Users Folder

[Peladomann]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here, i hope it goes here
Well, thing is I'm that sort of user who likes his OS to be as clean, clear and minimalistic as possible.
Thus I like my comp to have only one download location, only 1 temp folder, etc.

Regarding users folder I don't know how windows works with these folders, because in every Windows OS I can recall, there have been always multiple folders, even if you set your computer to work with only one user that is you, the absolute and total administrator. Then you can see a default user, a "yourusername" folder, a public folder, an all user folder. Also when installing software sometimes they put their shortcuts into default, sometimes into all and sometimes just in yourusername user folder. Is it safe to delete all folders but the "yourusername" folder? if not, which are the folders you have to keep? Is there a way to make these folders to converge into one?

A thing i hate is installing software and not knowing where did it put archives into my computer. I usually check the program files folder, but have seen many times left over folders, some empty some not. Then again the users folder is a mystery to me as if it will keep files from a never used again software forever or not.

There is also a Program Data hidden folder.

Can anyone help me with this questions please?

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/264-libraries-personal-public-user-folders.html

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/win7/windows-7-feature-focus-libraries

http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/productivity/files.aspx

Hope you find the information useful.

 

[Peladomann]

Thx for the answer, but I don't have any problem about using the virtual folders on 7, I understand it perfectly and I know how to set one or more folders to gather into one virtual win7 folder (like documents).

My problem is that I'm the kind of user who likes to have control over his OS, and when I see multiple user folders, or application leaving files in different places, some of which are not removed after uninstalls, even with disk cleaners....I tend to feel annoyed.

I was asking specifically about the users folder, cause I see a default, a "myusername", an all users folder and some more. It was a clean windows installation and from the very beginning I've been the only user and admin on my pc.

I read the links posted above but they talk about using the virtual folders and tips on how to efficiently administrate them.

Does anyone know about these users folders, if all of them are necessary, can i remove all and keep only the "myusername" folder?, can it be that some registry entries never change to use the "myusername" folder and thus they recreate the default user folder and the others?

 

[kado897]

The default user folder is used by windows when a new user is added. I don't have an All Users folder so I don't know what that is. The Public folder is an area where any user on your computer can put data that can be shared among all users. The equivalent folders in this are included in all the libraries by default.

As for temporary folders most programs set them up in the hidden AppData folder in your user folder but it really depends on the installed program where this is put not Windows. By default your Downloads folder will be used for downloads in IE.


The All Users folder an Default User folder are hidden system files used in building new user profiles.