To help everyone out, here is a list of some common system paths to windows folders. Any of these can be accessed from a run dialog, a shortcut, or GeoCommandTime, for instance... We should even be able to use these in installers and have them work on "everyone's" computers without determining the actual paths... it seems to invoke the IShell interface somehow.

These only seem to work on Windows 2000 and later (including Windows XP), so their usefulness, for now, seems to be somewhat limited, at least as far as using these as settings in the installer. Of course, many of these have alternatives which work on 95/98/ME in the Not so Easy System Paths list.

Easy System Paths

shell:Common Administrative Tools shell:Administrative Tools shell:SystemX86 shell:My Pictures shell:Profile shell:CommonProgramFiles shell:ProgramFiles shell:System shell:Windows shell:History shell:Cookies shell:Local AppData shell:AppData shell:Common Documents shell:Common Templates shell:Common AppData shell:Common Favorites shell:Common Desktop shell:Common Menu shell:Common Programs shell:Common Startup shell:Templates shell:PrintHood shell:NetHood shell:Favorites shell:Personal shell:SendTo shell:Recent shell:Menu shell:Programs shell:Startup shell:Desktop shell:Fonts shell:ConnectionsFolder shell:RecycleBinFolder shell:PrintersFolder shell:ControlPanelFolder shell:InternetFolder shell:DriveFolder shell:NetworkFolder shell:DesktopFolder