What is the DOCUME~1 folder?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Harry Krause
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Harry Krause

I notice that my WinXP Pro setup has a DOCUME~1 folder in which the
names and contents of other folders are duplicated.

What's the purpose of this folder?
 
DOCUME~1 is the short name (8.3 name) for Documents and Settings.

Folder Name: Documents and Settings
Contents: Account information for each user who is granted access on the
computer. Each user account is represented by a subfolder assigned the
user name. Folders under each user account folder include My Documents,
Desktop, and Start Menu.

These include:

Documents and Settings\Administrator
Documents and Settings\All Users
Documents and Settings\Default User
Documents and Settings\LocalService
Documents and Settings\NetworkService
Documents and Settings\You

Some of the above are Hidden folders.
These are System folders and shouldn't be deleted.

Administrator is for the Administrator account.

All Users is used for many things. Your Desktop and Start Menu, for
example, display what is in All Users *and* what is in your Desktop and
Start Menu folders.

Default User is used when creating new accounts.

I am not really sure what LocalService & NetworkService are for, but...

LocalService is the NT Authority\Local Service user account, the Windows XP
System account.

Obviously, NetworkService has something to do with networks, the
NetworkService account.

The LocalService and NetworkService accounts perform things like synchronize
the time, etc.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
DOCUME~1 = Documents and Settings directory.
It is used to set up for All Users, Default Users and Name (You).
Do not delete any of these folders, you may surely use/need them in the
future.
 
Harry Krause said:
I notice that my WinXP Pro setup has a DOCUME~1 folder in which the
names and contents of other folders are duplicated.

What's the purpose of this folder?
Click to expand...

When a user is working with applications/folders/files etc.. and before
action
is completed or shutdown occurs prematurely XP will generate copies of the
documents and use DOS titles (does not exceed 8 characters the tide is a
place setting representing the characters not displaced via DOS naming.
Generally after a period of one - two weeks these files will be cleaned
out by Disk Cleanup.
 
AJR said:
When a user is working with applications/folders/files etc.. and before
action
is completed or shutdown occurs prematurely XP will generate copies of the
documents and use DOS titles (does not exceed 8 characters the tide is a
place setting representing the characters not displaced via DOS naming.
Generally after a period of one - two weeks these files will be cleaned
out by Disk Cleanup.
Click to expand...


Thanks...I'll buy your answer, because the danged folder comes and goes.
 
The creation of 8.3 filenames and directories for all long filenames and
directories on NTFS partitions is a default action with Windows XP unless a
registry setting is changed.

8.3 filenames and directories are not necessarily deleted after any period
of time.

[[NOTE: Although disabling 8.3 name creation increases file performance
under Windows NT, some 16-bit applications may not be able to find files and
directories with long filenames. ]]

[[NOTE: The change to the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation registry entry
affects only files, folders, and profiles that are created after the change.
Files that already exist are not affected. ]]
How to Disable the 8.3 Name Creation on NTFS Partitions
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=121007

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
"The creation of 8.3 filenames and directories for all long filenames and
directories on NTFS partitions is a default action with Windows XP unless a
registry setting is changed.

8.3 filenames and directories are not necessarily deleted after any period
of time.

[[NOTE: Although disabling 8.3 name creation increases file performance
under Windows NT, some 16-bit applications may not be able to find files and
directories with long filenames. ]]"

I should have been more explicit - did not intend to imply files would be
deleted automatically after a period of time but that they would be made
available for deletion through "disk cleanup". XP does not make "junk"
files available immediately to disk cleanup but does so after a period of
time on the basis that the user may have a need for the info later.
 
Explains the available options for Disk Cleanup...
How to Automate the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315246

Safely delete access time stored here (7 is days):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\Volume Caches \Temporary Files
Value Name: LastAccess
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 7

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
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