Finding Files

[Neil]

Dear All,
New to vista.I am having problems finding files in Vista. For example, if I
open and then save it in
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet
Files\OLKB0F7. I cannot find the folder "Temporary Internet Files" nor the
file using the folders pane.. If I go into the Advanced Search and check the
"Include non-indexed, etc" box. it will find a shortcut to it
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office\Recent. However this not
appear in the Recent items. I have else where have used applications where
I, say have set a file location in the applications preferences.
Am I right in thinking that Vista organises files on a different way and how
do I find all the files that I am looking for. I have set the folder options
to show all hidden files.
Thanks,
Neil

 

[DL]

Presumably you are talking about outlook attachments, if you open one, edit
it, you need to use Save As to save to a location on your hard disk,
probably the Documents Folder.
Anything saved to a temp location is likely to be lost
Thats the way winxp/win2k works also.

 

[Tyro]

You shouldn't be saving files there. Save files in your area, under your
user profile.

Tyro

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Dear All,
New to vista.I am having problems finding files in Vista. For example, if
I open and then save it in
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet
Files\OLKB0F7.

This is really, really, *not* a good idea. Save files to somewhere in your
account's Documents structure, not any folder with the word "Temporary" in
the name.

By definition, the Temporary Internet Files folders, like the Temp folders,
are for temporary use by the system and by applications. They should be
emptied regularly, and you shouldn't ever use them for storage.

Programs that use them for temporary storage should clear up after
themselves, and all of the disk cleanup utilities will clear these folders,
which will of course delete anything you saved there.

So don't use that area for file storage! Your account has Current Documents
folders for a reason.

I cannot find the folder "Temporary Internet Files" nor the file using the
folders pane..

These folders are set to system/hidden. You have to turn on the view of
that to find them, and even then they are not always easily visible.

In any case, you just shouldn't be saving files there.

If I go into the Advanced Search and check the "Include non-indexed, etc"
box. it will find a shortcut to it
C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Office\Recent. However this
not appear in the Recent items. I have else where have used applications
where I, say have set a file location in the applications preferences.
Am I right in thinking that Vista organises files on a different way

It's slightly different to XP, but you just shouldn't be saving the files in
those areas. XP and 2000 use these folders the same way.

Use the Current Documents structures in your account, that's what they are
for.

Temporary areas are not for storage, they do or should get cleared
regularly, and specific folder names there can't be counted on to exist for
any length of time.

and how do I find all the files that I am looking for. I have set the
folder options to show all hidden files.

Well, you apparently need to find them to move them into where they should
be, so try this: download and install Agent Ransack, a free and fast
search utility that I find works better than any of the built-in search
tools.
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

Point it to the c:\Users folder, then give it one of the filenames you know
you saved. When you find one, you will likely find the others.

HTH
-pk

 

[Dave]

Save the attached file first, then open it from the saved location... don't
edit the attachment.

 

[Neil]

Sensible though your suggestions are you are missing my point. To give
another example I have Netscape 6.2 on my machine. Using its profile manage
I create a folder called "Program Files/Netscape/Users/Neil" It can see this
folder but windows explorer can neither see it not find.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Neil.

Temporary Internet Files are not Vista creations. They are Internet
Explorer creations. They behave in Vista the same way they do in WinXP - or
Win9x. They are not "normal" Windows files and can't be managed with
"normal" Windows commands and utilities.

If you want to see the TIF, open IE and then click Tools | Internet Options.
While the exact location and wording varies from one IE version to the next,
the general pattern hasn't changed in several versions. On the first
"General" tab, there is a section called "Browsing History" in the IE8 beta;
I think it was labeled TIF in earlier versions. It has a button labeled
"Settings..." Click this to get a small screenful of information about your
TIF, including the "Current location", plus a few tools to view and to
manage these files.

Be careful! It's not wise to mess with these files unless you understand
what you are doing - and I don't. I've told you how to find them; what you
do next is up to you.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2009 in Win7 Ultimate x64 7000)

 

[Chris J Dixon]

Sensible though your suggestions are you are missing my point. To give
another example I have Netscape 6.2 on my machine. Using its profile manage
I create a folder called "Program Files/Netscape/Users/Neil" It can see this
folder but windows explorer can neither see it not find.

Do you know its full pathname?

Chris

 

[Neil]

Dear RC
I have hit on the key issue here how does Vista organize files. If the
attachment, MS Word Doc is opened from Outlook, using the instance of MS
Word's File>Open you can see the file and previous versions of it. But
using the method you suggested which uses Windows explorer and the methods I
explained earlier in this thread I cannot.
So the essential question is how does Vista organise files and how can you
find all and every file? It is not just about finding temporary Internet
files.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply

 

[Neil]

I was just doing something with RealPlayer and it allowed me to see this
particular folder but not all the files I know are in it. Again the question
is how does Vista File system work and how can you be sure of finding any
and all files.

 

[DL]

Its you who are missing the point, the IE or Outlook temp location is just
that, the folder or files contained do not behave as other folders/files,
and as RC says best left alone

Any attachment you edit should be saved using the Save As command to a
location on your hd, you cannot save it then locate the file in the temp
folder.
Or if you wish to save the attachment you open it and still use Save As to
save to a location on your hd

Vista organises folders/files in broadly the same way as winxp, generally it
offers more protection in hiding system files from the uninitiated
Data should be saved /stored in a specific data Folder, Vista uses
Documents, how you organise your data within that is up to you, data should
not be stored outside these locations. All these locations are searchable,
or can be viewed in explorer

 

[Neil]

O.K. so it is not a good idea to go against Vista's default. But how can I
be sure that I am seeing all the files that are there. Different
Applications, Outlook, Windows Explorers, RealPlayer, etc. seem to reveal
different files?

 

[DL]

Its NOT a vista specific default, its the same default as win2k through
winxp
The only files that really concern you are Data files, stop messing about
and store/save your data files in the Documents folder
BTW you cannot access an outlook data file other than within Outlook, so
your not going to find Outlook data using explorer

 

[Neil]

I have started consulting the GREAT GOD GOOGLE and it is as was beginning
the suspect Vista has abandoned the tree structure started with dear DOS 3
and move over to TxF or the Transactional File System. I still do not
understand it but I am sure that GGG will in his/her infinite wisdom will
eventually reveal all. Still it would be nice if someone could reveal a
quick and easy way that I could check exactly what is where - and not just
in Outlook.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Sensible though your suggestions are you are missing my point. To give
another example I have Netscape 6.2 on my machine. Using its profile
manage I create a folder called "Program Files/Netscape/Users/Neil" It can
see this folder but windows explorer can neither see it not find.

That's because that is a protected system folder, which requires checking in
the view options both "show hidden files" and "show protected operating
system files".

One of the key points being made is that you should not ever be saving files
directly to any of these folders.

When you receive a Word doc in Outlook, for example, and open it, it will
open in a temporary folder.

Do *not* save it there, save it in your Current Documents structure.

HTH
-pk

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have started consulting the GREAT GOD GOOGLE and it is as was beginning
the suspect Vista has abandoned the tree structure started with dear DOS 3

Nope. It's just that NTFS supports permissions and extended attributes.

and move over to TxF or the Transactional File System. I still do not
understand it but I am sure that GGG will in his/her infinite wisdom will
eventually reveal all. Still it would be nice if someone could reveal a
quick and easy way that I could check exactly what is where - and not just
in Outlook.

Use Agent Ransack, and don't save files to temporary or system folders.

Set the view options to display both hidden/system files and Protected
Operating system files.

HTH
-pk

 

[Neil]

Hi Patrick,
Thanks for suggestion Agent Ransack could find a file that Windows Explorer
could not find. And its Browse facility allowed me Folders that Windows
Explorer would not. However this Browse facility could not find a folder
that contained a test file that its search facility could find. Again I
would ideally like to be able to see ever file that is on my HD. any
Thanks again