What is AppData/Roaming and how did it get into my laptop?

HI,

thank you very much Ken , i was completely stucked when searching for the

appdata file because i have minecraft installed on my pc , and when i take

screenshots they go there      :)

have a nice day

ahmed

Hi Show Me The Magic

Thank you for Posting on Microsoft Answers.

That is a Valid Folder.  See the Comparison info below

XP: Documents and Settings$USER$\Application Data

Vista: Users$USER$\AppData\Roaming

What kind of "havoc" are you referring to?  What exactly is going on?

thank you

Ken

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Hi KEN.

Thank you for your reply. Here's the best example of "havoc" that I can give you. I'm running Vista Home Premium 32-bit, by the way, and until just... I'd say no more than two weeks ago, the AppData/Roaming wasn't even in this machine. Since I posted, I've been reading a little more about it. My understanding is it has to do with my machine computer literally "roaming" from network to network and involves multiple users? 1)My laptop never leaves the house and is continually connected to the internet through my wireless router (which is security-enabled so nobody can use our signal and gain access); if the laptop does leave the house, I always diable the WiFi and never use the internet outside of the house. It's an applications laptop. I use it for non-internet programs mostly, so I have virtually no need to be connected to the net while I have it away from the house. 2)I am THE sole user of this laptop. Anybody comes near it and they're apt to lose a hand! I've also got it security-enable so at boot-up it requires a password. Under User Accounts I am the ONLY account listed. So, with all of that said, the laptop doesn't "roam" and there are no "multiple" users.

The first problem occurred when I modified my Microsoft Office Pro 2007. On my original install, I used the Custom Install feature and left Access off. I didn't need it. Two weeks ago I decided I now need it and activated the Installer to Add/Modify programs. The screen came up and showed my original installation and I saw that Access had indeed not been installed. So, I installed it. It installed and works fine. What has happened, though, is part of my Office installation is where it should be and part of it is now in the "AppData Roaming" folder. I am unable to modify settings and other functions without getting error messages. The program is looking for files in the original Applications Data folder, but they're now located in this AppData/Roaming thing.

I have another proprietary program that is now refusing to let me modify it, as well.

Oh, before I continue, I have not disabled the Indexing features at anytime since I put this laptop into service. And it was brand new when I bought it. I am the original owner.

When I use Search under the Start Menu, I find that these programs are spread out across their original locations in C:\Users(my name)\Application Data and C:\Users(my name)\AppData\Roaming. And on top of that, almost every single user-created file (documents, spreadsheets, pictures, everything) is duplicated in both locations. Almost all... I'd say a good 85%. This would cerainly explain my loss of free disk space.

Also, under Computer, if I click on Local Disk C:\ to expand the tree, there are folders, like C:\Documents and Settings, that are now denying me access. Among some others that now deny me access are: C:\ProgramData\Application Data; C:\ProgramData\Documents; C:\ProgramData\Templates; and C:\System Volume Information. Until two weeks ago I could open ANY folder I wanted without problems. Now I have folders all over the computer that are denying me access to them.

And finally, since this started, I've lost 13GB of disk space. I was at 118GB free. Now I'm at 105GB free. And other then Microsoft Access, I have added NOTHING to the computer, except a few small reports written in Word and several spreadsheets done in Excel... certainly NOT 13GB worth of data.

I'm usually pretty good with this sort of thing, but this has me completely baffled. I don't know where this mysterious Roaming area of my file structure came from. I don't know why all my data is duplicated in two different areas. I don't know why all of a sudden I'm being denied access to folders I use all the time. I'm completely lost on this whole issue. Any--ANY--help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. I need my free disk space back, but I also need to be able to modify program functions, which right now I am not able to do with 90% of the programs I have installed.

Thank you for your reply and your time.

SCOTT