to Fix a Personal User Shell Folder Displayed as
> Standar
> Yellow Folder Icon in Vista, the step one says
>
> 1. Open the Start Menu
> 2. Type in the Shell command for the Personal User folder and pres
> Enter.
> NOTE: For a list of Shell commands and how to use it, see: How to Us
> th
> Vista Shell Comman
>
> If I use the Shell command for the Personal User folder, it find
> nothing.
> guess this means that as far as my system is concerned there is n
> Persona
> User folder -- other Shell commands seem to work. But I do have
> Persona
> User folder on the C: drive. Incidentally if I navigate directly to it
> i
> does show as a special green folder
>
> Likewise in the second tutorial, the Shell command doesn't find th
> Persona
> User folder. If I use Regedit, there isn't an entry for Documents.
> eve
> tried creating a new regedit entry for Documents -- but that didn'
> seem t
> work
>
>
>
> "Brink" <> wrote in messag
> news:...> > >
> >
> > > Hi Billb
> >
> > > These tutorials may be able to help you out
> >
> >
> > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90...ll-folders.htm
> >
> > > an
> >
> >
> > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14...ing-folder.htm
> >
> > > Hope this helps
> > > Shaw
> >
> >
> > > -
> > > Brin
> >
> > > *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not as
> > > them.
> > > '*VISTA FORUMS*' (http://www.vistax64.com
> > > *Please post feedback to help others.* > >

BillB

In the registry, Documents will be listed as the name "Personal
instead. This is the one you will need to Modify with the defaul
"%USERPROFILE%\Documents" (no quotes) path

Hope this helps
Shaw

--
Brin

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not as
them.*
'*VISTA FORUMS*' *Please post feedback to help others.*

"Brink" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> billb;754581 Wrote:
>> Thanks Brink, I'd already seen those tutorials they are well written and
>> clear. However, I can't even get to first base with them. In the first
>> tutorial, How to Fix a Personal User Shell Folder Displayed as a
>> Standard
>> Yellow Folder Icon in Vista, the step one says:
>>
>> 1. Open the Start Menu.
>> 2. Type in the Shell command for the Personal User folder and press
>> Enter..
>> NOTE: For a list of Shell commands and how to use it, see: How to Use
>> the
>> Vista Shell Command
>>
>> If I use the Shell command for the Personal User folder, it finds
>> nothing. I
>> guess this means that as far as my system is concerned there is no
>> Personal
>> User folder -- other Shell commands seem to work. But I do have a
>> Personal
>> User folder on the C: drive. Incidentally if I navigate directly to it,
>> it
>> does show as a special green folder.
>>
>> Likewise in the second tutorial, the Shell command doesn't find the
>> Personal
>> User folder. If I use Regedit, there isn't an entry for Documents. I
>> even
>> tried creating a new regedit entry for Documents -- but that didn't
>> seem to
>> work.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Brink" <> wrote in message
>> news:...> > >
>> > >
>> > > Hi Billb,
>> > >
>> > > These tutorials may be able to help you out.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90...l-folders.html
>> > >
>> > > and
>> > >
>> > >
>> > http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14...ng-folder.html
>> > >
>> > > Hope this helps,
>> > > Shawn
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > --
>> > > Brink
>> > >
>> > > *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask
>> > > them.*
>> > > '*VISTA FORUMS*' >> > > *Please post feedback to help others.* > >
>
>
> BillB,
>
> In the registry, Documents will be listed as the name "Personal"
> instead. This is the one you will need to Modify with the default
> "%USERPROFILE%\Documents" (no quotes) path.
>
> Hope this helps,
> Shawn

Thanks Shawn, it appears to have done the trick. Naming Documents as
Personal in the registry was probably the bit that flummoxed me. I think it
qualifies as a trap for young players.

One small point, my Documents folder is yellow, not green. Is this normal?
Is it significant?

billb;754735 Wrote:
> "Brink" <> wrote in messag
> news:...> > >
> >
> > > billb;754581 Wrote:> > > > >
> > > >> Thanks Brink, I'd already seen those tutorials they are well writte
> > > an
> > > >> clear. However, I can't even get to first base with them. In th
> > > firs
> > > >> tutorial, How to Fix a Personal User Shell Folder Displayed as
> > > >> Standar
> > > >> Yellow Folder Icon in Vista, the step one says
> > > >
> > > >> 1. Open the Start Menu
> > > >> 2. Type in the Shell command for the Personal User folder and pres
> > > >> Enter.
> > > >> NOTE: For a list of Shell commands and how to use it, see: How t
> > > Us
> > > >> th
> > > >> Vista Shell Comman
> > > >
> > > >> If I use the Shell command for the Personal User folder, it find
> > > >> nothing.
> > > >> guess this means that as far as my system is concerned there is n
> > > >> Persona
> > > >> User folder -- other Shell commands seem to work. But I do have
> > > >> Persona
> > > >> User folder on the C: drive. Incidentally if I navigate directly t
> > > it
> > > >> i
> > > >> does show as a special green folder
> > > >
> > > >> Likewise in the second tutorial, the Shell command doesn't find th
> > > >> Persona
> > > >> User folder. If I use Regedit, there isn't an entry for Documents.
> > > >> eve
> > > >> tried creating a new regedit entry for Documents -- but that didn'
> > > >> seem t
> > > >> work
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >> "Brink" <> wrote in messag
> > > >> news:...> > >> > > >
> >
> >
> > > BillB
> >
> > > In the registry, Documents will be listed as the name "Personal
> > > instead. This is the one you will need to Modify with the defaul
> > > "%USERPROFILE%\Documents" (no quotes) path
> >
> > > Hope this helps
> > > Shawn > >
>
> Thanks Shawn, it appears to have done the trick. Naming Documents a
> Personal in the registry was probably the bit that flummoxed me.
> think i
> qualifies as a trap for young players
>
> One small point, my Documents folder is yellow, not green. Is thi
> normal
> Is it significant

BillB

I'm happy to hear that the Documents folder is working ok now. However
it should not be yellow. It should be greenish blue like the others
Step Two in this tutorial will show you how to restore the folder bac
to it's normal color.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90...ll-folders.htm

Hope this helps
Shaw

--
Brin

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not as
them.*
'*VISTA FORUMS*' *Please post feedback to help others.*