Newbie needs help accessing Docs & Settings

  • Thread starter Thread starter lmo
  • Start date Start date
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lmo

Aloha all. I just got a new computer with Vista Home premium. When I try to
access Documents and Settings I get an error saing Access is Denied. I am
the administrator, and the only account on the system. Wht can't I access
D&C, and how can I access D&C.
That's one. Also, is there a way to turn off the warning that keep asking if
I really was to do something? They are a PITA.
Many thanks all!
 
Some folders are there for backwards compatibility but not used. Dig around
in Windows Explorer and you should find the folders you are really looking
for ;-)
You can turn UAC off in the Security Center.
 
lmo said:
Aloha all. I just got a new computer with Vista Home premium. When I try
to access Documents and Settings I get an error saing Access is Denied. I
am the administrator, and the only account on the system. Wht can't I
access D&C, and how can I access D&C.
That's one. Also, is there a way to turn off the warning that keep asking
if I really was to do something? They are a PITA.
Many thanks all!
Click to expand...

Documents and Settings is no longer a "real" folder. To find what you used
to have in Documents and Settings scroll down to Users.
 
If your talking about documents and setting in the windows explorer, then Im
not sure becouse if you just bought a new system with Vista there should be
no documents and settings folder. However this is found in XP. If you are an
admin on the account it should still let you open a folder after you get the
pop-up saying you don't have permision to access the folder and then
clicking continue, then it should open (if you are an admin). Maybe someone
else can help with this one.

As for User Access Control (UAC) this can be diabled by using the run
command and then typing msconfig, click the tab that says tools, scroll dow
to disable UAC, click disable UAC, then click launch at the bottom, restart
your system. After all that you will get no more prompts. I would suggest
however to not disable UAC, once you get the things set the way you want
them it will start seeing alot less of UAC.

Hope you get things going.

Good Luck

Eddie Johnson
 
Hi,

Documents and Settings, like several others, is not a real folder in Vista.
It is merely there as a pointer for programs that expect it to be present.
Vista uses C:\Users to house the individual user accounts.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Mac said:
Some folders are there for backwards compatibility but not used. Dig
around in Windows Explorer and you should find the folders you are really
looking for ;-)
You can turn UAC off in the Security Center.
Click to expand...

Not good advice to turn off UAC, besides this has nothing to do with UAC.
 
lmo said:
Aloha all. I just got a new computer with Vista Home premium. When I try
to access Documents and Settings I get an error saing Access is Denied. I
am the administrator, and the only account on the system. Wht can't I
access D&C, and how can I access D&C.
That's one. Also, is there a way to turn off the warning that keep asking
if I really was to do something? They are a PITA.
Many thanks all!
Click to expand...

You don't need to access it. All that folder contains is a pointer to the
actual folder in Vista where the files are located. Documents and Settings
points to \Users. You wouldn't even see it if you didn't set view to show
hidden folders.

Vista has some legacy folders used in XP for compatibility with older apps
that expect to see it, but they are not used. They are junction points. To
see where a junction points open an elevated command prompt. Start | type
in cmd, right click on it and choose Run as Administrator. Navigate to the
folder that has the folder that is giving access denied and give this
command:
dir /al

The folder the junction points to is listed on the right. There is no need
to disable UAC, that's bad advice anyway, nor does it have anything to do
with the issue. Also don't try to change the permissions on these folders.
It can mess up the legacy apps.

From a post by MVP Jimmy Brush here is a list of these legacy folders that
are junctions, and the folders to which they point.

Windows XP Location Windows Vista Location
\Documents and Settings \Users
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents \Users\$USER$\Documents
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents\My Music \Users\$USER$\Music
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents\My Pictures
\Users\$USER$\Pictures
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\My Documents\My Videos
\Users\$USER$\Videos
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Application Data
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Cookies
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Local
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\NetHood
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\PrintHood
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Recent
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\SendTo
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Start Menu
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Templates
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\Application Data
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Local
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\History
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History
\Documents and Settings\$USER$\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
\Users\$USER$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
\Documents and Settings\All Users \ProgramData
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data \ProgramData
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop \Users\Public\Desktop
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents \Users\Public\Documents
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Favorites \Users\Public\Favorites
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates
\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
\Documents and Settings\Default User \Users\Default
 
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