installed apps on win7 show up in vista doc&set folder

huckjam · 13 Nov 2009

I have a question i have searched high and low and I cant find any info. Im sure im just using the wrong words in the search but here goes. When i install programs on win 7 they show up in my win7 partition under %\users\username but they are also duplicated on my vista partition under %\documents and settings\username. The Same is true with my temp. internet files. I was wondering what is the mechanism behind this and how do I find more information about the two os's sharing profile info and other things with each other. I found some info about roaming profiles but as far as i can tell that is a network feature not a partition feature.

Thanks in advance..

Frostmourne · 13 Nov 2009

Ideally, the best option would be to delete the vista partiton and extend the 7 partition. As to why that happens, is this for every program you have installed? Can you post a screenshot of your installed apps? Search for snip in the start menu.

Barman58 · 13 Nov 2009

The documents and settings folder tree is vertualised on windows 7 by the use of junction points, (a special type of system shortcut), to allow older programs which may have the address hard coded into them to find the data

If you therefore do a directory listing of c:\...documents % setting\... you will actually see the contents of the ...\users\... folders.

This may be what you are seeing although it should not effect another vista partition

huckjam · 13 Nov 2009

It's everthing that installs anything into the \user\username folder for example game profiles or if i add a picture to my documents folder. When I open the folders side by side like in the attached screen grab anything i delete or create in either of the folders it does the same exact thing to the other. For Example if i create a text file in the seven ...\user\ folder it automaticly duplicates it on the vista ...\docs&set\ folder instantly. Im assuming its so i can run the apps from either os by just installing it on one instead of both, but im not sure if the same thing happens in the registry and i just noticed this like an hour ago so i really haven't ivestigated that much yet. I really appreciate the help though.