Multiple folders in Win 7

[Riley50]

Hi - I have a question/2 problems with my Win 7 file structure.

1. I have a folder 'c:\users' which has the same content as my 'c:\documents and settings' folder. Is this correct ie should both folders exist?

2. I appear to have created an iteration within a folder ie 'c:\users\all users\application data' contains a folder 'application data' which contains a folder 'application data' etc etc. Changing the folder name at any level changes all occurances including the top level folder. I have no idea how or when this happened. Any ideas how I might correct this?
TKIA

 

[DelJo63]

1. I have a folder 'c:\users' which has the same content as my 'c:\documents and settings' folder. Is this correct ie should both folders exist?

strange.

• \USERS is the location for Win/7 user logins; each appears as a subdir
  
• \Documents and Settings\* contains the same BUT it is used by XP.

to venture a guess, it looks as if you installed Win/7 on top of an existing XP system.

2. I appear to have created an iteration within a folder ie 'c:\users\all users\application data' contains a folder 'application data' which contains a folder 'application data' etc etc.

No, you did not, Windows did that (XP, Vista, & Win/7 all contain that structure).
First, the all users\* is used to fill the Start Menu with programs for all user logins.

Second, every user account contains the Application Data and several other subdirs - -
just leave that stuff alone

Now if you have
nested Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\
then you have an issue

Get a command prompt window and enter echo %APPDATA% and report your findings ...

 

[Riley50]

Hi Jobeard - thanks for the reply.
1. I usually reformat and do a clean install - pretty sure I did this time. Both these folders look identical to me and both are being updated in sync (both ways)!
I cannot make out the 'c:\users' folder icon but it looks like it has a couple of ? in it (all other folders are plain.
2. As you say nested!
Unfortunately %appdata% returned: "c:\users\my name\appdata\roaming is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file"
cheers

 

[DelJo63]

2. As you say nested!
Unfortunately %appdata% returned: "c:\users\my name\appdata\roaming is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file"
cheers

there was an ECHO in front of that, but you've given what I was looking for.

c:\users\my name\appdata\roaming​

Why are you roaming? That is intended for companies where a user takes a laptop ofline
on a business trip, does work, and then upon returning, reconnects to the Domain Controller environment. Home users have no need for Roaming.

 

[Riley50]

Hi Jobeard - no ECHO on my machine!
Nothing to do do with me guv! Very sedentary these days. I have no idea either how to go roaming nor how to stop.
Help & Support fails to give any clue...
cheers

 

[DelJo63]

Hi Jobeard - no ECHO on my machine!

goofy!

Nothing to do do with me guv! Very sedentary these days. I have no idea either how to go roaming nor how to stop.
Help & Support fails to give any clue...
cheers

ok, but roaming is not correct - - I'll do some research ....

 

[DelJo63]

Win/7 might be an issue here, but the process to disable roaming is as follows:

• logon as admin or an account with admin privs
• get a command prompt
• enter GPEDIT.MSC

if you get the window titled Group Policy, you're in business; otherwise you will need to download it.

navigate Computer Configuration -> Admin Templates -> System -> User Profiles

find these two policies

• Prevent Roaming Profile changes
• Only allow local user profiles

double click on the policy and ENABLE each; click ok

one both are enabled, use File->exit and Reboot.

your local profile will then be
C:\Users\yourLoginId\* and not the roaming

 

[Riley50]

Hi Jobeard - did all that and still %appdata% returns: "c:\users\my name\appdata\roaming is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file". Double checked that the two items are now registered as 'enabled' and rebooted twice.

What is the effect on my PC of roaming? The only problem (apart those in this thread) I can see Is a tendency every now and then for Live Mail and less often IE8 to freeze and fog out with a spinning cursor for a few seconds.
cheers

 

[DelJo63]

if this were mine, I would create a NEW USER account, set the password and then
login on the new account (that creates the directory structure)

use the ECHO %USERPROFILE% again to see the effect (yea, there's no echo for some reason).

if that's correct, make steps to migrate from the OLD to the NEW

 

[LNCPapa]

On Win7, Documents and Settings is a redirect to Users - similar to a symlink in linux, but called a junction in Windows. It's put there for application compatibility.

You can see the list of environment variables and what their values are by opening a command prompt and typing "set". It's normal for your AppData folder to be in your Userprofile\AppData\Roaming.

Be careful when editing these files/folders that are really junctions - you may see lots of things change. Most of them are there for old application compatibility.

 

[DelJo63]

On Win7, Documents and Settings is a redirect to Users - similar to a synlink in

AHHHHH -- tnx