Every computer user has had to either copy or move a file or an entire folder to a different location. There are at least three ways to accomplish this task.
- Open two Explorer windows (one pointing to the source location and one set to the destination location) and drag the file or folder from one window to the other.
- Click on the file or folder and then use the copy command (cut for moving), scroll to the new location and then paste the file or folder.
- Use the Copy to folder or Send to folder choice on Explorer's Edit menu. [see below].
Windows XP and Windows Vista also allowed you to customize the Explorer tool bar and add icons for Copy to folder and Move to folder.
While all of these methods work, they involve either moving your mouse around the screen, or moving your hands from the mouse to the keyboard. What most power users prefer is to add the Copy to folder and Move to folder choices to the context menu that appears when you right-click on a file or folder. This is accomplished by adding two keys to the registry.
WARNING: Modifying the registry incorrectly can lead to nasty consequences, the worst of which results in the failure of your computer to load Windows.
If you followed our suggestion about creating separate user and administrator accounts, you will have to be logged in as the administrator to modify the registry.
Backup the Registry
You should backup the registry before making any changes to it.
Click on Windows 7 start 'orb'.
In the Search Programs and Files box type regedit and press enter.
Click the top line in the left pane. This should be titled computer.
Choose File, Export from the menu.
In the dialog box that appears, pick a destination location for the file, a name for the file, make sure that the all radio button is selected, and click the Save button.
Add Copy To
Now that you have a backup copy of the registry, you will add the Copy to choice. Scroll down to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers. Right-click on ContextMenuHandlers and choose New Key. Name the key Copy To.
Double-click the (Default) value in the right pane and enter the following (including the braces):
{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
Add Move To
To add the Move to menu option, follow the same steps as for Copy to, except, the key name should be Move To, and the default value is the following:
{C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}
Close the Registry editor when you are finished.
Right-clicking on a file or folder name should now present two additional items as shown below.
Choosing Copy To folder will display a dialog box similar to that below. You can then scroll to the destination location. Move To will display a similar box, with the difference that the file or folder will be moved to the new location rather than copied.
Conclusion
Computer users have been using this 'hack' since at least Windows 2000. You would think that after ten years, Microsoft would just add this to the operating system.
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