XP folder defaults

Good day all,

I am having an issue with my machine.

It appears that my machine possible thinks there is more than one user, me and somebody named TEMP. Maybe it doesn't but I'm not sure. There is only me.

It looks like like all pertinent system info is being directed to DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS/TEMP/... instead of DOCS AND SETTING/USER NAME/...

All application data is also being stored in this TEMP directory. I finally got this machine to use DOCS AND SETTINGS/USERNAME instead of the TEMP directory but some other programs are still using it.

Is there a global setting somewhere that says which folders to use?

I try and delete the folder but can't as WNDOWS says it's required, I can believe that but I always thought TEMP folders are for temporary storage of files and not permenant storage of system info.

Any help/thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers

Gord

 

Xp

Hi Tony

That's the problem there is and always was one user and that was me. I exsist under my UserName and TEMP is not listed as a user anywhere.

 

Is your machine a new install of XP or was it upgraded from another os to XP. This would explain the directory structure being different if there are no user folders in Documents and Settings.

 

Folders

It is/was a new machine with XP preloaded (Compag Presario 3140).

I am and always was the only user and there is a folder with name in Docs and Settings).

At one time it (USERNAME) was being used but somewhere along the way everything was redirected into the TEMP folder under D&S.

I found this out while searching for a file on my machine and it would show up in both folder (USERNAME and TEMP). After some digging I found that the MyDocuments under TEMP was being used.

I followed MS's FAQ and set D&S/USERNAME/MYDOCS as the folder to use and then copied all the docs over.

But I still notice that I recently installed iTunes (2 days) and all the settings etc was stored in the TEMP/APPDATA and not under my USERNAME.

Another program (Mozilla Thunderbird) also keeps refering to the TEMP/APPDATA as I'm sure others do as well.

There never has been a user named TEMP, there is so logon option it and a right click on My Computer/MANAGE proves this true.

I can not get it to stop using TEMP for everythingexcept temp files.

I'd like to clean out (read delete) everything in the TEMP folder and reinstall what needs to be reinstalled but I can't get it out of using the TEMP folder


Cheers

Gord

 

Paste this line in the Run window and let's see where the system thinks it should put Application data for the current user (You).

"C:\documents and settings\%username%\application data\ "

You should not be taken to any Temp folder or subfolder but directly to your ID folder and the subfolder Application Data.

 

Open a command window (Start>Run> cmd)

Type: set
Hit enter

What is listed under USERPROFILE?

 

Xp

Hi Guys

What you are saying should happen which is the same as I was guessing isn't so ...

CMD/SET/<enter> renders

APPDATA=Documents and Setting\TEMP\APPDATA
homepath=Documents and Settings\TEMP
USERPROFILE = Documentsand Settings\TEMP

amongst of course a bunch of other entries

The command prompt is also c:\Documents and Settings\TEMP>

SuferDude2 when I cut and paste into START/RUN without the quotes of course, I get an error "WIndows can not find C:\Documents, make sure you typed it in correctly blah blah blah.


Gord

I actually feel I am getting somewhere thanks guys

 

You need the quotes. Maybe? I just tried it on mine and it runs either way.

Check your path structure and verify that you have this type of hierarchy in place. If not, this may just be the clue to your problem. That would point to user ID corruption and might require some manual entries.

 

Do you actually have a folder at the following location, substituting your ID for Owner?

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data

 

Suferdude2

Yes I do have such a folder but windows doesn't want to use it. (Noting what Mron pointed out with his "SET" command)


When I enter the string you suggest I get the error. Is it possible that Windows is truncating the string to 8 characters which would explain why it can't find c:\documents (which doesn't exsist) and dropping everything after that?

Just guessing.


Gord

 

That's possible if there is corruption of the system. If it can't find the path that you paste in there yet it exists, I'd suggest some general house cleaning for starters. Check for disk errors, run the Disk Cleanup tool, check for Virii and adware. Then run sfc /scannow for effect.

After that, if no love, let's consider a Repair Install. It's obviously going to take more time to track this down than it would to do the repair.

 

Here's a thought, create a new Identity and copy the material in your old ID into the new. You may have to do the copy process in Safe Mode and under the Admin. ID.

Then if the new ID works normally, just delete the old one. Verify by running the SET command from within the new ID.

Anyway, that's a possibility to consider. It sounds easier than a Repair Install.

 

Another thought

 

Hi Suferdude2

Ran a half dozen spy, adware etc nothing unusual.

just tried the sfc /scannow and it said WIndows had some missing corrupt files so I have to go find my WIN XP disc and do what it says. We'll see what happens

Newt, it will probably take me a minute to figure out what you suggest I change. I'll ponder that while I go thru what WINDOWS ask of me during this SFC scan

I'll be back when I'm done.

Please don't run away...

Gord

 

Hi suferdude2,

Silly question how do you do a repair install? I followed the provided instructions and it doesn't do it.

In fact they did nothing


G..

 

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

That's a nice outline of the process.

 

Try this first:

Right click My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables > and click NEW on the System Variables area.

Name it PATH

enter %APPDATA% for the value.

Apply and exit. Reboot for effect.

 

If no joy, repeat the procedure but this time make the entry in the users variables field area.

 

Just for fun I received this off a Newsgroup for your digestive track

--

It sounds as though your profile image paths are not defined correctly. They are
listed here:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList]
"ProfilesDirectory "= "C:\Documents and Settings "
"AllUsersProfile "= "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users "
"DefaultUserProfile "= "C:\Documents and Settings\Default "

The ProfilesDirectory should point to the root of all your profile folders. You cannot
change this folder at a later date (actually, you can, but some folders cannot be
moved at all, so this folder must remain in place at all times). The only way to move
ALL profile folders to another drive or folder is to re-install Windows and define the
preferred ProfilesDirectory within your answer file. All folders must NOT exist
beforehand otherwise Windows adds a .NT extension. When the folders already exist,
rename them yourself before installing Windows, then copy your data from the old
folders to the new. You can then delete the old folders.

Personally, I prefer my profiles to be stored under D:\PROFILES. Apart from anything
else, it is much shorter and keeps my data well away from the Windows partition,
making drive images of the system that much easier and quicker.

You can refer to these three folders using the environment variables
%PROFILESDIRECTORY%, %ALLUSERSPROFILE% and %DEFAULTUSERPROFILE%.

Below the key mentioned above, you will find other subkeys (one per identity). Each of
these has a "ProfileImagePath" string value that should be set to the root folder for
each respective identity. One of these is your own profile. Set these up correctly
then reboot the system.

Once the roots are all specified, you can adjust your personal shell folders. They are
listed here:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]

However, you cannot change these directly. Instead, you need to change (or add) your
preferred folders here:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell
Folders]

Remember to use %USERPROFILE% when referring to the current user's profile image path.
This keeps your paths consistent. All paths that use environment variables are of type
REG_EXPAND_SZ (the OS will expand the environment variable). You can use either REG_SZ
or REG_EXPAND_SZ for explicit pathnames.

You then need to logoff or reboot the system. Windows will read your preferred choices
from this key and transfer them to Shell Folders key, thus rendering them active.

An altogether easier method is to use Tweak UI for Windows XP. Specify your preferred
shell folders in My Computer\Special Folders.

Note: the All Users shell folders are defined in the same location under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Once everything is set up correctly, export all these keys so you can easily restore
them as needed. All exports can be combined into a single REG file.