Repetition of ApplicationData 10 times under Local

[jhmac77]

Repetition of ApplicationData 10 times(continued from previous thread)

(I am not a tech person and do not understand your terminology in previous thread concerning same subject.)

I do not understand what is going on here!!! When my Second Copy tried to copy all of other Application Data I get an error message that says will not copy. Really I am interested in coping only 1 copy of Microsoft Live Mail especially the contact info and the email not 10 copies like what seems to happen sometimes especially when I am using Windows to copy ML Mail from one disk to another without Second Copy.

I went thru the Application Data "folders" in C drive and did not intend to delete the extra but that is what happened. I checked my email and there was no change.
What harm is done?

Jim I am not a tech person and do not understand your terminology.

 

[motc7]

Repetition of ApplicationData 10 times(continued from previous thread)

(I am not a tech person and do not understand your terminology in previous thread concerning same subject.)

I do not understand what is going on here!!! When my Second Copy tried to copy all of other Application Data I get an error message that says will not copy. Really I am interested in coping only 1 copy of Microsoft Live Mail especially the contact info and the email not 10 copies like what seems to happen sometimes especially when I am using Windows to copy ML Mail from one disk to another without Second Copy.

I went thru the Application Data "folders" in C drive and did not intend to delete the extra but that is what happened. I checked my email and there was no change.
What harm is done?

Jim I am not a tech person and do not understand your terminology.

Sorry but I am not really understanding what you are wanting to do, and what is going wrong.

 

[pebbly]

is the second copy you're refering to the backup software app? also could you point us to the other post you are refering to ? we may be able to offer more help

 

[jhmac77]

I guess it is ok to delete all the "extra" Application Data "files".

referral: Multiple Application Data Folders - Why & How - Vista Forums Second Copy is a backup software!!

 

[logicearth]

sigh....you changed folder permissions didn't you?

 

[seekermeister]

sigh....you changed folder permissions didn't you?

This is exactly what I thought also. I made that mistake when first starting to use W7. I solved it by deleting my user account, and making another from the Administrator account.

 

[jhmac77]

Paul In Alaska
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Join Date:​

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referral: Multiple Application Data Folders - Why & How - Vista Forums
"Multiple Application Data Folders - Why & How
I have run into a bit of a problem. I ran my weekly Spy Sweeper scan today
and it was taking way too long - over 6 hours. I saw it was running the scan
on the Application Data folder under my user name. Upon further investigation
I found many Application Data folders under the Application Data folder,
approximately 10. I recognize they are all short cuts or mapped folders. Yet
there should be only one. How do I correct this problem? AND better yet does
anyone know how it happenned?
Paul"


My System Specs



Paul In Alaska

05-31-2007 #2 (permalink)

Jimmy Brush

Guest​

Join Date:​

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Re: Multiple Application Data Folders - Why & How​

"Hello,​

There is actually no folder named "Application Data".​

This was a folder in Windows XP, but in Windows Vista, this folder has​

been moved.​

"Application Data" is a junction (fancy name for a special kind of​

shortcut) that exists in Vista to point old programs to the new​

location under certain scenarios.​

Windows prevents programs from accessing these special junctions like​

a folder to prevent this "hall of mirrors" effect from happening.​

The problem here, is that Spy Sweeper does not correctly recognize​

that this is a junction, and (if you have not changed the default​

security on this junction) is bypassing the security settings that​

Windows imposes to prevent this.​

Since removing this junction could stop some of your programs from​

working correctly, it is best to leave it there. The ball is in Spy​

Sweeper's court to work correctly with these junctions."​

- JB​

On Wed, 30 May 2007 00:43:01 -0700, Paul In Alaska​

<[email protected]> wrote:​

>I have run into a bit of a problem. I ran my weekly Spy Sweeper scan today​

>and it was taking way too long - over 6 hours. I saw it was running the scan​

>on the Application Data folder under my user name. Upon further investigation​

>I found many Application Data folders under the Application Data folder,​

>approximately 10. I recognize they are all short cuts or mapped folders. Yet​

>there should be only one. How do I correct this problem? AND better yet does​

>anyone know how it happenned?​

>Paul​

My System Specs​

See other comments if necessary.

 

[jhmac77]

Permissiions???? What does that have to do with this and change to what????
Thats been a big problem with Networking not this???

 

[arkhi]

It's permissions dude.

As an example of what can happen when changing permissions of junction points a user posted this screenshot: http://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/general-discussion/40295d1259928355-green-ribbon-death-back-venegeance-screendump.jpg

AKA. an infinite loop

 

[logicearth]

Permissiions???? What does that have to do with this and change to what????
Thats been a big problem with Networking not this???

It has everything to do with it. You are denied access to these junction points for a reason. The only way you can have this problem is because you altered permission some where, some how.

 

[arkhi]

I just saw logicearth's signature, and I'm going to quote the first link as it was useful (even to me)

An application that isn’t familiar with junctions may get stuck in an infinite loop when it attempts to perform a recursive directory-tree walk. To prevent this, the compatibility junctions permit directory traversal but explicitly deny List contents permission: If you try to navigate to these folders from Explorer or the command prompt, you’ll get an Access denied error.

 

[jhmac77]

I am not talking about being denied I am talking about why there are so many and when I delete them it does'n seem to change my email. I can delete them and that is what happened. Now tell me are all these repetitions necessary??

 

[arkhi]

We know exactly what you're talking about. Reread our statements plx.

Better yet, just answer the previous simple question: Did you or did you not modify folder permissions?

 

[jhmac77]

I am able to delete what I need to because I changed permissions earlier. The question here is Are these repetitions necessary? They take up much space. I did delete some of them and my email did not change. To me it looks like a "run away Windows" doing something that is absolutely not important.

So the question is can I delete these without any consequences?

 

[jhmac77]

???

 

[arkhi]

Because you changed permissions, you broke the junction points that link to AppData and thus causing an infinite loop, which caused the application to create multiple folders and multiple files within those folders.

This problem is a bit complicated and I could not say for sure the scope of the consequences you get from deleting the duplicate folders. If programs created files within any of the 10 folders, and you deleted them, then it would definitely break most, if not all, the programs you have.

You could do a system restore, then check the folder directory tree. If the subsequent AppData folders have little to no files on them, or if they are duplicates of the main folder, then you "might" be able to delete them without further implications.

However, with ruined permissions, it is very likely that this problem would re-occur anyway.

 

[jhmac77]

???

 

[jhmac77]

I don't understand this language!! Please use plain English!!




Quote:
An application that isn’t familiar with junctions may get stuck in an infinite loop when it attempts to perform a recursive directory-tree walk. To prevent this, the compatibility junctions permit directory traversal but explicitly deny List contents permission: If you try to navigate to these folders from Explorer or the command prompt, you’ll get an Access denied error.

None of my email have changed after deletion!!

 

[seekermeister]

I don't understand this language!! Please use plain English!!




Quote:
An application that isn’t familiar with junctions may get stuck in an infinite loop when it attempts to perform a recursive directory-tree walk. To prevent this, the compatibility junctions permit directory traversal but explicitly deny List contents permission: If you try to navigate to these folders from Explorer or the command prompt, you’ll get an Access denied error.

None of my email have changed after deletion!!

I'll take a shot at it. TRANSLATION: Don't change the permissions or ownership of certain nodes, which appear as folders with shortcut arrows on them, or you will creat a mess like the one that you have.

If a simple statement isn't sufficient, there are certain "folders" that are not folders, they are actually nodes. These nodes were created to provide compatibility with programs designed for use prior to Vista. Nodes, such as Documents And Settings, Application Data, etc. do not actually exist as folders. They simply point to newer folders that serve the purpose of the older ones.

When you take ownership of one of these nodes, and then attempt to open it, it will simply take you to the location that was intended for the programs to reach. However, since that same "folder" (node) will also appear there, and a program installation tries to use that again, it will be redirected once more in the same fashion. This can continue infinitum.

The bottom line is to never take ownership or change the permissions of these nodes.

 

[jhmac77]

BEHND CLOSED DOORS!!

When I first used Windows 7 I noticed these weird "shortcut folders" that wouldn't open. XP never had any such anomalies, and I didn't bother to try to open them. I thought they were permanently closed!! Then I tried to access certain folders from another computer which I knew would open but they wouldn't so I changed all the folders so they would be accessible and then the weird folder opened and started to cycle. For the life of me I don't even know why there are" behind closed doors" in win 7 and not in XP. Microsoft is so screwy! and mixed up?

I am not even sure there is anything behind these closed doors. Maybe the secret police?