Multiple layers of application data folders - Windows7

Question

In the command window. If I go to c: \ users \ me and make "dir", I see 13 folders, but not files. If I do "dir / s", I see thousands of files, but what bothers me is that I see such paths:

C: \ Users \ me \ AppData \ Local \ Application Data \ Application Data \ Application Data \ Application Data \ Application Data \ Application Data ... then finally something like Microsoft \ VisualStudio or Google \ Chrome or so on.

What is it with layers and layers of Application Data folders? If I search with AgentRansack for a file in depth to these layers, I can see 15 or 20 file instances at different levels in this hierarchy. If I delete one, it says, “Delete the crash,” but it removes it from the list. So it looks like there is something "virtual" in these folders ... Any hints?

Answer 1

DaddyMan posted this (rephrased):

The Application Data folder saves replication as a subfolder when changing permissions on the Application Data folder, usually granting full permissions to the c: \ users \ folder. The application data folder is actually a connection that points to the parent folder.

C: \ Users \\ AppData \ Local \ Application Data \

points to

C: \ Users \\ AppData \ Local \

This is to prevent recursion when a non-Windows 7 application scans the Application Data folder, as well as the reason for the Access Denied message that you receive in specific folders in the c: \ users \ directory.

Source link .

In addition, Sean B. Keane - MVP published this:

Anytime an application tries to save a file in a naughty place (for example, C: \ Windows or C: \ Program Files), Windows will force the actual save to go to a place inside your user folder (C: \ Users \ Username \ LocalSettings \ VirtualStore \ Program Files). This makes the program think that the file really got into the Program Files folder, but actually it is somewhere inside your user folder.

This virtualization (tricking the program) is required so that poorly created applications that are stored in naughty places will still work. An alternative is that the program tries to save, and then crashes when it cannot access the Program Files folder. If Windows did not do this, the program will require administrator access every time it starts - which is very unsafe, plus it will make it impossible to use the program in corporate environments where users are not allowed to be administrators.

Be sure that the multilayer layers you see are the result of folder redirection and virtualization (also called junction points). There is no need to clean them or fix them, and you are advised to avoid examining these files.

For best results, save the TCW files in the Documents folder instead of Program Files or elsewhere, which will prevent any weird virtualization.

Source link here .