This is how to move "My Documents" (or "My Pictures) or any of the "special" folders for which XP maintains special pointers, icons, shortcuts, & context menu choices): 

In XP, the My Documents folder and its links are entertwined. To preserve the relationships you need to move it in a particular way. 

You need to add a button on your toolbar.  Right click My Computer and choose "Explore" .  Right click the toolbar and select "Customize"

In the left pane of the customize window, find and select the "Move To" button on the left pane and click the "Add -->" button (which moves the button to the right pane).   

Click the "Close" button. The "Move To" button is added to your toolbar.

Configure your folder window to display folders in the left pane and folders and files in the right pane (it is probably already set that way, unless you have changed it).

Click the + box beside the "Documents and Settings" folder to view the folders that it contains.  (You will see folders named things like "All Users" "Default User" "Owner" or perhaps your name.)

 

Your "My Documents" folder is in one of these folders - probably the one with your name. Click the + box beside the folder that is "yours" to view the folders that it contains.

 

Find the "My Documents" folder and be sure it is yours - the place that contains your documents (clicking the + box beside it will let you view what it contains).

 

Now go back up one level to the "parent" folder - or the folder that CONTAINS your "My Documents" folder (probably the one with your name) and double-click it. 

Now you will see the "My Documents" folder in the right pane (along with all of the other folders contained inside "your" folder - "Application Data, Desktop, Favorites," etc.).

Select (highlight) your "My Documents" folder IN THE RIGHT PANE and click the "Move To" button that you added to your IE Toolbar. 

In the new window, navigate to the drive/partition/folder where you want your "My Documents" folder to reside, click it to highlight/select it, and click the "Move" button at the bottom of the window.

(I think this is the last step, but I can't try it any further because I don't want to actually move anything of mine - if there is more to do, such as "Apply" or "OK" then of course you have to do that to finish).

If you move the folder in this way, all of XP's pointers, icons, shortcuts, context menus, etc. will be updated and XP will handle everything properly for you and treat your "My Documents" in its new location exactly as it would treat it in its original location.

It's possible there is an easier way, but this is a way that I know, for sure, works.

AnnaSummers


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Vital Tremblay 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 11:24 PM
Subject: My documents folder


Hi I wonder if it is possible under windows XP professionnal to change
the drive where the "My documents" are located? I would like to do
that because it would be safer when I reformat for a fresh
installation. No need to save my document. At least I thing! Is it?
Anyway I would like to do this for easier document finding (lesser deap path).

Thanks

Vital Tremblay (Quebec, Canada)

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