MHz - I've tried setting the userdir to "D:\Documents and settings" and then do an unattended install. It turns out that XP creates a new folder in "documents and settings" for each install. In other words - it dosn't overwrite old user data, but creates a new folder. After serveral unattended installs the documents and setting folder contains a bunch of user-folders (even though I am the only user) like this:

user

user.computername

user.computername.000

user.computername.001

... etc...

it also creates user~1~com, userco~1~000 containing the local settings folder.

The problem is now that all my original settings is in the user-folder, but XP makes short-cuts (from the start-menu etc.) to the latest created folder - here user.computername.001 - which dosn't contains my old documents.

So - everybody out there reading this post - is there a way to make an unattended install which uses a predefined username (Nigo for me) and makes use of the old folder "D:\Documents and Settings\Nigo" of cause with out overwriting my data?

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders is the key where Windows XP stores the location of per-user special folders. (...) These are REG_EXPAND_SZ values, so you can use environment variables in them.  (...) The next time the user logs on, Windows XP updates a second key, HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Explorer\Shell Folders, with the paths from User Shell Folders, so you don't have to update it. In fact, Microsoft's documentation says Windows XP doesn't use Shell Folders.

Hi! First of all thank's a lot for your good explanation! It has been really useful for me!

Here's just a link to an external site with similar explanations for those who might need it: http://www.indigorose.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5012

I wan to do this:

I wan to have admin user shell folder 'Temporary Internet Files' in %SYSTEMDRIVE%, not in those s***ty profile's dir...

PLS HELP ME! :-(