Registry Guide for Windows Registry Guide for Windows
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Registry tweaks, tricks & hacks to optimize, enhance and secure Microsoft Windows.

Restrict Changes to User Folder Locations (Windows 2000/Me/XP)
Category: Home > Security

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These restrictions disable the ability for users to change the location of user-specific folders such as My Documents, My Pictures, My Music and Favorites.

Open your registry and find the key below.

For each folder create a new DWORD value from the list below and set it to equal "1" to restrict changes or "0" to allow them.

  • DisablePersonalDirChange - Restrict changes to My Documents
  • DisableMyPicturesDirChange - Restrict changes to My Pictures
  • DisableMyMusicDirChange - Restrict changes to My Music
  • DisableFavoritesDirChange - Restrict changes to Favorites
Log off or restart Windows for the change to take effect.

Registry Editor Example
|NameTypeData|
|(Default)REG_SZ(value not set)|
|DisablePersonalDirChangeREG_DWORD0x00000001 (1)|
|DisableMyPicturesDirChangeREG_DWORD0x00000001 (1)|
|DisableMyMusicDirChangeREG_DWORD0x00000001 (1)|
|DisableFavoritesDirChangeREG_DWORD0x00000001 (1)|
-
|HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Exp...|
-

Settings:
User Key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer]
Name: DisablePersonalDirChange, DisableMyPicturesDirChange, DisableMyMusicDirChange, DisableFavoritesDirChange
Type: REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)
Value: (0 = allow changes, 1 = restrict changes)

Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. We cannot guarantee that problems resulting from modifications to the registry can be solved. Use the information provided at your own risk.

Last Modified: March 30, 2002

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