Multiple Copies of Applications Data Directory

[traceyw]

Hi

First off I'm not sure where this message should be posted so please forgive me if I place it in the wrong forum.

I'm hoping that someone may be able to help me with what seems to be rather curious problem.

Maybe rather foolishly, I found and enabled a Take Ownership item on the Windows Explorer context menu. I then took ownership of various directories it was probably better to leave alone. Now, and for some time, I've had a multiplicity (and I'm talking 11 and upwards) of iterations of the Applications Data directory located in the following directory structures:

ProgramData\ directory
Documents and Settings\All Users\ directory
Documents and Settings\Username\AppData\Local\ directory
Documents and Settings\Local Settings\ directory
Users\All Users\ directory
Users\Username\AppData\Local\ directory
Users\Username\Local Settings\ directory

A total of seven different directory structures on my Win7 drive - and each iteration appears to contain exactly the same data as the first Application Data directory in the structure, but its ONLY the Application Data directory which is affected.

I can't say this was a directory I took ownership of - I can't remember - but I guess I must have since I can access the files and folders within the top level directory. Does anyone have any idea what I can do about this - apart from re-installing Win7 that is?

I should add that I've checked this out using the search program Locate by searching on "Application Data". Also, I install every update MS provide using the update feature of Win7

Does anyone have any possible solution for this problem? I nknow its easy to say simply to delete the unwanted iterations, but we're talking Windows7 and you don't just delete things willy-nilly without checking as much as possible that it is safe to do so. So please, any help would be very gratefully accepted. Thanks very much.

Tracey

PS At one time today I finished up with 21 iterations but since rebooting into XP to backup my Win7 drive obviously 10 of those have been removed. Incidentally I am using Win7 Home Premium N.

 

[pbcopter]

"Documents and Settings" is not a real folder. It is a junction to allow older programs to interface with the folder structure of Windows 7. You are not really seeing duplicates of all those folders.
I would be careful with changing the security settings (ownership, etc.) of system files and folders.