Shortcut to My Documents, why?


  1. OppfinnarJocke
    Posts : 69
    Win 7
       New #1

    Shortcut to My Documents, why?


    I just now noticed that Windows Explorer shows a whole bunch of shortcuts to folders that really don't need any shortcuts. See the pic below. For all those shortcuts, clicking or double-clicking them, gives an Access Denied dialog.
    What are those shortcuts?
    Where did they come from?
    Why don't I have access to them?

    I am not sure if this came about with the latest update the other day, I just installed W7 on this machine just a few days ago.

    And now I see... why are there two desktop.ini there? How can there be two different files with the same name in the same dir?

    EDIT: Sorry, should have googled a little more before posting. Junctions, that what they are... and I had "Show hidden files" turned on... Don't know why, but it won't happen again...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Shortcut to My Documents, why?-w7-explorer.jpg  
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  3. Windows i7 920
    Posts : 552
    Windows 8 Pro x64
       New #2

    Look closely. You are not viewing a directory, you are viewing a LIBRARY. A library contains folders and files. New feature. So the two desktop.ini files are really in different directories which happen to have their files included in that library.

    EDIT: Oh I see you have the same signup as I do

    Click the start menu, then your username, then try to get to My Documents from there. That is what I do. Personally, I find the Libraries more confusing than they are helpful.
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  4. MacGyvr
    Posts : 1,326
    Windows 7 Ultimate RTM (Technet)
       New #3

    OppfinnarJocke said:
    I just now noticed that Windows Explorer shows a whole bunch of shortcuts to folders that really don't need any shortcuts. See the pic below. For all those shortcuts, clicking or double-clicking them, gives an Access Denied dialog.
    What are those shortcuts?
    Where did they come from?
    Why don't I have access to them?

    I am not sure if this came about with the latest update the other day, I just installed W7 on this machine just a few days ago.

    And now I see... why are there two desktop.ini there? How can there be two different files with the same name in the same dir?

    EDIT: Sorry, should have googled a little more before posting. Junctions, that what they are... and I had "Show hidden files" turned on... Don't know why, but it won't happen again...
    Those are called junction points. They allow older software to continue to function with the newly designed directory structure and naming in Windows 7. The BEST advice about those shortcuts is DON'T worry about them, DON'T mess with them. They WILL cause you problems if you attempt to change the permissions or alter them in any way. Just pretend they aren't there.

    Edit: Just saw at the bottom of your post that you figured this out already.
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