Where Can I Find Application Data folders in Windows 7?

Question

Adobe Illustrator has developed a problem.  I have downloaded a replacement  dll from their site, but the instructions tell me to delete a file found in  Windows XP:  {drive}\Documents and Settings{user}\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe  Illustrator CS4 Settings\  which I cannot find the equivilant Windows7 location?

Simply replacing the dll file did not cure my problem so I assume this final step is neccessary.  I did find an app data folder in my user folder but it is empty.

I am trying to restore access to "preferences" in Illustrator, which seems to have locked me out.  The other apps in CS4 allow access to their General Preferences - this is a newly developed problem only with Illustrator.

Answer 1

Best way to find stuff like that is to use system variables.

Open Explorer and type

%appdata%

And hit enter. You'll go to the Application Data folder. Same goes for other system wide folders, like %temp%, %programdata%, etc

To see a list of system-wide folders published as variables, open a command prompt and type "set"

Answer 2

Enable viewing of hidden files and folders, and look in these folders:

   C:\Users<your user name>\AppData\Local\Adobe...

   C:\Users<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe...

   C:\Users<your user name>\AppData\LocalLow\Adobe...

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Boulder Computer Maven

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional

Answer 3

The location of XP folders like Documents & Settings and History are no longer in the same place. They are displayed when ‘hidden files’ are displayed but they are ‘Junctions‘, i.e. they are there for historical reasons so that old programs that would normally use them are redirected to the new Windows 7 locations. Junctions can be recognised by having a little padlock on the icon and cannot be accessed.

In Windows 7 you can see a list of these folders using a command prompt. Open a Run window (Windows key+R), type cmd /k dir /al (note the three spaces) and press Enter. The results will be a list of all the Junctions for the user folders, showing the name of the old XP user folder and the name of the new folder in brackets.

Answer 4

there are locks all over the place and I can't get in my own files

Answer 5

As BurrWalnut said, the lock icon indicates a junction point : a hidden, protected operating system file that isn't meant to be accessed by users.  Each one points to a user-accessible folder:

Application Data - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming

Cookies - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies

History - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History

Local Settings - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Local

My Documents - C:\Users{user name}\Documents

NetHood - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts

PrintHood - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts

Recent - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent

SendTo - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

Start Menu - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

Templates - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Roaming

Temporary Internet Files - C:\Users{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files

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Boulder Computer Maven

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional