How will "Folder Junction" when moving "Shared Music"

Alan.B · Post by **Alan.B** » 2009 Jan 23, 15:53

I am using xplorer2 version 1.7.1.4 LITE

My daughter has purchased and downloaded many music albums, and placed them in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music

I wish to create a new folder "My Music" on S:\, and move the albums to this,
so that System C:\ partition image backups will be much smaller and take less time.
I understand that any DRM "protection" should not object to this.

Both C:\ and S:\ are NTFS partitions on a solitary internal HDD.

To avoid any problem with broken short-cut links, play-lists, etc.,
should I use a "Folder Junction" to automatically redirect all applications / music players ?
How should I perform this ?
e.g. Should I create S:\My Music first and move all the albums before creating the folder junction ?

If the folder junction fools the application into thinking the albums are still on C:\,
is there any danger that Windows or my Acronis backup utility could also be fooled,
and therefore include it in the image of C:\ ?

Would Folder junctions cause problems with PerfectDisk defragger,
or with Easeus Partition manager ?

Any advice or recommendation will be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Alan

Post by **nikos** » 2009 Jan 23, 16:06

this demo video does similar tricks with folder junctions:
www.zabkat.com/blog/07Oct07.htm
also see this
http://www.zabkat.com/blog/19Oct08-redi ... folder.htm

Alan.B · Post by **Alan.B** » 2009 Jan 23, 16:32

Nikos

Thank you so much for your very rapid and informative response.

Regards
Alan

Alan.B · Post by **Alan.B** » 2009 Jan 29, 23:52

Nikos

It seems to work beautifully.

I can move data from one partition to another.
The Music playing applications think the music has not moved,
BUT Acronis is not fooled, and images of the original partition are smaller as desired.

I have now identified further "static" system folders that only change every other year, and I would like to relocate these also.

The folders are :-
C:\I386
C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET

I would greatly appreciate your advice upon any danger or complication to normal operation by relocating these folders.
I believe the first two are only used when Windows File Protection wants to replace an invalid system file - and when that happens it tends to look in the wrong places and then demand a Windows Installation Disc which did not come with pre-installed XP - so aggravation is normal ! !

I assume some applications may use .NET Framework, but I do not mind if they have to run a bit slower when the disc head has to travel to a different partition.

I would appreciate your advice in general.

I have already posted these folders to the Acronis Imager, PerfectDisk Defrager, and Easeus Partition Manager forums for their advice upon their specific products - it might be unfortunate if their sector modifying software should accidentally perform operations upon both the System partition and the other partition that holds the "static" folders - especially if I also use that partition to hold the iTunes music library that my daughter purchased ! !

So far I have only worked with "spare" partitions.
I will do the work for real on the System partition when I know exactly what is or is not safe.

Finally
When I click on "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents",
the top item on the right is "Shared Music".
If I open that, I can see the music albums on the right,
and in the address bar I see
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\My Music.

Should the Folder Junction be called "My Music" or "Shared Music" ?
I believe Windows may prevent me replacing its Shared Music folder with a Folder Junction - if so should I reboot into Safe mode and try again ?

Thank you for your advice so far, and also for a wonderful product.

Regards
Alan

Post by **nikos** » 2009 Jan 30, 05:53

as for the system folders my guess would be that you shouldn't have a problem as long as you leave a junction behind with the identical name. But I haven't tried it so i could be wrong, so try one by one, taking a system snapshot before you change anything so you can roll back

for your music folder name, the junction name should be identical, the target folder name doesn't matter

Alan.B · Post by **Alan.B** » 2009 Jan 30, 15:49

Nikos

Thanks, I agree. Plenty of snapshots

I will start with only relocating the Music files. They are the largest space hogs and should be easy to move.

I will probably wait and test for a month after moving the each item.

The last thing to move will be C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET.
It occurs to me that Acronis makes careful use Linux drivers etc. when restoring to the system partition, which is initially deleted.
When restoring D:\ it happily depends upon the O.S. residing on C:\,
and after deleting D:\ it will have lost the Microsoft.NET that is relocated to D:\, in which case if Acronis needs Microsoft.NET there will be a chaotic system crash. I will have to practice my disaster recovery plans before I try that ! !

Incidentally the Internet includes much dis-information.
I read that a Folder Junction can link to a non-NTFS partition.
That is true, but it is dis-information.
I put a Folder Junction in an NTFS partition, aiming at a FAT32 partition.
There was no error - it seemd to be O.K.
BUT there was no access either.
I guess Windows Explorer prefers an entire partition to be entirely NTFS or FAT32, and cannot cope with a sudden transition.

Regards
Alan

Post by **nikos** » 2009 Jan 30, 16:47

i haven't tried it but vista's symbolic links might work in this scenario

Alan.B · Post by **Alan.B** » 2009 Feb 08, 18:09

Nikos

I have now used Junction Folders and they seem to do what I need,
which is pretending a folder and its contents on a different partition are present on the System Partition.

Would Symbolic Links have any benefits or disadvantages for this purpose ?

Regards
Alan

Post by **nikos** » 2009 Feb 08, 18:38

if you are already sorted, don't worry about alternatives!

Alan.B · Post by **Alan.B** » 2009 Feb 08, 20:54

Thank you

I am now proceeding at full speed with Folder Junctions.

When a Folder Junction is deleted the remote destination is also deleted.
I saw this somewhere, and find that it is true.

I am extremely unlikely to delete an important folder,
and am no more likely to delete a Folder Junction,
so that does not concern me.

I was concerned that when Acronis deletes the C:\ partition before restoring to it, any folder junctions would similarly delete the remote destination,
but am pleased to say that does not happen.

So - all systems go.

Thank you
Regards
Alan