What Are the Roaming Folders For?

[John Hanley]

When I do a Vista search, there are items returned that are in 'Roaming'
folders. I would like to understand what these 'Roaming' folders are?
Items in 'Roaming' folders are often returned in the search, and I need to
understand what I am getting. Examples of such folders:

C:\users\john hanley\appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows\start
menu\programs\hp

C:\Users\John Hanley\AppData\Roaming

Thanks.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

When I do a Vista search, there are items returned that are in 'Roaming'
folders. I would like to understand what these 'Roaming' folders are?
Items in 'Roaming' folders are often returned in the search, and I need to
understand what I am getting. Examples of such folders:

C:\users\john hanley\appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows\start
menu\programs\hp

C:\Users\John Hanley\AppData\Roaming

They are for when using Roaming User Profiles, either with or without Active
Directory on domains. It allows users to have their own settings whichever
computer they log onto. Just leave it, even if you are using a single
machine not on a network.

ss.

 

[Guest]

There is a bit of an oddity with these folders:

If you subscribe to a newsgroup, then the links to messages you read are
entered in the Roaming Folder's subfolders. If you later unsubscribe to the
newsgroup, the links are maintained. (Even if you reset and delete all
messages and headers.)

This creates a bit of surprise when you enter text for a search and find
links to newsgroup messages you no longer follow as matches to your search.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

There is a bit of an oddity with these folders:

If you subscribe to a newsgroup, then the links to messages you read are
entered in the Roaming Folder's subfolders. If you later unsubscribe to
the
newsgroup, the links are maintained. (Even if you reset and delete all
messages and headers.)

This creates a bit of surprise when you enter text for a search and find
links to newsgroup messages you no longer follow as matches to your
search.

I've not noticed that, but I have set the search indexing to not include
Windows Mail messages. Another thing that I do not understand is the
multiple Cookies folders. The All Users and User Start Menu folders also
show some strange behaviour.

ss.

 

[John Hanley]

They are for when using Roaming User Profiles, either with or without
Active Directory on domains. It allows users to have their own settings
whichever computer they log onto. Just leave it, even if you are using a
single machine not on a network.

ss.

I guess if I want to exclude items in 'Roaming' folders from my search (to
reduce clutter), I can use 'NOT roaming' as in the search window. Thanks
for the explanations.