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[krysia]

WOW
Berrick , thank you for that...not just the contents , that ,yes has helped my understanding.....a lot
but for your understanding of what I needed to know and how to explain so vividly to me    the lesson made sense to this old brain of mine
many ,many thanks for taking the time and trouble..... 

also thanks again to all that has helped on all my queries......

[oldfogy]

Sorry I missed your original post, but just to add to what has already been said.

When installing any program just let it install to the default setting, which 99.9% will always be your C: drive (unless it's full, that's the 0.01%)

You can't drag and drop 'programs' from one drive to another, they will not work.

Personally I would always partition a drive into at least 3 partitions, for example.
Your drive is currently (C 150 gb )  and  D    (600 gb)

Although sizes +/- would depend on your preferred settings, I would create:-
C:\ 100GB .... For the Operating and Program files only. (This size should be adequate for most people)
D:\ 600GB .... For Saving data and personal files.
E:\ 50GB  ..... For Backup files only.

The advantage of this is being able to move data around and format or restore any partition if you when you need to.
This is still not to late to do, especially if using a program such as 'EASEUS Partition Master' which is my preferred choice.

**************************

Berricks explanation is very good, for Windows7
But a slightly easier way for Windows XP (if anyone needs it is)

Right-click the 'My Computer' icon on the desktop (or Start Menu) then from the properties section you can just select the 'Move' option from there, when you do that then just navigate and point it at your D: drive, also when asked select the option to move any stored files/folders, it will then create/move all your default folders to the D: drive, that way when using any program and selecting the save option it will automatically default to the folders on your D: drive, except for MS Office, you will still need to select the where to save to in it's options settings.

[kitz]

Thanks for the input.   I think the drive sizes had already been set by who built the PC.
Im only really adding to say 'hi' and hope all is well with you

[krysia]

 

[oldfogy]

Hi Kitz, thanks.

Can I take this a stage further please.

I have Windows 7 on my Dual boot, but never got around to finding out how to use the 'Libraries' either properly or any other way.
But since Berricks post I tried setting up my Libraries, but am having problems.

My data drives would be classed as Network Drives as I don't use the drive on the notebook to store any files, which are from my external Nas-Box.

I did manage at one stage to be able to set one of the folders for 'Indexing' but how I did it I just don't know because I tried so many things then one worked but I could not remember how to repeat the process for another folder even though it's on the same drive.

At one stage the message was that 'Indexing' was turned off, and it then gave me the option of turning it on and I was then able to index that particular folder.

For the notebooks own folders the right-click context menu for Indexing is available, but not when a network folder is selected.

So basically, it can be done, and all the folders I want to index are on the same external drive as the one I have managed to get working.
I haven't tried it as it's not a viable option, but it does say making the files available off-line will make indexing also work.

Obviously any help will be much appreciated with how to turn indexing on, on a network drive.

Thanks.

[Berrick]

Morning all,

Just a brief visit, decorating to do

I have never added network locations to libraries, never needed to but if you want to try there are a couple of points to bear in mind, from my notes.

 

• The network folder must first be indexed, else wont work
• May have to make network folder available off line to index (offline files don't work in Windows home)
• The way the folder is added matters? see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Include-folders-in-a-library
• Better way or if all else fails create a link (mklink from elevated command prompt)(will short cuts work??)

As I mentioned these are notes I made for one reason or another used to prod my memory. I will check back later and if you are still having problems will try and index a folder on my NAS.

regards

[oldfogy]

Morning all,

 

• 1. The network folder must first be indexed, else wont work
• 2. May have to make network folder available off line to index (offline files don't work in Windows home)
• 3. The way the folder is added matters? see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Include-folders-in-a-library
• 4. Better way or if all else fails create a link (mklink from elevated command prompt)(will short cuts work??)

I will check back later and if you are still having problems will try and index a folder on my NAS.

regards

1. This seems to be the main problem because I can't find any setting to index the NAS folder, although the Picture folder I did index was after following/trying many different links from one to another in the help files until when using the 'Trouble Shooter' eventually said words to the effect 'Indexing is turned off for this folder, do you want to turn it on' then after saying yes, that folder was allowed in the library, again, the problem is I can't remember how or what I typed to get that far.

2. Off line would involve GB's of information, so not practicable, (the information says copies are transferred to the PC.)
(Catch 22 situation because the folder still needs indexing)

3. Can't add a folder until it's been indexed (catch 22)

4. I'm going to have to pass on the mklink, but Somehow I have managed to get short-cuts in each of the library folders, so all is not totally lost.

Yes if you could check on your NAS drive to see if there is a problem, would be very helpful.
What I did notice is when clicking on one of the PCs folders there is information in the information bar at the top of the page that is not there when selecting a NAS folder, (sorry on XP at the moment so can't say what the actual wording is)

Normal PC folders are not a problem and can be indexed as required.
The problem is only with NAS folders.

Thanks.

[oldfogy]

Sorry for the B2B post, but just a update to let you know although I never indexed any folders I have now managed to get the libraries working.

What I tried this time was to select the relevant folder/s in my account (C:\My Files\My Music) which since trying different things these folders were pointing to the location I wanted, such as (X:\My Files\My Music)

So I tried the move option again by clicking on the link in my account setting folder (C:\My Files\My Music) then when asked if I wanted to move all the files to the new location which would be the library location I chose yes and everything is now working as it should be.
So basically what has now happened is the Library has kicked into life and started to recognise the location I chose and wanted even though I did not use any of the indexing options or the use Off-Line options.

So finally after nearly 4 years I now have them working, how I really achieved it I couldn't say because apart from what I have done the last couple of days which nothing seemed to make any difference I have never even in the past tried to get them set up, I always just put it down to 'another one of those damn Windows problems'.

Now the run, will they achieve anything for me, probably not because of not having that facility I've gotten used to doing things differently, not to mention not using Windows 7 very i preference to XP, but at least it's working if and when I decide to use it.
(Then again, I can now get rid of some more short-cuts from the desktop)

But it would still be interesting if your NAS drive allows or not indexing.

Thanks.

[Berrick]

Glad you seem to have this cracked.

As regards to including network drive/folders in Windows libraries without indexing or making available off line the only solution I know of currently which works is to use Symbolic links.

This is very easy to do so don't be put off.

• First be sure you can browse to the folder on the NAS you want to include in the library. This is to ensure you have the right to access the data it contains etc with the Windows profile you are logged in with and to help when making the link, so don’t close this explorer window.
• Now browse to the location you want to create the link. For the purpose of this guide I used
  C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents, Don’t close this explorer window yet.
• Create a new folder, the name doesn’t matter though the name of this folder will also be the name the new library we are going to create is given. You can rename the library latter but choosing the right name here will save you having to do this. I called mine Temp001
• Right click this folder and click include in library
• Click Create new Library, though you could just add to an existing library
• Delete the folder (right hand pane in explorer)we just created BUT do not delete from the library
  
  You need to be an administrator or a member of the administrators group to do the next part. If you are skip to Step 10
  
  
• Now to create the Symbolic link. Enter this c:\windows\system32 into the search program and files box on the start menu.
• Click on the folder (System32) which should be displayed
• Browse this folder to find cmd.exe. Whilst holding down a shift key right click the file and select Run as a different user. Enter the administrators account details
  
  If the command prompt window doesn’t say Administrator:command prompt in the title go to Step 7 else the next part will fail.
  
  In the command prompt window we will be typing the following
  
  mklink /d Link Target
  
  Link is the name of the link which MUST be the same as the folder name we created earlier
  Target is the full unc path to the NAS folder we want to add to the library
  
  
• Go to the explorer window which we had open in step 2 and click in the URL bar at the top so the path is highlighted, right click and select copy
• Make the cmd prompt window active and type
  
  mklink /d
  
  with a space at the end. Now right click in this window and click paste followed by \ and the name of the folder from step 3. We should now have
  
  mklink /d C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents\Temp001
  
  
• Finally, Go to the explorer window which we had open in step 1 and click in the URL bar at the top so the path is highlighted, right click and select copy. Make the cmd prompt window active and enter a space then right click and paste.

Hopefully you will have something similar to that below

mklink /d C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents\Temp001 \\nas\Data\TestMusic

If you have press enter the next thing you will hopefully see is

symbolic link created for C:\Users\ YourUserName \Documents\Temp001 <<===>> \\nas\data\testmusic

If you do then this network location should now be available in your libraries without being indexed or offline

[oldfogy]

Finally, Go to the explorer window which we had open in step 1 and click in the URL bar at the top so the path is highlighted, right click and select copy. Make the cmd prompt window active and enter a space then right click and paste. [/li][/list]

Hopefully you will have something similar to that below

mklink /d C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents\Temp001 \\nas\Data\TestMusic

If you have press enter the next thing you will hopefully see is

symbolic link created for C:\Users\ YourUserName \Documents\Temp001 <<===>> \\nas\data\testmusic

If you do then this network location should now be available in your libraries without being indexed or offline

Hi Berrick,

Thanks for the detailed explanation, but unfortunately when I get to the above point, my target information does not look anything like your example of '\\nas\data\testmusic' when I go and copy and paste it it just shows the drive drive letter ( Y:\ ) or drive letter and folder name whichever way I try, but nothing relevant to a NAS Drive.

Which results in a CMD message of 'Wrong Syntax'

Something I just thought of is to go and try the last step but using the Network folder and not just choosing the drive letter, if it works I will let you know. very soon.


************************************

(PS,
After my eye surgery last week the eyes are not too bad but vision is still quite blurry)

************************************
************************************

Edit,
I managed to get the result you aimed for, the problem was I had inserted a space in the temporary file name that I created which the symbolic link/syntax must have detected and created the problem with thinking it was part of a trigger/? and not just the file name.

However, I think it's still not what I wanted and am just going to leave it now, basically as explained earlier, all relevant NAS drives/folders are now already recognised in the library links (even without indexing) although I don't know how it happened.

But thanks again for all your help and I assure you it was very much appreciated and hopefully will also help anyone else coming across this thread.

[Berrick]

Hi Oldfogy,

Good to here your eyes are on the mend and you have your libraries working the way you are happy with.

FYI, and for the sake of completeness in case others read these posts.

unfortunately when I get to the above point, my target information does not look anything like your example of '\\nas\data\testmusic'

Ahhhh my first mistake, I should have made it clear that you needed to use UNC paths which would give you what I used in my guide rather than drive letters used with mappings. But you sorted it, most excellent!

My second omission, I should have mentioned that from the commandline if you have a space anywhere in the path, for example in bold as shown below, 

        mklink /d C:\Users\Your User Name\Documents\Temp001 \\nas\Data\Test Music

then you would need to enclose the relevant part in quotes

        mklink /d "C:\Users\Your User Name\Documents\Temp001" "\\nas\Data\Test Music"

[Berrick]

Greetingz kitizen,

I know this post is closed but I thought I would add an "and finally".

Until this post I had no real need to modify Libraries but out of interest trying to find other ways to achieve what oldfoggy wanted I have explored various options as well as the one I detailed here. The trouble with this method is it is

• Fiddly to do, no gui
• Whilst the folders are added to the Library Windows search doesn't work with them

So what to do.

For the more technical here you may be interested to know that Libraries are nothing more than XML files with a .library-ms extension rather than .XML . These files are located in the following directory.

    %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries

There are commandline tools available to ease the addition of non standard libraries such as SLUtil.exe and SHLib.exe.

Thankfully though it some bright spark has a FREE gui (Win Library Tool) which can perform these functions, allow you to add non indexed network folders and locations, backup library configuration and change the folder icons.

I have tried it briefly and it seems really useful, still no ability to index network locations though so search is slow if you have vast amounts of data.

Anyway its not going to cost to try it and it is simple to use.

It can be downloaded from http://zornsoftware.codenature.info/free-downloads?did=2

Hope this is useful