Logical Organization of C Drive

[Guest]

In Windows Explorer I see four folders (including MyDocuments and MyPictures)
outside the MyComputer folder. How can anything exist outside the
MyComputer folder which among other things has my C Drive and which
presumably has all of my and system folders? Not sure how this would even be
possible but did I (inadvertantly) copy these folders to a place outside the
C drive, like the Desktop? Do I now have to compare versions of each and
every file in order to delete the obsolete copies which might be within
either folder? Or are these folders merely mirror images of each other
(i.e., a "reflected image" on my desktop and the real folders/ files buried
deep within the MyDocuments folder on my C drive)?
Would appreciate any help even just a pointer to a resource on this topic.
thx.

 

[David Candy]

Stop thinking physical. Your desktop (the root from which all else comes from) is on your C drive too. There in no reason why, and lots of reasons why not, the OS UI needs to match the underlying hardware. Windows is designed for you not for Intel and Maxor.

Unfortunately most people who think they are technical can't break free.

 

[David Candy]

And they are a mirror.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

In Windows Explorer I see four folders (including MyDocuments and MyPictures)
outside the MyComputer folder. How can anything exist outside the
MyComputer folder which among other things has my C Drive and which
presumably has all of my and system folders? Not sure how this would even be
possible but did I (inadvertantly) copy these folders to a place outside the
C drive, like the Desktop?

Those aren't true folders. Essentially, they're built-in shortcuts
(sometimes referred to as "virtual folders") to the equivalent folders
located within your user profile, at C:\Documents and
Settings\Username\My Documents.

Do I now have to compare versions of each and
every file in order to delete the obsolete copies which might be within
either folder?

No, the contents of the true folders aren't duplicated in any way.

Or are these folders merely mirror images of each other
(i.e., a "reflected image" on my desktop and the real folders/ files buried
deep within the MyDocuments folder on my C drive)?

That's it, in essence.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In Windows Explorer I see four folders (including MyDocuments and
MyPictures) outside the MyComputer folder. How can anything exist
outside the MyComputer folder which among other things has my C Drive
and which presumably has all of my and system folders? Not sure how
this would even be possible but did I (inadvertantly) copy these
folders to a place outside the C drive, like the Desktop? Do I now
have to compare versions of each and every file in order to delete
the obsolete copies which might be within either folder? Or are
these folders merely mirror images of each other (i.e., a "reflected
image" on my desktop and the real folders/ files buried deep within
the MyDocuments folder on my C drive)?

The latter. These are not real folders, but "namespaces." You can think of
them as just pointers to the real folders.

And no, you don't have to check to keep things in synch. It all happens
automatically.

 

[Talahasee]

In Windows Explorer I see four folders (including MyDocuments and MyPictures)
outside the MyComputer folder. How can anything exist outside the
MyComputer folder which among other things has my C Drive and which
presumably has all of my and system folders? Not sure how this would even be
possible but did I (inadvertantly) copy these folders to a place outside the
C drive, like the Desktop? Do I now have to compare versions of each and
every file in order to delete the obsolete copies which might be within
either folder? Or are these folders merely mirror images of each other
(i.e., a "reflected image" on my desktop and the real folders/ files buried
deep within the MyDocuments folder on my C drive)?
Would appreciate any help even just a pointer to a resource on this topic.
thx.

My advice to you is to learn some simple rules

(I have found myself that this is done trial and error,
since *I* happen to be very bright, but I have a learning
disorder, and I can't read very well, so computer
documentation is generally "gibberish")

Learn some simple rules.
1. Don't pour salty water into a machine that's open and on.
2. Don't throw yoru computer off the balcony of a high rise.
3. Don't type with a sledge hammer.

etc.

Figure out what works for YOU, get suggestions (like this
one) when you need them, and go with it.

As a sample, I had problems with my computer awhile back,
someone suggested simply "reinstalling" Windows on top of
itself without formatting, since I didn't particularly want
to backup and reload some 10 GIGS of data. (no kidding).

I was able to successfully re-install my OS, no problem, and
upon testing it for several hours, everything was back to
how I wanted it, except deleting and reloading some
software.

With one exception.

My documents were NOWHERE To be found.

Now I had 2 10 Gb backups safely tucked away on my external
drive, but...

It was the principle of the thing! I had NOT formatted, but
my Documents weren't there anymore. My My Docs folder was
bare as a bone.

The hard drive readout said they were there, but they
weren't!

It then occurred to me to not trust Windows, but to go
looking for those missing 10 Gigs of documents.

I can't tell you where I found them, (it doesn't make sense
to me, and it's been MONTHs), but I basically looked in
every folder and every sub-folder, until--- wa, la!

Windows had "safely moved them" to a different folder (or
so it appeared).

I examined a dozen random folders, and all appeared to be
there, just someplace ELSE!

I took the hour to drag and drop the stuff from where the
reinstall put it back to where it should have been, my My
Docs folder.

Why? How?

Don't ask, I couldn't tell you.

But I LONG ago (over 25 years) learned about computers-- and
life in general--

Hey! "It Worked!"

And we're back to...

"If it works, don't fix it."

Or

"Don't fix what ain't broke!"


And now that I've bored 10 of you to tears, and 5 of you are
asking,

?????????????????????


Good luck!

Tallahassee

 

[Talahasee]

The latter. These are not real folders, but "namespaces." You can think of
them as just pointers to the real folders.

And no, you don't have to check to keep things in synch. It all happens
automatically.

"Usually".

Tallahassee