Solved App Data subfolder missing

[CosmicJest]

Hello,

I'm trying to help someone who's saved several pdf files in the following manner:

1. Received in Outlook as an attachment
2. Opened in Adobe Reader or Acrobat
3. >File >Save as >"document name".pdf
​

The user then cannot find the files. In providing assistance, I duplicated the steps taken, and found that the files are being saved to >"User", >App Data, >Local, >Microsoft, >Windows, >Temporary Internet Files, >Content Outlook, >CP6DU2Q6.

The funny thing is, when I follow the path, there is no >Temporary Internet Files subfolder! I have further discovered that when I search for one of these documents (visible in the >Save As dialog), *if* there are search results for a particular document and I open it, it opens as an Outlook message, even though it's saved as a pdf file.

What is going on here? How can the user retrieve these files saved in a non-existent location? And does he even want to, considering they've saved as Outlook messages???

 

[torchwood]

Has he/she got any 3rd party optimisers on thier system, they do tend to clean temporary files.

Roy

 

[CosmicJest]

No 3rd party optimizers. We use CCleaner for cleaning temp files, but apparently it hasn't been used in awhile. I've run it and set it to auto run at boot. The missing folder did not show up after cleaning up temp files.

 

[GokAy]

Unhide Protected Operating System Files. (Explorer - Organize - Folder and Search options - View tab)

 

[torchwood]

It will depend on the settings selected when first set-up, they are still in use as part of the "when i close the browser" Do this option.
this applies to cc and internet option settings
Roy

 

[CosmicJest]

Unhiding protected system operating files did not reveal the App Data folder (which I accessed via %appdata%). I noticed when I went to re-check that the folder called CP6DU2Q6 was gone and a new file with a similar name was in it's place. Since this is all located under >Temporary Internet Files, I can understand why it changed. What I fail to understand is why that folder is not in the specified path.

Roy, I'm not sure what you're telling me to do.

 

[GokAy]

AppData folder is hidden (show hidden files), Temp Internet Files is protected system (show protected system files)

%AppData% starts inside Roaming folder so you have to select AppData in Explorer address bar afterwards to see the 3 folders Local, LocalLow and Roaming. You will see AppData under your user folder though once you enable showing of hidden files/folders.

I guess you are pursuing this to satisfy your curiosity at the moment?

Does a normal pdf file open as Outlook as well? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html if so for the pdf file type

 

[torchwood]

Temporary file deletion.

Check the settings, in Internet options and CC thats all im saying , they would have been set-up on install .

Roy

 

[UsernameIssues]

CosmicJest,
What version of Outlook?
What version of Adobe PDF Reader?
What security apps are installed?

That is not a sane place to save the file to. It is a sandboxed area (e.g. restricted computer access rights). Once viewing the PDF has completed, either Adobe or Outlook might have removed the folder (and thus the PDF). It is simple enough to test, repeat the steps that saves the PDF. Do not close anything. See if the file is in the location. Be aware that some of the folders in this path will have fake names.

If the file is not in the location that you think you saved it to, use a tool like Process Monitor to try and figure out what app is removing it.

If you don't want to go thru all of that - just save the PDF to a sane place (Downloads folder or Desktop) and be done with it

 

[CosmicJest]

AppData folder is hidden (show hidden files), Temp Internet Files is protected system (show protected system files)

%AppData% starts inside Roaming folder so you have to select AppData in Explorer address bar afterwards to see the 3 folders Local, LocalLow and Roaming. You will see AppData under your user folder though once you enable showing of hidden files/folders.

I guess you are pursuing this to satisfy your curiosity at the moment?

Does a normal pdf file open as Outlook as well? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html if so for the pdf file type

I personally find the App Data folder, specifically the Local and Roaming subfolders, to be very useful when backing up certain programs (e.g. Thunderbird and Evernote), and when cleaning up after uninstalls. I have hidden files set to display at home and at work, but sometimes I forget there's a difference between >Show Hidden Files and >Hide Protected System Operating Files. Oh well, such forgetfulness comes with age and too many things to remember! In any event, the user's computer is now set to show hidden files & hide protected files; however, the >Temporary Internet Files folder continues to be elusive.

I'm following through on this because I want to understand:
1. Why an Outlook email pdf attachment that is opened while in Outlook (double clicking on the pdf file opens Adobe) saves to an unlocateable folder when the user chooses >Save As, and
2. How the user can potentially retrieve the files already saved to that location.

The only pdf files on that computer that open in Outlook are the ones that I can see in the Adobe >Save As drop down menu, but can't be found when I follow the path shown.

UsernameIssues:
Outlook 2010
Adobe Acrobat IX
Norton 360, WinPatrol, MalwareBytes
These programs have all been in place for nearly five years.

I agree it's an insane place to save a file to. I have talked to the user about saving EVERYTHING to the Desktop.

 

[Ztruker]

In the Save as window, navigate to a different location to save to. That should then be the location that is given the next time a Save as is done.

 

[UsernameIssues]

CosmicJest,
I was hoping to duplicate the issue, but I'll need more info on the Adobe software.

"Adobe Acrobat IX" is version 9 of some product.

I'm not sure if you are referring to a paid Adobe product or the free PDF reader.

This website shows some of Adobe's product naming conventions:
Adobe - Adobe Reader : For Windows


You might want to read thru this thread:
http://www.sevenforums.com/vip/379350-need-pdf-reader.html
Or maybe not

 

[GokAy]

You won't see Temp Int files while having system files hidden. Does it not show when both are unhidden?

 

[UsernameIssues]

CosmicJest,
I was able to reproduce the issue and it is just about as I had theorized in post #9. I did not need to install any Adobe products because Process Monitor showed that Outlook is the app that deletes the PDF from that location. In post #9, I theorized that the folder was deleted (and thus the PDF). It turns out that the folder stays. Only the PDF is deleted once Outlook is thru with it.

In Outlook 2010, if the preview pain is turned ON, then the PDF is saved (twice*) to the temp folder when you select the PDF attachment in the preview pane. Just a single click to select the PDF is all that is needed. Selecting another e-mail to be previewed deletes both temp copies of the PDF within a few seconds.

*I don't know why Outlook saves two temp copies of the PDF.
The first copy has a normal file name.
e.g. test.PDF
The second copy adds a space and then (2).
e.g. test (2).PDF

In Outlook 2010, if the preview pain is turned OFF, then opening the e-mail and selecting the PDF attachment with just a single click is all that is needed for Outlook to write the two files mentioned above to the temp folder. Closing the e-mail deletes the two temp files within a few seconds.

You really would not want Outlook to operate any other way. Some Outlook users setup passwords to keep others from accessing their e-mail account(s). Imagine if Outlook left copies of every attachment that you ever opened or previewed in a temp folders. An infection on the computer might not be able to open Outlook due to the user's password, but it could gather up temp files and send them to other people. Also, someone other than the proper user could get at those temp files if the user walks away without locking the computer.



If you opt to look into this further - keep in mind the the Temporary Internet Files folder is sort of like the Desktop folder. The desktop that you see might have shortcuts from the public desktop folder and from your desktop folder. In much the same way, the Temporary Internet Files folder shows you selected files from many different folders. Some files and folders remain hidden even after you tell Folder Options to not hide stuff. Good luck getting Windows to show you some of what is in there:

 

[CosmicJest]

In the Save as window, navigate to a different location to save to. That should then be the location that is given the next time a Save as is done.

The user was told to do this in the future. Thank you.

You won't see Temp Int files while having system files hidden. Does it not show when both are unhidden?

Nope. No Temp Internet folder in the path when showing hidden files!

CosmicJest,
I was able to reproduce the issue and it is just about as I had theorized in post #9. I did not need to install any Adobe products because Process Monitor showed that Outlook is the app that deletes the PDF from that location. In post #9, I theorized that the folder was deleted (and thus the PDF). It turns out that the folder stays. Only the PDF is deleted once Outlook is thru with it.

In Outlook 2010, if the preview pain is turned ON, then the PDF is saved (twice*) to the temp folder when you select the PDF attachment in the preview pane. Just a single click to select the PDF is all that is needed. Selecting another e-mail to be previewed deletes both temp copies of the PDF within a few seconds.

*I don't know why Outlook saves two temp copies of the PDF.
The first copy has a normal file name.
e.g. test.PDF
The second copy adds a space and then (2).
e.g. test (2).PDF

In Outlook 2010, if the preview pain is turned OFF, then opening the e-mail and selecting the PDF attachment with just a single click is all that is needed for Outlook to write the two files mentioned above to the temp folder. Closing the e-mail deletes the two temp files within a few seconds.

You really would not want Outlook to operate any other way. Some Outlook users setup passwords to keep others from accessing their e-mail account(s). Imagine if Outlook left copies of every attachment that you ever opened or previewed in a temp folders. An infection on the computer might not be able to open Outlook due to the user's password, but it could gather up temp files and send them to other people. Also, someone other than the proper user could get at those temp files if the user walks away without locking the computer.

If you opt to look into this further - keep in mind the the Temporary Internet Files folder is sort of like the Desktop folder. The desktop that you see might have shortcuts from the public desktop folder and from your desktop folder. In much the same way, the Temporary Internet Files folder shows you selected files from many different folders. Some files and folders remain hidden even after you tell Folder Options to not hide stuff. Good luck getting Windows to show you some of what is in there:

Wow. Thank you for going to the trouble to figure all this out UserNameIssues. I find it helps me to understand future problems if I understand past problems. I very much appreciate your detailed explanation and screenclip. Thank you, and kudos!

P.S. Yes, Adobe Acrobat IX is an older version of the paid Adobe product.

 

[GokAy]

I will tell this again since from how you wrote it I can't be certain we are on the same page

No Temp Internet folder in the path when showing hidden files!

Show hidden files does not show temp folder.

Do both simultaneously:
- appdata: select "show hidden files"
- temp: untick "hide protected system files"

 

[UsernameIssues]

CosmicJest,
You are welcome.


GokAy, post #10 indicates that you and CosmicJest have not been on the same page for a while :-(

...the user's computer is now set to show hidden files & hide protected files; however, the >Temporary Internet Files folder continues to be elusive.

CosmicJest,
Maybe what you wrote was a typo... but it sounds like you still have a check by the option to Hide protected operating system files. You will need to make the user's folder options look like this:




When folders have the "S" (System) attribute, they should not show until you remove the check from the Hide protected operating system files option.




However, as I indicated before, you might be disappointed once you get inside of that Temporary Internet Files folder. Explorer usually does not show much - and yet there can be a lot of sub-folders and files under the main Temporary Internet Files folder. You just cannot normally see them.

 

[GokAy]

Thanks for the warning and of course for the screenshots and clarification UNI

 

[CosmicJest]

It's all good. Path found. Help appreciated.

 

[UsernameIssues]

And it looks like you can see the Outlook folder too.

Enjoy