[Solved] Changing the Desktop storage location

[Raycoupe]

Ah, a kind of reverse of mine. You do 1 step, copy to data drive, 2 step, backup data drive. I do 1 step, backup Desktop to backup drive, 2 step, backup data drive. (So my backup drives have two folders - Desktop, and Data). We do the same thing as an end result, though.

Yes, I want ALL my data (about 3 million files, 6Tb) on the internal 8Tb drive. My external drives are identical copies of that drive. Some for backup and one (exFat filesystem) for use on my offline computer or on the go to access with any computer. Being able to use my data (and favourites) not only with a Linux system is important for me when I'm on the go. Most people still have Windows or Apple and filesharing is only possible using a disk with ExFat filesystem.

You could save work by telling Firefox to store its profile on the data drive. Then it's all done - you just backup the data drive whenever, and also back up the Firefox profile. I do the same with Thunderbird, so all my email is also stored on my data drive. Cuts out a few steps, and when I reinstall the OS it is easy to point it to my existing Firefox and Thunderbird profiles.

Since all user files are in /home/user, when using a new Linux system, I could restore all those files, or just select the /.mozilla and/or /.thunderbird folder(s). It still would not help me if I want to access my Firefox favourites from another type of system or browser.

I've looked into other browsers, but besides the way Firefox handles favourites, I really like all other functionality and don't want a browser based on Chrome, so there really isn't another option, since they all use chrome as the engine. Working with a exported huge static HTML file is like using an old telephone book. Fortunately I don't have to use this workaround often.

[Kefren]

It still would not help me if I want to access my Firefox favourites from another type of system or browser.

One option would be creating a Firefox account, I think. I don't ever want extra accounts (and I just access it all from my desktop PC), but if you made one I think it syncs your favourites etc with any PC where you log into Firefox? Would save exporting and importing bookmarks or opening html files.

[vanadium]

That sounds like what I am after, but I'm not sure how to do it or what the full ramifications might be - some people suggested it might mean it isn't backed up properly. (I'd have to dig out their comments.)

It is dead simple.
- Move the Desktop folder
- Open two file manager windows, and drag the moved Desktop folder to the home folder while holding Control+Shift: that creates a symbolic link called "Desktop" in your home folder.

[Edit 2021-12-18]Changed Alt+Shift to Control+Shift, with thanks to mikeflan pointing out the error.

There is a little extra detail you need to take care of: the Desktop link in your home may have lost its "special" status after that (among others, no " emblem" anymore in its icon). To correct that, open your ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs in a text editor and make sure the line for Desktop reads "XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR="$HOME/Downloads". This is not be needed if the move is done using the terminal.

- some people suggested it might mean it isn't backed up properly. (I'd have to dig out their comments.)

You are the one that is in charge and under control of your backup. The aim here was to backup the data placed in the Desktop folder in a location of your data drive that is backed up. Thus, if, after the move, the "real" Desktop folder lives there, it will be included in the backup of your other data.

[Kefren]

It is dead simple.
- Move the Desktop folder
- Open two file manager windows, and drag the moved Desktop folder to the home folder while holding Alt+Shift: that creates a symbolic link called "Desktop" in your home folder.

I tried this just now, but can't get it to work I'm afraid.

"Move the Desktop folder"

I tried moving it to my data drive. It left an empty folder called Desktop in my Home folder where it used to be, and a new (full) one on my Data drive. I was unable to delete the empty one from Home.

"Open two file manager windows, and drag the moved Desktop folder to the home folder while holding Alt+Shift: that creates a symbolic link called "Desktop" in your home folder."

All this did was move the Desktop folder contents back from the Data drive to the Home folder, putting all the files and folders back after I selected merge from the popup. Somewhere else said Ctrl and Shift was a key combo for links. However, I can't delete or rename the Desktop from Home in order to put a link version there - as soon as I rename it, Mint makes a new folder called Desktop.

I may need instructions written more for dummies like me!

[Kefren]

I also tried the instructions at https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-save-spa ... unt-points

cp -r ~/Desktop /mnt/sda2/Desktop

ln -s /mnt/sda2/Desktop ~/Desktop

But all that does is put a shortcut on my Desktop to the data drive. My actual files and folders don't show up on the Desktop, so it's no use to me.

[Raycoupe]

It still would not help me if I want to access my Firefox favourites from another type of system or browser.

One option would be creating a Firefox account, I think. I don't ever want extra accounts (and I just access it all from my desktop PC), but if you made one I think it syncs your favourites etc with any PC where you log into Firefox? Would save exporting and importing bookmarks or opening html files.

Installing an extra browser is not very welcomed or even possible in most cases.

[Kefren]

Installing an extra browser is not very welcomed or even possible in most cases.

Sorry, I missed the bit about other browsers! Yep, a bit trickier then.

[mikeflan]

It is dead simple.
- Move the Desktop folder
- Open two file manager windows, and drag the moved Desktop folder to the home folder while holding Alt+Shift: that creates a symbolic link called "Desktop" in your home folder.

That should be Ctrl+Shift. On my system Alt+Shift moves the folder.

@Kefren: May I suggest you work out this backup scheme of yours, but also add a "full disk image" with Foxclone as another backup option to include with your normal backup method.

[vanadium]

Thank you for pointing out this mistake: I corrected this in my post.

I also tried the instructions at https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-save-spa ... unt-points
cp -r ~/Desktop /mnt/sda2/Desktop
ln -s /mnt/sda2/Desktop ~/Desktop
But all that does is put a shortcut on my Desktop to the data drive. My actual files and folders don't show up on the Desktop, so it's no use to me.

That would have worked if you would have moved your Desktop folder or deleted it after the copy. Now, the symbolic link was created within the existing ~/Desktop directory instead of in your home ~/.

[Kefren]

@Kefren: May I suggest you work out this backup scheme of yours, but also add a "full disk image" with Foxclone as another backup option to include with your normal backup method.

My backup is fine - I only backup my personal files, not system files. I use FreeFileSync so only copy changed files. I just want the Desktop stored on my data drive so when I back it up I get all the personal files in one process.

[Kefren]

That would have worked if you would have moved your Desktop folder or deleted it after the copy. Now, the symbolic link was created within the existing ~/Desktop directory instead of in your home ~/.

When I moved the Desktop folder it did that - but then there was an empty one in Home. I think Mint immediately rebuilds a folder called Desktop. It won't let me delete it either. If I rename it, another one appears immediately with the name Desktop. So it looks like part of the GUI to rebuild it.

[legacypowers]

That would have worked if you would have moved your Desktop folder or deleted it after the copy. Now, the symbolic link was created within the existing ~/Desktop directory instead of in your home ~/.

When I moved the Desktop folder it did that - but then there was an empty one in Home. I think Mint immediately rebuilds a folder called Desktop. It won't let me delete it either. If I rename it, another one appears immediately with the name Desktop. So it looks like part of the GUI to rebuild it.

Sorry i'm supposed to be helpful but after reading this, all i could think of was this scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xouiL8jR99w
Jokes aside
open the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change it there

[SimonPeter]

...
open the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change it there

Detailed instructions:
- BACK UP everything in your ~/Desktop.
- Set up an automount for your drive via the DIsks app (drive not mounted at login == can't login properly).
- Create an empty folder named Desktop in your drive.
- Run the command xed ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change the value of XDG_DESKTOP_DIR to the desired drive.
eg: XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="/media/kefren/my-drive-mountpoint/Desktop"
- Reboot.

[Kefren]

Detailed instructions:
- BACK UP everything in your ~/Desktop.
- Set up an automount for your drive via the DIsks app (drive not mounted at login == can't login properly).
- Create an empty folder named Desktop in your drive.
- Run the command xed ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change the value of XDG_DESKTOP_DIR to the desired drive.
eg: XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="/media/kefren/my-drive-mountpoint/Desktop"
- Reboot.

Awesome, that worked perfectly! I'd hoped there would be a simple system, but when I raised this in other fora I got told to use different backup systems, or symlinks, or other systems, when all I had to do was change a location in this file! Thank you for understanding what I wanted to do. I had tried this when I was using Zorin but any alterations to that file removed the right click new document menu option. Maybe because Zorin is based on Gnome, but Mint on Cinnamon - I found pure Gnome was irritating and restrictive in a few ways like that.

"Set up an automount for your drive via the DIsks app (drive not mounted at login == can't login properly)."
Luckily I didn't need to do that as my Data drive already automounts (it was the first thing I did when I installed Mint, making sure my drives all show up correctly). So I always have SDA1 and 2 on boot.

"BACK UP everything in your ~/Desktop."
"Create an empty folder named Desktop in your drive."
I did those in one: I just copied the Desktop folder it to my Data drive so all the files were there too.

"Run the command xed ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change the value of XDG_DESKTOP_DIR to the desired drive.
I changed it to XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="/mnt/sda2/Desktop"

"Reboot."
I did that, made a blank text document on my desktop. I went to Home>Desktop - no blank doc. When to sda2 Desktop - there it was. Deleted it from sda2, it was gone from my desktop. Next I deleted the contents of Home>Desktop - my visible desktop was unchanged. Kept a temporary second backup anyway, but all my files are on the visible desktop as expected, even though Home>Desktop is empty. So it is definitely now storing it all on sda2, exactly where I wanted - future sync backups will only require me to backup sda2 in one step and I'll have all my personal files (including Desktop, Firefox and Thunderbird profiles, which are stored on sda2). That saves me a whole extra step each time, since I used to then have to backup Home>Desktop separately. Excellent, many thanks!

[SimonPeter]

...
open the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change it there

...

Awesome, that worked perfectly!

You're welcome.

Please click on the Pencil icon near your initial post, then add [Solved] in front of the title.
This helps people having similar problems know that this thread contains a solution to it.

[Kefren]

Will do!

[Raycoupe]

Detailed instructions:
- BACK UP everything in your ~/Desktop.
- Set up an automount for your drive via the DIsks app (drive not mounted at login == can't login properly).
- Create an empty folder named Desktop in your drive.
- Run the command xed ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs and change the value of XDG_DESKTOP_DIR to the desired drive.
eg: XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="/media/kefren/my-drive-mountpoint/Desktop"
- Reboot.

Thank you very much, this is really welcome!
Would it work for any of the user folders? Documents, Downloads, etc, or is there a catch. I would like to separate my data from all the config subdirs that are also in the home folder. It would simplify and speed up my backups.

[SimonPeter]

Thank you very much, this is really welcome!

You're welcome.

Thank you very much, this is really welcome!
Would it work for any of the user folders? Documents, Downloads, etc, or is there a catch. I would like to separate my data from all the config subdirs that are also in the home folder. It would simplify and speed up my backups.

I guess that would also work fine.
But, always remember to have GOOD BACKUPS in place.

[Raycoupe]

You're welcome.

Thank you very much, this is really welcome!
Would it work for any of the user folders? Documents, Downloads, etc, or is there a catch. I would like to separate my data from all the config subdirs that are also in the home folder. It would simplify and speed up my backups.

I guess that would also work fine.
But, always remember to have GOOD BACKUPS in place.

I have triple Backups, one off-site on another location.

I'll try to figure out what kind of format I should use, something like " /dev/sda1" or "442d9bf9-5791-459a-b975-8b7563cdaad7" or "Data-8Tb" . It's a bit of a mess in my /mnt folder, disks that I have removed years ago or just had temporarily still show and I can't delete the entries in that folder. Same story in de /media folder.

Perhaps it's time for a reinstall to remove all that clutter and try version 20 if the old taskbar and start menu are still available (the one in version 18 which is still available in 19 as 'traditional' in the welcome screen program), I really don't like that new candy shop version of the Mint gui. I need text labels or I'm hopelessly lost.

[SimonPeter]

I'll try to figure out what kind of format I should use, something like " /dev/sda1" or "442d9bf9-5791-459a-b975-8b7563cdaad7" or "Data-8Tb" . It's a bit of a mess in my /mnt folder, disks that I have removed years ago or just had temporarily still show and I can't delete the entries in that folder. Same story in de /media folder.

Entries in ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs expect folder (directory) names, like /mnt/whatever or /media/whatever , NOT block devices like /dev/sda1 ar their identifiers like "4db22c....." .

Perhaps it's time for a reinstall to remove all that clutter and try version 20 if the old taskbar and start menu are still available (the one in version 18 which is still available in 19 as 'traditional' in the welcome screen program), I really don't like that new candy shop version of the Mint gui. I need text labels or I'm hopelessly lost.

A fresh reinstall is always nice.
Yeah, Mint 20.x also gives that kind of taskbar (I too prefer taskbars with text, but I prefer modern themes with them).