"documents and settings" junction? disappeared

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  1. Posts : 94
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #1

    "documents and settings" junction? disappeared


    i've been on 7-64 now for some 3 months. i used to see "documents and settings" -folder, including "all users" on my explorer tree.

    from what i understand, this was a junction/shortcut to c:\users\

    this morning, however, the whole documents and settings folder is no longer appearing, and with it a bunch of shortcuts that were in the start menu of all users are missing.

    this leaves me with a creepy feeling that a lot of other program settings could be now gone.

    what could cause this?

    how to restore the junction? - i assume that many legacy programs will not work correctly without \documents and settings on the system.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #2

    You should first check that malware is not affecting your system.

    Download this;

    Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.50.1 - FileHippo.com

    and run a FULL scan, after updating the database. If it finds anything post the log here.

    This may help you to restore folders;

    Public Folders - Restore

    There are other tutorials in that section for restoring defaults.

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 94
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    thanks for the pointers. i had just yesterday run "spybot search & destroy," that didn't find anything.

    is malwarebytes anti-malware better than that?

    i do have \users\public there & seemingly functional - it's the \documents and settings\ -junction that's gone.

    the tail of the public folders - restore -tutorial suggests doing a repair install. last i tried that option was not, to my distress, available. don't remember the exact error message, i think it had to do with version numbers installed/on the dvd. then i was checking it out just in case, so i just walked away.

    no i WOULD probably need it, right? or, is there a way of restoring just the docs&sets junction with some registry magic?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #4

    zdoe said:
    thanks for the pointers. i had just yesterday run "spybot search & destroy," that didn't find anything.

    is malwarebytes anti-malware better than that?

    i do have \users\public there & seemingly functional - it's the \documents and settings\ -junction that's gone.

    the tail of the public folders - restore -tutorial suggests doing a repair install. last i tried that option was not, to my distress, available. don't remember the exact error message, i think it had to do with version numbers installed/on the dvd. then i was checking it out just in case, so i just walked away.

    no i WOULD probably need it, right? or, is there a way of restoring just the docs&sets junction with some registry magic?
    "Better" is largely subjective.

    I prefer malwarebytes and superantispyware;

    SUPERAntiSpyware.com | Remove Malware | Remove Spyware - AntiMalware, AntiSpyware, AntiAdware!

    They each may find something the other misses.

    I would run both in suspicious circumstances, and anything which causes junctions or other folders to go missing is a suspicious circumstance.

    Yes, a repair install or even just a system restore ( if you have it enabled) are alternatives, but run the malware checks first.

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 748
    Vista and now 7 in 32 and 64 bit.
       #5

    Excuse me if this sounds a little basic, but I must ask!!
    You have not, by chance, altered the Tools - Folder Options - View in Windows explorer? (hide protected operating system files)
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 94
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    running the malwarebytes quick scan now. nothing found so far.

    meanwhile, i found the shorcuts folder that had gone AWOL at:
    c:\programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu

    but not sure what ELSE has gone AWOL.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #7

    zdoe said:
    running the malwarebytes quick scan now. nothing found so far.

    meanwhile, i found the shorcuts folder that had gone AWOL at:
    c:\programdata\microsoft\windows\start menu

    but not sure what ELSE has gone AWOL.
    You need to run a FULL scan, a quick scan is not sufficient!

    Also, if you have not altered something yourself, then something else has.

    Let's wait and see what the scan says............

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 94
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #8

    malwarebytes quick scan results are a dozen false positives pertaining to xunlei thunder p2p client, and the fact that windows security center is disabled.

    also reran spybot - zilz.

    will run a full malwarebytes scan next.

    daveHC - this occurred to me as well, but is not the case. and i first noticed this when a hotkey shortcut to a folder in \documents and settings\all users\ was no longer working.

    the other thing that i DID do yesterday is run puran defrag with "optimize system." wondering if that could be the culprit as i don't see what else could.

    meanwhile - where ARE the junctions stored in 7-64? i do have a registry backup that i could use if they're in the registry?
    Last edited by zdoe; 25 Apr 2011 at 11:48. Reason: add'l question re: how r junctions stored in 7
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #9

    zdoe said:
    malwarebytes quick scan results are a dozen false positives pertaining to xunlei thunder p2p client, and the fact that windows security center is disabled.

    also reran spybot - zilz.

    will run a full malwarebytes scan next.

    daveHC - this occurred to me as well, but is not the case. and i first noticed this when a hotkey shortcut to a folder in \documents and settings\all users\ was no longer working.

    the other thing that i DID do yesterday is run puran defrag with "optimize system." wondering if that could be the culprit as i don't see what else could.
    I have had several cases where Puran defrag killed a system. If you have no malware, and you have done nothing else, then that is most likely the cause.

    You MAY be able to recover by running a standard Windows defragmentation. This can take a long time, and may not work. But I would try that first.

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 2,039
    Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #10

    zdoe said:
    meanwhile - where ARE the junctions stored in 7-64? i do have a registry backup that i could use if they're in the registry?

    A registry or other backup will do you no good if the defragger has messed up the disc storage.

    The only other thing that would work here, assuming that your drive is actually messed up, is an image restore. I doubt a repair install would work, but it might.

    I would first make a backup of everything you need. Then run a standard windows defragmentation. With any luck that will fix the problem. If it doesn't, you can try a repair install. If that doesn't work, your only other option is a clean install.

    Regards....Mike Connor
      My Computer


 
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