Hard link directory junctions in User folder


  1. NavyLCDR
    Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       New #1

    Hard link directory junctions in User folder


    So, I am looking for an easy way to redirect Documents, Downloads, Music and Pictures in the user folder to a data drive. I don't want anything permanent that is going to interfere with the Creator's update coming up. Does anyone know if there any ill affects to deleting the empty Documents folder under the user folder and creating a hard link directory junction to Documents on the data drive? I would run:

    RD /S C:\Users\John\Documents
    MKLINK /J C:\Users\John\Documents D:\Documents

    I tried it on a temp account on my computer and it seemed to work with no issues. Thanks!
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  3. Kari
    Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #2

    That should be OK, quite risk free.

    BTW, this is a perfect method: Move Users Folder Location in Windows 10

    It moves the complete Users folder away from C: drive, all existing user profiles will be moved to X:\Users (X: being just an example), all future user profiles you create will be automatically created in X:\Users. Everything, AppData, Temp, every single user folder.

    It works perfectly, no issues with Windows Update or build / feature upgrades. For instance I've just upgraded to build 15058 having my Users folder relocated on E: drive. My C: drive has no traces of any user data or Users folder, everything related to user profiles being on E: drive:

    Hard link directory junctions in User folder-image.png

    Kari
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  4. SoFine409
    Posts : 1,524
    Win10 Pro
       New #3

    NavyLCDR said:
    So, I am looking for an easy way to redirect Documents, Downloads, Music and Pictures in the user folder to a data drive. I don't want anything permanent that is going to interfere with the Creator's update coming up. Does anyone know if there any ill affects to deleting the empty Documents folder under the user folder and creating a hard link directory junction to Documents on the data drive? I would run:

    RD /S C:\Users\John\Documents
    MKLINK /J C:\Users\John\Documents D:\Documents

    I tried it on a temp account on my computer and it seemed to work with no issues. Thanks!
    Why couldn't you just use the location tab in properties for each of those folders? When you want to return them to the original location just go back to the location tab and click restore to default location. The system recreates the original folder and offers to copy the contact for you. I did that yesterday and it worked perfectly. You do have to delete the empty folder from which your files are restored from but thats not a big deal.
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  6. NavyLCDR
    Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    SoFine409 said:
    Why couldn't you just use the location tab in properties for each of those folders? When you want to return them to the original location just go back to the location tab and click restore to default location. The system recreates the original folder and offers to copy the contact for you. I did that yesterday and it worked perfectly. You do have to delete the empty folder from which your files are restored from but thats not a big deal.
    I'm never going to want to move the files themselves from the data drive.
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