another vista question

[pontifex]

is it normal to have c:\users\user name\local settings\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data\application data

and then have every one of the application data folders have the same files as the previous application data folder?


there appears to be over 400 mb in each application data folder. isn't this taking up a ton of space?

will it hurt anything if I delete everything past the first app data folder?
i was able to even access the folder until i took ownership of it.


looks like if i delete any of the app data folders after the first one, it deletes that one also.

 

[ViRGE]

It's not normal. As for if it'll have any ill effects, it depends on what programs use the data and what exactly is wrong. (In other words, I don't know)

 

[Smilin]

Delete anything past "c:\users\user name\local settings\application data"

It shouldn't affect anything with one exception: The nutbag app that's doing this may blow up and thereby reveal itself as the culprit.

 

[Nothinman]

Could it just be a symlink (or junction or whatever they are in NTFS) pointing to itself and making it look like a lot of directories?

 

[thegorx]

Well, I have the same in both users and documents and settings when looking with ExplorerXP while running it as admin. And yes it appears to be a loop of a symlink, so if you delete one I believe you'd delete it all. Not a good idea.

 

[QuixoticOne]

I've seen this happen, but I can't remember what caused it. I think it was some brain damage in explorer.exe or something.

 

[thegorx]

I used mklink on a system restore Volume Shadow Copy to a C:\ drive folder and produced a similar effect. Where the Shadow Copy had a linked folder to the Shadow Copy and so on and so on. Not that it used up more space it was just a linked folder. So maybe you could delete the folder if it was a linked folder. but personally I think it's designed that way.

 

[thegorx]

c:\users\user name\local settings

doesn't appear to be a true path

application data path is

C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local

the application data and local settings are both a linked folder of that

 

[pontifex]

the folders after the first one do have a little arrow like a shortcut does, so maybe it is that symlink thing you guys are talking about. if i delete one of those, it deletes everything.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: thegorx
c:\users\user name\local settings

doesn't appear to be a true path

application data path is

C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local

the application data and local settings are both a linked folder of that

on mine i have c:\users\user name\local settings and C:\Users\user name\AppData, but no C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local

this was from a fresh install too, not an upgrade or anything.

 

[thegorx]

I have c:\users\user name\local settings but when I browse with an operating system that doesn't use or recognize the contents of symbolic link folders it's empty. I suppose the paths can be different system to system depending on how the vista image was created. I guess you'll only know what's true by browsing with another OS that doesn't see the contents of a symbolic link folders or check the registry paths.