Windows operating system has a lot of so called “special folders” that are folder which are registered in Windows and have special designation. Registration of special folders in Windows allows to computer programs running on computer and Windows itself to find them regardless where they are located. For example this allows to computer software programs to know where exactly is located “Program Files” folder. or where are placed files you store on your desktop no matter on which drive is installed windows or which version of windows you are using. On 64bit Windows systems when you install some computer software program its installer make request to Windows for location of “Program Files” folder and Windows return different path depending whether it is 32bit program or 64bit program and this is why 32bit programs install themselves in “Program Files (x86)” folder while 64bit programs install themselves in “Program files” folder.
Windows user folders are part from Windows special folders
Special folders in Windows have different designation and can be grouped in 3 main functional groups:
– special folders that are related user data like “My Documents”/”Documents” folder, “Desktop” folder, “Pictures” folder, “Saved Games” folder, “Contacts” folder and so on
- special folders that are related program settings like “AppData” folder and its related folders
-special folders that related to Windows operating system like “Windows” folder, “Program Files” folder, “System” folder and so on.
Special folders from first 2 groups – user related and program settings related can be moved to other locations and you can use this option to me vet ham on non-system drive.
When you move special folders outside Windows system drive you get following benefits:
- You can reinstall windows and format Windows system drive without to lost your personal data or program settings
- by moving special folders that can be moved on other disk drive or partition you free space on Windows partition to install more applications on it
-moving special folders on other drive or partition allows you to use smaller volume partitions that can be managed easier, that means you can search faster to defragment drives faster to scan for viruses faster and so on
-separating data on different partitions and drives will increase overall system performance
“Special Folders Manager” allows you to move special folders on Windows Vista and Windows 7 with easy. “Special Folders Manager” works as on 32bit Windows versions as well on 64bit Windows versions and it is free for personal use.
“Special Folders Manager” for now have only portable version that means you do not need to install it on your hard disk drive and can run it directly from thumb flash drive. Languages in which “Special Folders Manager” is available at the moment are English and Russian languages
Before to start “Special Folders Manager”, it is important to make system restore point and to close all open programs.
For now you will need to choose correct location from where to run “Special Folders Manager”, but I am planning to make it automatic.
I recommend you to copy “Special Folders Manager” to root folder of some of your hard drives (C:\, D:\ and so on), external thumb flash drive or “Program Files (x86)” folder.
When you run “Special Folders Manager” Wizard you will see welcome screen
Do not forget to make restore point and to close all programs before to continue!
Click on “Move Special Folders” button to go to first step in “Special Folders Manager” wizard
REDIERCTING
In redirect special folders screen by default are listed only per user folders because they do not require administrator privileges in order to be moved and because they contain folders that would interest most users. If you want to see and common folders, check “List Common Folders” checkbox.
Before to continue to next step you should mark folders you want to move. After you select all folders you want to be redirected, you should click on “Get Size” al left pane to get their size. Getting folders size can take time depending of size of selected folders. If after that you mark more special folders and click on “Get Size” this will get size only of these folders that size is still unknown. You can use sort options to order folders
Special folders that are marked in this step will redirect windows to looks them on new location when this wizard is completed.
When you are ready, click on “Next” button to go to next step.
COPYING CONTENT
In this screen are listed only folders you have selected in previous step. Now you must select folders content of which you want to be copied to new location. By default all special folders are marked. This option is for advanced users only and you should not make any changes here. So leave all folders checked and click “Next”.
NOTE: If you still have not got folders size you should do it not in order to continue to next step. Advanced users can cheat wizard by getting size on just one folder that will allow them to go to next step without to have all folders size. This hole must be used only by experienced users. Other users must get size of all folders marked to be copied before to continue.
MOVING / DELETING
NOTE: This option is only for advanced users! Other users must click next without to make changes in this step!
WARNING: If you move folders you will not be able to use restore option! There is no reason to restore folders to their original location on system drive, but it is mandatory to warn you
In this step of “Special Folders Manager” wizard you can specify which of folders that will be copied to new location, you want to be deleted. This means that content of folders selected here will be moved to new location and space they take on old drive will be freed. Old content will be deleted after folders are successfully copied. This option is not available for folders that are not marked to be copied in previous step and their checkbox is grayed.
Here you can check folders to see their summary size that will be freed on source drive after they are moved, but do not forget to uncheck them before to continue, if you do not want to move them. If you do not know what to do and have enough space on source drive (usually system drive), better uncheck all and let “Special Folders Manager” wizard to copy folders content instead to move it.
DESTINATION LOCATION
In this step you must select on which drive you want to move special folders. Here are listed all fixed hard disk drives except Windows system drive. Drives by default are sorted by free size available on them. When you mark some drive, its size indicator and parameter are changed to show you how it will loks after folders content is moved on this drive. If there is enough free space to holds all data drive space indicator becomes green and you can continue. If there is not enough space, drive space indicator becomes yellow and you will need to select other drive or will not be able to complete “Special Folders Manager” wizard and to move folders.
When you select appropriate drive click “Next” button to start special folders redirection process.
STATUS
After special folders redirection process finish you can see status for each folder redirection. Special folders that are successfully redirected according to your requirements are selected, and special folders that redirection is failed are not selected. You can use sort by path option to sort special folders in way convenient for you to see which folders redirection is failed. If there are successfully moved folders exit button becomes “Log-off” button because in order to complete special folders redirection you should log-off first. Advanced users can close “Special Folders Manager” wizard without to restart by clicking on close button located on top-right on windows, but other users must click on “Log-off” button to log of immediately and to complete redirection process.
HINT: If you would like to move different groups of special folders to different hard drives you should run wizard few times.
NOTE: Some special folders may not be listed in “Special Folders Manager” redirection screen, if your system administrator have been disabled them for moving using system policy. You can see that these folders are available on your system by using “List All Special Folders” option
More information about "Special Folders Manager" including movie and download link can be found in software section of my website. To open “Special Folders Manager” home page click here: “Special Folders Manager Home Page”
NOTE:After you reinstall Windows use Special Folders Manager again to set Windows to use user folders on drive where you have pleced them on first time when you have moved them with Specail Folders Manager. After that you will see all of your files as you never reinstalled Windows - all will be there in same place and nothing will be lost
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