How to move "My Document" to another location?

[jackrabbit]

I plan to move all the "My Document" for all account from one machine to another location. I know how to do it manually. But it is tedious to do this for all accounts. I want to write a script to do it. I am new to AutoIt. Would someone tell me which function should I use? If you can provide some sample code, that would be great.

Thanks.

[martin]

I plan to move all the "My Document" for all account from one machine to another location. I know how to do it manually. But it is tedious to do this for all accounts. I want to write a script to do it. I am new to AutoIt. Would someone tell me which function should I use? If you can provide some sample code, that would be great.

Thanks.

Look in the help for

DirCreate

DirCopy

FileMove

FileCopy

Use the examples in the help to learn from, and use the forum search facilities to find examples.

[ChromeFan]

do you want to move the whole folder or just want to change it's default location?

[Bert]

He wants to port the information to a different PC. Microsoft makes a tool that can do it for you. Look under Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools. The tool is called "Files and Settings Transfer Wizard"

[jackrabbit]

Sorry Guys. I was busy with other things and has no time to get on this one. Let me explain my question in more details.

I want to change the default locations of "My Documents". I know we can change some registry to map the "My Documents" to another location, for example D:\MyDocs. My problem is those registry are under HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

I have several accounts, for example, I have Administrator and User account. I log into Administrator account. I want to use a AU3 script to change the "My Documents" location for BOTH Administrator AND User. I think when I log on as Administrator, I can not access User's HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry, am I right? Or there are other solutions?

Many thanks.

[99ojo]

Sorry Guys. I was busy with other things and has no time to get on this one. Let me explain my question in more details.

I want to change the default locations of "My Documents". I know we can change some registry to map the "My Documents" to another location, for example D:\MyDocs. My problem is those registry are under HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

I have several accounts, for example, I have Administrator and User account. I log into Administrator account. I want to use a AU3 script to change the "My Documents" location for BOTH Administrator AND User. I think when I log on as Administrator, I can not access User's HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry, am I right? Or there are other solutions?

Many thanks.

The users HKEY_Current_User hive is in the ntuser.dat in his profile. U can load the users registry hive,e.g. with reg.exe, and change the registry hive as you want. Then unload the user registry, ready.

;-))

Stefan

[ResNullius]

Sorry Guys. I was busy with other things and has no time to get on this one. Let me explain my question in more details.

I want to change the default locations of "My Documents". I know we can change some registry to map the "My Documents" to another location, for example D:\MyDocs. My problem is those registry are under HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

I have several accounts, for example, I have Administrator and User account. I log into Administrator account. I want to use a AU3 script to change the "My Documents" location for BOTH Administrator AND User. I think when I log on as Administrator, I can not access User's HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry, am I right? Or there are other solutions?

Many thanks.

Along with what 99ojo just posted,

this by seanhart: http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...mp;#entry382209

and/or engine's Registry UDF: http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...mp;#entry545798

should get you going

[jackrabbit]

Thank you guys, I will give it a try.

[jackrabbit]

I try the engine's Registry UDF, and it works. Thanks.

However, I still have problem with other part of my code.

In my code, I need to do two things.

One is to change the computer name. I used the following code.

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName","ComputerName","REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName","ComputerName","REG_SZ",$Name);

But when I go to System properties, I found the computer name is not changed. Did I miss something?

The second thing I want to do is to redirect My Document to another directory, say "D:\MyDocs". I used the following code.

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","My Music", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Music")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","My Pictures", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Pictures")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","Personal", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path)

It does not work.

Would you help me with this.

Thank you.

[Bert]

You would be better off using the MMC. Just do start>run>mmc, and make your change there. No matter who logs in, it will do what you need. No script needed.

edit:you will need to add the correct snap-in.

Edited November 22, 2008 by Volly

[jackrabbit]

You would be better off using the MMC. Just do start>run>mmc, and make your change there. No matter who logs in, it will do what you need. No script needed.

edit:you will need to add the correct snap-in.

Thanks for the suggestion. I need to write a script to automate these jobs. I am creating a XP image which will be deployed to quite a lot machines. So I wrote this code and let it run automatically through GUI_run_once. If I only have a few computers, I can do as you suggested.

In fact I have figured out how to change computer name, as below.

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters", "Hostname", "REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters", "NV Hostname", "REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName","ComputerName","REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName","ComputerName","REG_SZ",$Name);

But I still have problem to redirect My Documents to another folder with AU3.

Edited November 23, 2008 by jackrabbit

[ken82m]

Unless somebody comes up with something else. Renaming the computer is more complicated then changing a reg val.

Download the support tools here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

You only need one file "NETDOM.EXE"

Unless your joined to a domain this should be enough:

netdom renamecomputer <CurrentName> /newname:<NewName>

The syntax is:

netdom renamecomputer <CurrentName> /newname:<NewName> /userD:<Domain Admin User> Passwordd:domainpass /usero:<localAdmin> /passwordo:localpass /reboot

There is probably a dll you can call to do this but I don't know what it is sorry

___________________

For changing the docs you might want to try compiling an exe and using it as a logon script to write the reg settings as the user logs in.

You could use Shutdown(4) to force them to log off and log in again to make it take effect.

The idea of mounting ntuser.dat with Reg.exe is fine but I've had problems with windows keeping these files locked even when the user is not logged in.

Kenny

[ken82m]

I found this script to rename the pc in the registry and take care of the system properties issue.

I think I have it converted properly. I've never used that objcreate before.

Give it a try

Kenny

sNewName = "put new name here" 

Set oShell = CreateObject ("WSCript.shell") 

sCCS = "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\" 
sTcpipParamsRegPath = sCCS & "Services\Tcpip\Parameters\" 
sCompNameRegPath = sCCS & "Control\ComputerName\" 

With oShell 
.RegDelete sTcpipParamsRegPath & "Hostname" 
.RegDelete sTcpipParamsRegPath & "NV Hostname" 

.RegWrite sCompNameRegPath & "ComputerName\ComputerName", sNewName 
.RegWrite sCompNameRegPath & "ActiveComputerName\ComputerName", sNewName 
.RegWrite sTcpipParamsRegPath & "Hostname", sNewName 
.RegWrite sTcpipParamsRegPath & "NV Hostname", sNewName 
End With ' oShell 

MsgBox "Computer name changed, please reboot your computer"

Converted:

$sNewName = "put new name here" 

$oShell = ObjCreate("WSCript.shell")

$sCCS = "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\" 
$sTcpipParamsRegPath = $sCCS & "Services\Tcpip\Parameters\" 
$sCompNameRegPath = $sCCS & "Control\ComputerName\" 

With $oShell 
    RegDelete($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "Hostname")
    RegDelete($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "NV Hostname") 

    RegWrite($sCompNameRegPath & "ComputerName", "ComputerName", $sNewName)
    RegWrite($sCompNameRegPath & "ActiveComputerName", "ComputerName", $sNewName)
    RegWrite($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "Hostname", $sNewName)
    RegWrite($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "NV Hostname", $sNewName)
End With ' $oShell 

MsgBox(0,"","Computer name changed, please reboot your computer")

Edited November 23, 2008 by ken82m

[jackrabbit]

Thanks Kenny. In fact I have figured this out. I posted in the previous post.

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters", "Hostname", "REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters", "NV Hostname", "REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ComputerName","ComputerName","REG_SZ",$Name);

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName","ComputerName","REG_SZ",$Name);

My solution is very similar to your.

My Current problem is how to redirect the My Documents to another location, say D:\MyDocs.

Here is part of my code, but it doe NOT work.

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","My Music", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Music")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","My Pictures", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Pictures")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","Personal", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path)

RegWrite("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DocFolderPaths", "Administrator", "Reg_SZ", $path)

I found this script to rename the pc in the registry and take care of the system properties issue.

I think I have it converted properly. I've never used that objcreate before.

Give it a try

Kenny

sNewName = "put new name here" 

Set oShell = CreateObject ("WSCript.shell") 

sCCS = "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\" 
sTcpipParamsRegPath = sCCS & "Services\Tcpip\Parameters\" 
sCompNameRegPath = sCCS & "Control\ComputerName\" 

With oShell 
.RegDelete sTcpipParamsRegPath & "Hostname" 
.RegDelete sTcpipParamsRegPath & "NV Hostname" 

.RegWrite sCompNameRegPath & "ComputerName\ComputerName", sNewName 
.RegWrite sCompNameRegPath & "ActiveComputerName\ComputerName", sNewName 
.RegWrite sTcpipParamsRegPath & "Hostname", sNewName 
.RegWrite sTcpipParamsRegPath & "NV Hostname", sNewName 
End With ' oShell 

MsgBox "Computer name changed, please reboot your computer"

Converted:

$sNewName = "put new name here" 

$oShell = ObjCreate("WSCript.shell")

$sCCS = "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\" 
$sTcpipParamsRegPath = $sCCS & "Services\Tcpip\Parameters\" 
$sCompNameRegPath = $sCCS & "Control\ComputerName\" 

With $oShell 
    RegDelete($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "Hostname")
    RegDelete($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "NV Hostname") 

    RegWrite($sCompNameRegPath & "ComputerName", "ComputerName", $sNewName)
    RegWrite($sCompNameRegPath & "ActiveComputerName", "ComputerName", $sNewName)
    RegWrite($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "Hostname", $sNewName)
    RegWrite($sTcpipParamsRegPath, "NV Hostname", $sNewName)
End With ' $oShell 

MsgBox(0,"","Computer name changed, please reboot your computer")

[ken82m]

Have you tried changing the values manually with regedit just to see if you can?

Meaning test security and so forth.

I also found this but I believe it only locks down the UI for redirecting my documents.

Check: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

See if you have a value named DisablePersonalDirChange

If you do backup the key and delete that value

Click Start>Run type in gpupdate and hit ok

Kenny

[jackrabbit]

Thank you. In fact my method works. It just needs reboot.

[Torment]

There's actually two locations in the registry for setting the "My Documents" location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\

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

So, you may want to chage your code to this:

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders","My Music", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Music")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders","My Pictures", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Pictures")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders","Personal", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path)

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","My Music", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Music")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","My Pictures", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path & "\My Pictures")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders","Personal", "REG_EXPAND_SZ", $path)

Also, you shouldn't have to reboot to make the new settings work. If you open Windows Explorer and select the My Documents folder, when you press F5 to refresh the view, then you should see the new location. I'm sure there's probably a more elegant way of automating this "refresh" process, but you could easily do it with automated mouse clicks or ControlClicks. For that matter, you could automate the manual process of right-clicking My Documents, selecting Properties, entering in a new target location, clicking OK, and then answering Yes or No to the "Move Documents" dialog that pops up. That would handle all of the registry changes, any file moves, and refresh the view to the new location for you. With no need for a reboot.