Useful tip – shortcut to SharePoint 14 Hive

One of the cool tips I showed during my SharePoint Saturday presentation is a great time-saver, when needing to navigate to the SharePoint hive.  

I had a few people comment “that’s awesome !” – so I thought I’d share it here also…

How many developers do this every single day – multiple times a day ??

• Open Windows Explorer
• Double click (or expand) – C:
• Double click (or expand) – Program Files
• Double click (or expand) – Common Files
• Double click (or expand) – Microsoft Shared
• Double click (or expand) – Web Server Extensions
• Double click (or expand) – 14      (or 12 – for SharePoint 2007)
• PHEW !!    

YES of course, you can have a shortcut on the desktop – but most folk just open Windows Explorer, and then think “oh yes !  I think I have a shortcut somewhere – oh well, I’ll just click through to the hive”…

With the new UI for Windows Server 2008, you can easily put a shortcut WITHIN Windows Explorer itself.

• Open Windows Explorer – and navigate to the folder
• C:Program FilesCommon FilesMicrosoft SharedWeb Server Extensions
• Draaag the “14” to the lower part of the “Favourites” section – and drop

** IMPORTANT : Make sure you “Create link in Favourites” – not MOVE the 14 folder – bad news if you do that !!

• Then – you can rename the “14” to be something else
• Right-click and choose “Rename”

• I normally rename to “SharePointRoot”

Then – you can open Windows Explorer – and just click the link for “SharePointRoot” – and you’ll be into the 14 hive immediately – cool, eh ?!