multiple I386 folders. Abnormal?

[Guest]

The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information.
I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be multiple folders named
SYSTEM32.
"File Locator Pro" search reveals:

C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32
2/28/2008:

C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec
1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008
Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is
that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has
been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My
Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are $OEM$,
ASMS,
COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are subfolders
ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the
specific
I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location. Or,
delete it.
Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

 

[R. McCarty]

Don't delete the i386 with the OEM folder. That is the original source
for Windows. The problem with prompting for a CD is a Registry Key
called CDInstall. If that key value = 1, then XP was originally setup
with a CD. This isn't the case with an OEM machine which is created
by a master image file. But many OEMs neglect to change that Key
value in their image file.

The key is found at:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

SFC has a hierarchy to how it searches for source content. It scans the
\ServicePackFiles\ folder then proceeds to the original i386 if the content
can't be located in a previous source point. The ONLY place SP3
modules can be found is in the \ServicePackFiles\ folder.

 

[Jim]

The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information.
I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be multiple folders named
SYSTEM32.
"File Locator Pro" search reveals:

C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32
2/28/2008:

C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec
1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008
Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is
that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has
been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My
Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are
$OEM$, ASMS,
COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are
subfolders
ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the
specific
I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location.
Or, delete it.
Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

It is not normal for an i386 folder to appear anywhere in the Documents &
Settings folder tree.
This system has many such folders in the \Windows folder tree, and this is a
normal situation.
There are also some i386 folders in the \Program Files folder tree.
The purpose of these folders is to provide a backup in case the actual
program somehow gets damaged.
Windows does not execute any program located in any i386 folder unless
malware has infected the system.
Thus, it seems to me that i386 folders located anywhere are rather benign.
I would like to know how (and why) the i386 folders were installed into the
\Documents & Settings folder tree.
Jim

 

[db.·.. >]

i would simply move
the i386 folder to
the c drive, so it reads:

c:\i386

if in the future something
requires a file from the
folder, a pop up will be
provided asking you for
the location of the i386.

 

[AJR]

Some applications have their "own" system32 folder - only problem is that
an application may install a dll in it's system32 folder when it's required
location is the system32 folder in Windows.

Believe it or not - location of the i386 folder can vary. Many OEMs utilize
the folders rather than providing OS CD/DVDs. Other instances - if you
decide to install the OS from a HD - the install disk would be copied to an
i386 folder at any location desired and setup initiated.

Also a i386 folder may be necessary when using WAIK and WIN PE (and BART at
times) - a default location may be recommended but browse is provided if
installed elsewhere.

From the original post: "...I repeat that the OS has been functioning for at
least a full year with this I386 located in a My Documents subfolder...." -
good enough!