Vista - Application Data-Why So many copies?

Under my user name, I have a folder called "Local Settings". If I open it
there is a folder called "Application Data". If I open that there is another
folder called "Application Data" and if I open that still another-there are
about 20 or more of these nested folders that appear to be all the same.
What are they and can I get rid of some of them?

Hello,

"Local Settings" and "Application Data" are not really folders. They
are junctions that are there for application compatability purposes
and are not meant to be browsed into like folders.

There is not really duplicated data or folders, it just looks that
way.

In fact, there should have been a default security restriciton on
these junctions to prevent applications (and you) from browsing into
them as if they were folders, for this very reason.

Without this security restriction in place, applications can become
very confused if they browse into these junctions, with unexpected
results.

--
-JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

On Fri, 18 May 2007 17:45:25 -0400, "bob clere"
<robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:

>Under my user name, I have a folder called "Local Settings". If I open it
>there is a folder called "Application Data". If I open that there is another
>folder called "Application Data" and if I open that still another-there are
>about 20 or more of these nested folders that appear to be all the same.
>What are they and can I get rid of some of them?

Are these going to continue to grow? Spy software checks these and the time
required for a scan is growing!


"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
newsm7s439me1m51d21f6kp87sb17k8eqdc6p@4ax.com...
> Hello,
>
> "Local Settings" and "Application Data" are not really folders. They
> are junctions that are there for application compatability purposes
> and are not meant to be browsed into like folders.
>
> There is not really duplicated data or folders, it just looks that
> way.
>
> In fact, there should have been a default security restriciton on
> these junctions to prevent applications (and you) from browsing into
> them as if they were folders, for this very reason.
>
> Without this security restriction in place, applications can become
> very confused if they browse into these junctions, with unexpected
> results.
>
> --
> -JB
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>
> On Fri, 18 May 2007 17:45:25 -0400, "bob clere"
> <robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:
>
>>Under my user name, I have a folder called "Local Settings". If I open it
>>there is a folder called "Application Data". If I open that there is
>>another
>>folder called "Application Data" and if I open that still another-there
>>are
>>about 20 or more of these nested folders that appear to be all the same.
>>What are they and can I get rid of some of them?

There are actually an infinite amount of application data "folders"
nested inside of each other.

However, thge system will stop the recursion after a certain point.

--
-JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/


On Fri, 18 May 2007 18:01:23 -0400, "bob clere"
<robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:

>Are these going to continue to grow? Spy software checks these and the time
>required for a scan is growing!
>
>
>"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
>newsm7s439me1m51d21f6kp87sb17k8eqdc6p@4ax.com...
>> Hello,
>>
>> "Local Settings" and "Application Data" are not really folders. They
>> are junctions that are there for application compatability purposes
>> and are not meant to be browsed into like folders.
>>
>> There is not really duplicated data or folders, it just looks that
>> way.
>>
>> In fact, there should have been a default security restriciton on
>> these junctions to prevent applications (and you) from browsing into
>> them as if they were folders, for this very reason.
>>
>> Without this security restriction in place, applications can become
>> very confused if they browse into these junctions, with unexpected
>> results.
>>
>> --
>> -JB
>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
>> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>>
>> On Fri, 18 May 2007 17:45:25 -0400, "bob clere"
>> <robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:
>>
>>>Under my user name, I have a folder called "Local Settings". If I open it
>>>there is a folder called "Application Data". If I open that there is
>>>another
>>>folder called "Application Data" and if I open that still another-there
>>>are
>>>about 20 or more of these nested folders that appear to be all the same.
>>>What are they and can I get rid of some of them?

> There are actually an infinite amount of application data "folders"

Another reason why the design of vista is infinitely stupid....


"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:3s9s431264f6clv5gifd4tv5pc95laai1b@4ax.com...
> There are actually an infinite amount of application data "folders"
> nested inside of each other.
>
> However, thge system will stop the recursion after a certain point.
>
> --
> -JB
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>
>
> On Fri, 18 May 2007 18:01:23 -0400, "bob clere"
> <robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:
>
>>Are these going to continue to grow? Spy software checks these and the
>>time
>>required for a scan is growing!
>>
>>
>>"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
>>newsm7s439me1m51d21f6kp87sb17k8eqdc6p@4ax.com...
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> "Local Settings" and "Application Data" are not really folders. They
>>> are junctions that are there for application compatability purposes
>>> and are not meant to be browsed into like folders.
>>>
>>> There is not really duplicated data or folders, it just looks that
>>> way.
>>>
>>> In fact, there should have been a default security restriciton on
>>> these junctions to prevent applications (and you) from browsing into
>>> them as if they were folders, for this very reason.
>>>
>>> Without this security restriction in place, applications can become
>>> very confused if they browse into these junctions, with unexpected
>>> results.
>>>
>>> --
>>> -JB
>>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
>>> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>>>
>>> On Fri, 18 May 2007 17:45:25 -0400, "bob clere"
>>> <robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Under my user name, I have a folder called "Local Settings". If I open
>>>>it
>>>>there is a folder called "Application Data". If I open that there is
>>>>another
>>>>folder called "Application Data" and if I open that still another-there
>>>>are
>>>>about 20 or more of these nested folders that appear to be all the same.
>>>>What are they and can I get rid of some of them?

And why is that?

- JB

On Sat, 19 May 2007 05:51:39 +0300, "Tiberius" <J@T.K> wrote:

>> There are actually an infinite amount of application data "folders"
>
>Another reason why the design of vista is infinitely stupid....
>
>
>"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
>news:3s9s431264f6clv5gifd4tv5pc95laai1b@4ax.com...
>> There are actually an infinite amount of application data "folders"
>> nested inside of each other.
>>
>> However, thge system will stop the recursion after a certain point.
>>
>> --
>> -JB
>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
>> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>>
>>
>> On Fri, 18 May 2007 18:01:23 -0400, "bob clere"
>> <robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:
>>
>>>Are these going to continue to grow? Spy software checks these and the
>>>time
>>>required for a scan is growing!
>>>
>>>
>>>"Jimmy Brush" <jb@mvps.org> wrote in message
>>>newsm7s439me1m51d21f6kp87sb17k8eqdc6p@4ax.com...
>>>> Hello,
>>>>
>>>> "Local Settings" and "Application Data" are not really folders. They
>>>> are junctions that are there for application compatability purposes
>>>> and are not meant to be browsed into like folders.
>>>>
>>>> There is not really duplicated data or folders, it just looks that
>>>> way.
>>>>
>>>> In fact, there should have been a default security restriciton on
>>>> these junctions to prevent applications (and you) from browsing into
>>>> them as if they were folders, for this very reason.
>>>>
>>>> Without this security restriction in place, applications can become
>>>> very confused if they browse into these junctions, with unexpected
>>>> results.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> -JB
>>>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell
>>>> Windows Vista Support FAQ - http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, 18 May 2007 17:45:25 -0400, "bob clere"
>>>> <robert.clere@snet.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Under my user name, I have a folder called "Local Settings". If I open
>>>>>it
>>>>>there is a folder called "Application Data". If I open that there is
>>>>>another
>>>>>folder called "Application Data" and if I open that still another-there
>>>>>are
>>>>>about 20 or more of these nested folders that appear to be all the same.
>>>>>What are they and can I get rid of some of them?