Ostap
24-04-2021, 03:17
Hi
As noted before (https://42amsterdam.net/samforum/showthread.php?t=2435)
Here I'll explain how to move your profile directory to another disk
Let me start from WHY ? - Why one should move it ?
There could be many reasons - but mainly - to preserve your data after restore !
Windows user account directory might be ..or get huge
It contains data for all programs you've installed
It contains settings for all programs you've installed
and it will keep track on what you are doing (hold on ...:)
...not to spy on you but to simplify your work
Although in last few years - spying became a trend among ALL major companies and they do not even sorry for that.
but that's not the issue we're going to solve here
Before we start:
Requirements:
besides your C: - you'll need a secondary disk where you going to move your account
It could be another partition or another disk ...whatever !!
In this tutorial i'm assuming we have C: - for windows and D: - secondary partition on the same disk
If you have not yet done that - enable few settings in your explorer :
Enable to show hidden files
Enable to show system files (and yes click OK when windows ask you - are you sure ?)
to do that:
Open "Control Panel"
Find "Folder Options" => open it
you'll get this dialog:
7223
this one is from Win7 ..and might differ from win10
switch to "View" and check required options:
7224
once you disable the "hide protected operating system files" - you'll get a warning
click yes...
7225
and then "Apply"
aand boom --- suddenly - few more files will appear on your desktop:
7226
Just go ahead and delete them !!! don't be scared :)
(these are just standard windows files - always present - and nothing to worry about)
Now navigate to C/Users/....: to your account directory
7227
there is a bunch of items inside - but check if you can see "AppData" directory previous hidden from you
if you can see it - we are set and ready for next step
Windows 7 - allows to make symbolic links ..yes...but its cumbersome and unhandy...so
download the program that will make it more easy:
https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/linkshellextension.html
It will simplify making links across disks !!! (yes in windows its a thing - if linux user asks)
....
Install it ..
Ok ..once all is done - we are ready to move on
Lets move YOUR account !!!
Normal user account - located at: "C:/Users"
and they look like this:
7228
and you cannot just move/copy it :) - there are files system uses at the moment
so ..
Lets create a temporary user:
Click on "Start" button and in "Run" field type compmgmt.msc
you should get this:
7229
open "Local Users and Groups"
select "Users"
you'll get this:
7230
Right click into empty space - and "New User"
7231
Create one - name it whatever - its an temporary user
and set few settings accordingly :
7232
Click "Create"
Click "Close"
Now - we'll need to give new user admin rights:
while in the same whidow - double click on new user "
7244
switch to "Member Of" tab:
7233
and click "Add"
you'll get this:
7234
click "Advanced"
7235
Click "Find now"
7236
first line - is "Addministrators" - double click on it to select
you should see it being selected:
7237
we are done !!!
Click OK - you should get this:
7238
Click Apply (previous dialog)
and click OK to finish
------------------------------
We are done for this part
User creation is complete :)
After this you have 2 admins in your system
You and temporary user
Before we proceed - log out ...and login with new temporary user to test that all is workign
in the new temporary account - you should be able to see windows directory contents
Once all is working - reboot (allow windows to properly save everyting - and close all accounts)
After reboot - WE'LL START MOVING - SO DO NOT LOGIN INTO MAIN ACCOUNT !!!
login into temporary one
7239
and lets do this:
Open explorer
Navigate to your disk where you want to store your account (its D: in our case)
Create a directory called "==SYSTEM==" (char "=" is used to force windows always sort this directory above any other - but you are free to name it the way you like)
7245
Navigate to C:/Users/your-main-account.... and copy it to new location on D:/===SYSTEM===/
Now most interesting part - rename "C:/Users/your-main-account" to "C:/Users/_your-main-account" ...just in case something goes wrong (will be deleted afterwards)
7240
Navigate to D:/===SYSTEM===/ and right click on copied account - click on "Pick Link Source"
7246
Navigate to C:/Users/ and drop new symbolic link as "Junction"
7242
you should get this:
7243
All done - log out - and check your main account
If all works fine - and no errors - you can safely remove the "C:/Users/_your-main-account" ...
All this - is just moving the account
Whole account !!!
It will provide you with saved data when you restore your windows from capsule
but it will not provide any protection
The whole process is very complicated as it is already - so lets stop here
I will create another tutorial to create "SAVE" way of moving an account that will prohibit virus distribution
while keeping all the settings
As noted before (https://42amsterdam.net/samforum/showthread.php?t=2435)
Here I'll explain how to move your profile directory to another disk
Let me start from WHY ? - Why one should move it ?
There could be many reasons - but mainly - to preserve your data after restore !
Windows user account directory might be ..or get huge
It contains data for all programs you've installed
It contains settings for all programs you've installed
and it will keep track on what you are doing (hold on ...:)
...not to spy on you but to simplify your work
Although in last few years - spying became a trend among ALL major companies and they do not even sorry for that.
but that's not the issue we're going to solve here
Before we start:
Requirements:
besides your C: - you'll need a secondary disk where you going to move your account
It could be another partition or another disk ...whatever !!
In this tutorial i'm assuming we have C: - for windows and D: - secondary partition on the same disk
If you have not yet done that - enable few settings in your explorer :
Enable to show hidden files
Enable to show system files (and yes click OK when windows ask you - are you sure ?)
to do that:
Open "Control Panel"
Find "Folder Options" => open it
you'll get this dialog:
7223
this one is from Win7 ..and might differ from win10
switch to "View" and check required options:
7224
once you disable the "hide protected operating system files" - you'll get a warning
click yes...
7225
and then "Apply"
aand boom --- suddenly - few more files will appear on your desktop:
7226
Just go ahead and delete them !!! don't be scared :)
(these are just standard windows files - always present - and nothing to worry about)
Now navigate to C/Users/....: to your account directory
7227
there is a bunch of items inside - but check if you can see "AppData" directory previous hidden from you
if you can see it - we are set and ready for next step
Windows 7 - allows to make symbolic links ..yes...but its cumbersome and unhandy...so
download the program that will make it more easy:
https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/linkshellextension.html
It will simplify making links across disks !!! (yes in windows its a thing - if linux user asks)
....
Install it ..
Ok ..once all is done - we are ready to move on
Lets move YOUR account !!!
Normal user account - located at: "C:/Users"
and they look like this:
7228
and you cannot just move/copy it :) - there are files system uses at the moment
so ..
Lets create a temporary user:
Click on "Start" button and in "Run" field type compmgmt.msc
you should get this:
7229
open "Local Users and Groups"
select "Users"
you'll get this:
7230
Right click into empty space - and "New User"
7231
Create one - name it whatever - its an temporary user
and set few settings accordingly :
7232
Click "Create"
Click "Close"
Now - we'll need to give new user admin rights:
while in the same whidow - double click on new user "
7244
switch to "Member Of" tab:
7233
and click "Add"
you'll get this:
7234
click "Advanced"
7235
Click "Find now"
7236
first line - is "Addministrators" - double click on it to select
you should see it being selected:
7237
we are done !!!
Click OK - you should get this:
7238
Click Apply (previous dialog)
and click OK to finish
------------------------------
We are done for this part
User creation is complete :)
After this you have 2 admins in your system
You and temporary user
Before we proceed - log out ...and login with new temporary user to test that all is workign
in the new temporary account - you should be able to see windows directory contents
Once all is working - reboot (allow windows to properly save everyting - and close all accounts)
After reboot - WE'LL START MOVING - SO DO NOT LOGIN INTO MAIN ACCOUNT !!!
login into temporary one
7239
and lets do this:
Open explorer
Navigate to your disk where you want to store your account (its D: in our case)
Create a directory called "==SYSTEM==" (char "=" is used to force windows always sort this directory above any other - but you are free to name it the way you like)
7245
Navigate to C:/Users/your-main-account.... and copy it to new location on D:/===SYSTEM===/
Now most interesting part - rename "C:/Users/your-main-account" to "C:/Users/_your-main-account" ...just in case something goes wrong (will be deleted afterwards)
7240
Navigate to D:/===SYSTEM===/ and right click on copied account - click on "Pick Link Source"
7246
Navigate to C:/Users/ and drop new symbolic link as "Junction"
7242
you should get this:
7243
All done - log out - and check your main account
If all works fine - and no errors - you can safely remove the "C:/Users/_your-main-account" ...
All this - is just moving the account
Whole account !!!
It will provide you with saved data when you restore your windows from capsule
but it will not provide any protection
The whole process is very complicated as it is already - so lets stop here
I will create another tutorial to create "SAVE" way of moving an account that will prohibit virus distribution
while keeping all the settings