Windows 7 librarys set to network drive possible via this tool needs adding to wiki?

[round2it]

After searching the form I found a post relating to this free tool Zorn Software » Downloads - Simplicity is the Essence of Good Design it allows you to set your library's to unindexed drives/folders without any fuss

it is possible to do this via command line but a nice gui is always best for the less advanced users

 

the only reason i have posted this is because it is not in the wiki and i think it should be (unless you guys know any different

 

we use a mandatory profile for our users and the library part of windows 7 can be confusing (see all my help me posts regarding this) this program let me set the library's to the users network drives music pictures documents etc it also allows you to add others, im sure others would love this tool.

 

rep goes to themightymrp for the original post

"I have been doing a lot of experimenting with trying to get the Libraries feature working correctly this week and have finally managed it!

 

First off, find and download a program called Windows 7 Library Tool (its free).

 

Then, using a test system, navigate to "C:\Users\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries". Shift + Right click to open a command prompt here. Delete the 4 default *.library-ms files (they are XML but renamed).

 

Run the Library tool, create a new library and point it to a general location i.e. \\servername\share\%username% (for My Documents) or H:\ etc. NOTE - this tool allows you to add network locations that ARE NOT indexed This gets around the normal problem of not being able to add network places.

 

Create the necessary libraries as you would like them. I recreated the original 4 but pointed them to sub folders of the users own network share.

 

When done click Apply. This will build the necessary *.library-ms files in the folder mentioned above.

 

Using command prompt (windows explorer will attempt to copy the contents of the library location!), copy the library-ms files onto a central network share i.e. \\servername\netlogon\windows7\libraries

 

Now create a logon script that copies the contents of this share to the %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries folder. Thats it Each user on my network using Windows 7 has their libraries redirected onto their own network share.

 

Hope this helps"

 

if you are using mandatory profiles just create your library files and the copy them to your mandatory profile %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries folder

 

works a treat.

 

so for all those including me trying to get rid of library's you do not need to now. it makes windows 7 much more like it should be.

 

I hope this post helps out others

[round2it]

librarys working just fine now...windows 7 deployment 99% working how i want it

[wehr]

i also started with a tool (shlib.exe from grimadmin) i put this in the users logon script.

now i just edit the xml library files and add the Network Drive u: - in our case.

[round2it]

tool has a nice front end and has a backup facility etc.

 

very well written

 

no need to edit anything just point click away you go

[mn4deem]

Excellent way to link libraries. I wonder if anyone can shed some light on copying the newly created library-ms files. I successfully created the libraries and they get put into 'libraries' folder. No idea what the location is, just displays as 'libraries'. I try to launch a command prompt from this location, but it returns the following error:

 

EXPLORER.EXE

The file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action

 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[themightymrp]

Borrowed from the opening post:

 

 

 

Navigate to "C:\Users\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries". Shift + Right click to open a command prompt here. Delete the 4 default *.library-ms files (they are XML but renamed).

 

Using command prompt (windows explorer will attempt to copy the contents of the library location!), copy the library-ms files onto a central network share i.e. \\servername\netlogon\windows7\libraries

 

Now create a logon script that copies the contents of this share to the %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries folder. Thats it Each user on my network using Windows 7 has their libraries redirected onto their own network share.

 

if you are using mandatory profiles just create your library files and the copy them to your mandatory profile %appdata%\microsoft\windows\libraries folder

 

[mn4deem]

Hi mighty, thank you for the prompt reply Can you confirm the following:

 

Navigate to "C:\Users\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries".

 

I cant access the above path via explorer (access denied) I presume it is the same as:

 

Navigate to "C:\Users\Default\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries". or do I use command line to access the above path.

 

When I run the tool it creates the libraries, but not in the above folder ----is this correct? It creates the libraries somewhere and show up as just libraries in explorer with no file path. The problem is when I try to run command prompt from this location. I get the following error: EXPLORER.EXE : The file does not have a program associated for performing this action. Help oh mighty1

 

 

 

The problem I m having is copying the newly created libraries to another location. When the tool is run it creates the libraries. Shows up as 'libraries' in explorer without any path showing. The problem I am having is how to

[themightymrp]

You need to right click on command prompt and run as administrator. Then navigate to the above path. Once you reach the Libraries folder if you type in dir you will see the list of *.library-ms files

 

Use a copy or xcopy command to move these to a network location. You may find it useful to map a network drive letter to the place you want before running the copy command. Then unmount the drive letter

 

EDIT - Either path should work i.e. c:\users\default or c:\users\default user

[mn4deem]

You need to right click on command prompt and run as administrator. Then navigate to the above path. Once you reach the Libraries folder if you type in dir you will see the list of *.library-ms files

 

Use a copy or xcopy command to move these to a network location. You may find it useful to map a network drive letter to the place you want before running the copy command. Then unmount the drive letter

 

EDIT - Either path should work i.e. c:\users\default or c:\users\default user

 

I think I might have dodgy image, reinstalling Windows 7, and going to try again. Thanks Mighty

[mn4deem]

Hello again Mighty, I have managed to browse to the location at "C:\Users\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\" using elevated cmd but there is no libraries folder. Can I just create a folder called libraries in there and run the Windows 7 tool.......getting there:) Thanks in advance

[themightymrp]

Hi @mn4deem

 

Double check that it isn't a hidden folder : dir /ah

 

I can't remember if it is or not. You should be able to just do a cd libraries to get into the folder from the Windows folder mentioned above. If I'm wrong, just create the folder, run the tool and save the resulting library-ms files into your newly created folder.

 

Then you will need to do the xcopy thing to copy them to a network share

[mn4deem]

@mighty

 

Thank you for all your input mate. Don't understand what I am doing wrong! I followed all instructions to a T but to no avail. There was no libraries folder under 'Default' or 'Default User', not hidden either. So I manually created the folder. I mapped a network drive H:\ for a user. Created the 4 default libraries again and pointed them to the users home share i.e. H:\Documents etc. When I click apply it confirms the libraries have been created.I click box to show libraries in explorer, which it does. an explorer windows just showing libraries with no filepath. So I browse to both the locations in post but nothing is in either folder. Is there anything im missing?

 

I have just noticed the Libraries have been created but for the current user logged in and not default

Edited April 1, 2014 by mn4deem

[themightymrp]

Hi there

 

You will never be able to view the files using Windows Explorer, it will only ever show as icons for the Libraries (just like out of the box windows libraries). You have to get to them via the elevated command prompt.

 

Its good that it has created them, even if it is just for the logged on user. What you need to do now is:

 

1) Open the elevated cmd and browse to %appdata%\Microsoft\windows\libraries - this should be the location of the new library files for the logged on user

2) Map a network drive to something like \\DCserver\netlogon\Win7libraries (you would have to create that)

3) Copy/xcopy the *.library-ms files to your mapped network location

4) Use either Group Policy Preferences or a logon script to copy these files from \\DCserver\netlogon\Win7libraries to %appdata%\Microsoft\windows\libraries for when users logon.

5) This should update users library files each time they log onto the system

 

The beauty of this is that you could then use the library tool to modify the server versions of the file(s) in future, allowing you to add new libraries if you wish

[mn4deem]

@mighty

 

Tried the above before, and copied the library files to a test mandatory profile using elevated CMD, the problem was it also copied the current username and redirection was buggered. I will try again and let you know how it goes.

 

I WILL GET THIS WORKING !! Thanks Mighty

[themightymrp]

From a command prompt, connect or map to the network location of the files. From there, enter the command notepad documents.library-ms (for example)

 

You should be able to view the majority of the XML in a readable format - apart from a section called 'serialized'. From here you can check the path that the library should be including. For me this is just H:\

[mn4deem]

From a command prompt, connect or map to the network location of the files. From there, enter the command notepad documents.library-ms (for example)

 

You should be able to view the majority of the XML in a readable format - apart from a section called 'serialized'. From here you can check the path that the library should be including. For me this is just H:\

@themightymrp

 

Your a f***in star mate. Finally got it to work! Thank you for all your help. The biggest pain is sorted now! onwards we go. A nice cold brewskie has got your name on it, when your down the civilised ends

[themightymrp]

Excellent Glad you're sorted.

 

And where might the civilised end be?? ;-)

[mn4deem]

Birmingham, where else