How do I easily move my Documents folder to a different drive?

Question

My windows 10 installation got hosed during an update. I've installed a new SSD drive and reinstalled Windows 10 from scratch. My old hard drive is still attached to my computer and I'd like to use it for Documents, Downloads. etc. to save space on the SSD.

I've followed the instructions to move the location of the Documents folder but I keep getting a message that it can't move the folder because there is already in the same location that can't be redirected. I've tried unlinking OneDrive but it didn't help.

How do I easily change the location of the Documents folder? (why does this have to be so difficult?)

Answer 1

To move the user shell folder to a different drive you need to right-click the user shell folder > Properties > Location tab > select the folder which will allocate that folder (not the drive). If this is not working, you need to do it on the registry.

Create the folder you want to move on the other disk, (Documents, Pictures)

On the Start Menu type regedit and press enter.

On the Registry editor go to this key (you can copy and paste on the address bar):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

You will see these values in the image below:

Double-click and change the values circled in green to change the Documents folder location. (Use the location of the folder you created before)

E.g.: D:\Documents

Double-click and change the values circle in red to change the Pictures folder location. (Use the location of the folder you created before)

E.g.: D:\Pictures

After the procedure, you need to manually move the files to the new location, restart the computer to apply the changes in the registry.

Answer 2

Try these steps.

On the left pane, you can see the E:\ with a download icon right? Right-click it then click properties. On its properties, click location. Then click restore default then click apply then ok.

Do that to the E drive with a download and music icon and not the E drive itself. Check the screenshot. I've marked the ones you need to check.

Answer 3

The "E:"s have been replaced with "Desktops" from my trial and errors. But the information is still erroneous. Notice that I've highlighted "Desktop" with the download icon but it thinks it is the Music folder (all the "Desktops" show that when I restore default). So restoring default doesn't do anything.

Answer 4

When you click to find the target, does the music folder appears? The issue might be corruption so it is best to do an in-place upgrade repair to reinstall and repair the whole Windows operating system to fully isolate the issue. Follow this link for the guide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BWh0YRmnT8

The link to the software used in the video

https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/win...

Report back the results here afterward.

Thank you.

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Answer 5

I have a Windows 10 Installation disk that I used to install Windows 10 to the new SSD drive. Can I use that disk to do an in-place upgrade? I have lousy internet where I live so it would be easier to use media that relying on my internet.