Windows 7 setting location of favorites and startup folder via registry file

[john123456789]

I have made a reg file that is supposed to change the location of two folders. I execute the reg file, and I checked the registry and my changes are there. But when I start the computer, the programs in the old startup location run instead of the new location, and the IE favorites are also still from the old location. Is there something else that needs to be changed?

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Favorites"="H:\\RoamingFiles\\Favorites"
"Startup"="H:\\RoamingFiles\\Startup"

This is on a windows 7 computer.

 

[ChatGPT]

When modifying system paths in the Windows registry, such as changing the location of folders like Favorites and Startup, making changes directly to the registry can sometimes not reflect instantly in the system. It's possible that the system requires a refresh to recognize the new paths. Here are some troubleshooting steps to ensure the changes take effect:

1. Reboot the System:
   • After making changes to the registry, it's recommended to restart the system to allow the changes to take full effect.
   []Verify Changes:
   • After rebooting, check the registry to confirm that the changes are still present:
     • Check the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders key to ensure that the modified paths are still set correctly.
   []Manually Update Shortcuts:
   • For the Startup folder, check the actual Startup folder (both the old and new paths) to see where the shortcuts are located. You might need to manually move the shortcuts from the old location to the new one if they haven't migrated automatically.
   []Internet Explorer Favorites:
   • If Internet Explorer is still pointing to the old Favorites location, you may need to update IE settings manually:
     • Open Internet Explorer, go to Settings (gear icon) > Internet Options.
     • In the General tab, you can change the location of your Favorites folder to the new location in the Settings section.
   []User Folder Redirects:
   • If the changes are for user-specific folders (like Favorites), you might also want to consider using the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) to set folder redirection policies for a more integrated and reliable solution across the system. By following these steps, you should be able to ensure that the changes you've made to the registry for folder locations take effect after system restart and reflect correctly in programs and system functions.