Moving Data Folders in VISTA

Hey guys, I just finished a clean install, and I made a separate portion where I keep all my files, music, pics, docs, etc.

I have successfully moved the correlating default Vista shortcuts to the folders on the other partition, however, I cannot seem to get the shortcut to point to my downloads folder on the other partition. When I right-click on the Downloads icon and choose properties, it does not have a "Location" tab where you indicate the source, like it does with the others.

Any ideas how to solve this?

 

It has to be a shortcut file for there to be a location (target) text field in the properties. Try making a shortcut of that folder and using the shortcut.

 

No luck on that one, I think these are some sort of Vista hybrid shortcuts, or redirectors...it's just odd that all the other ones let me change the location (pictures, music, videos, documents) but this one is giving me beef.

 

Why not try to make a new Vista Downloads folder?

 

Hmmm, I just deleted it, not sure how to create one of the uber folders that you can magically redirect to any location.

 

from what I remember from my Vista days, certain folders required UAC to be turned off (temporarily) in order to be moved.

 

Hah, it's been off since the first boot =D

It's as if the Downloads folder isn't one of the "special" folders, b/c it does not have the same tabs when you go into properties. It might just be a boring old folder with a "special folder"-looking icon.

 

I may be mistaken, but the Download folder should sit into one of the user folder such as "John Doe" and "Public".
Because if it does not, chances are it is just an ordinary folder, as you surmised.
Maybe it was created by you (and you forgot about it), or by some program, or by the script for the OS installing.

 

Nope, the folderI created was on a different partition, and it the one I tried to relocate was in the Users>"MY Name" Folder. I could not relocate it, and it behaved like a normal folder. It was the one that Vista created upon install.

 

it's from another forum, but may be useful to you, have a look. (see step 1)

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90705-personal-user-shell-folders.html

the bluish-transparent folders in your username are *special* folders, if you lost it by whatever way, you need some *special* ways to get it back.
In your case, open up your user folder, press the vista orb in your task bar, type "shell:downloads" in the start search box, and press enter. you should get back the bluish-transparent downloads folder in your user folder.

 

Uber-Mega Reps for you roytse...I ended up having to edit the registry. Apparently when I deleted the original downloads folder, it remapped it to the location where my Documents folder is, so I had 2 "Documents" links...I just changed that to the location where my Downloads folder is, and VOILA!

...AND the folder link Properties business is back in order with a "Location" tab.

So that's that, if you have any problems with the Shell user Folders, go to the link Roytse provided.

Thanks again