What is going on here?

Hey all, something weird is going on with my computer. I have noticed that the "Documents and Settings" Folder has basically dissapeared, I will post a ss below to show you what I mean, and the error I get when I try to access it.

Besides the fact that I have Vista……

Did you tweak the registry recently? Changed variables in CMD? Played with some powertools? Installed crapware?

Google for "relocate documents and settings", don't put the quotes around your query.

My best guess is screwed registry settings.

Well, I've had this problem for a while, it doesnt really bother me but I just wanted to know what happened. The only thing I might have done to the registry is use CCleaner to clean it out, and that is probably where my problem started. But it really doesnt matter, its not affecting me.

EDIT: This should get fixed when I get a new hard drive and re-install the AIDS.

have you tried "search files and folders" to see if you have moved it or if you deleted it?

Yes, I have searched all areas of my drive, both partitions. I will just wait till I get my Seagate Momentus and re-install Vista.

You need to check your registry, Navigate to : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\DocFolderPaths. In the rt pane you should see: C:\Documents and Settings\"username". If not rt click the pane and choose new>string value and enter it manually.

DocFolderPaths is not in there, think that might be the problem? I try not to touch the registry. If it isnt too hard, can I just create another folder with all the data?

Rt click on the CurrentVersion\ Explorer and select>new.key and name it DocFolderPaths. Then click on DocFolderPaths and in the rt pane enter the new value as above.

It's a shortcut. Right-click it, click Properties, and see what the target is, then verify if it exists. Vista doesn't use "Documents and Settings" like XP did… it uses "Users". In fact, Docs and Settings might be a link to Users.

No target or anything, I will just wait till I do a clean install, thanks for the help anyways guys, I appreciate it.

a7x2thedeath wrote: No target or anything, I will just wait till I do a clean install, thanks for the help anyways guys, I appreciate it.

You're going to reinstall… for a broken shortcut? Whatever works, genius.

Zephyr_Pure wrote: [quote]a7x2thedeath wrote: No target or anything, I will just wait till I do a clean install, thanks for the help anyways guys, I appreciate it.

You're going to reinstall… for a broken shortcut? Whatever works, genius.[/quote]

Meh, that's windows users for you.

@a7x2thedeat: Like Zephyr_Pure said, Users is there. Just delete the stupid shortcut.

Zephyr_Pure wrote: Vista doesn't use "documents and Settings" like XP did… it uses "Users".

That is correct. Sorry didn't post back sooner had a big ass storm going on last night and lost internet and power. In vista the documents and settings folder is still there for running certain apps and doesn't retain any info nor can you store things in it. The reason i posted the reg. fix is I've had people "upgrade?" from xp to vista and didn't copy the stuff they had stored in it. By applying the reg. fix you can then access it and remove your info then. If this is not the case and the Op is just trying to access it for no reason this thread is worthless, If you didn't upgrade and have nothing stored in docs and settings you can not access it in vista. It's a virtual folder for apps only.

Zephyr_Pure wrote: Vista doesn't use "documents and Settings" like XP did… it uses "Users". korg wrote: That is correct. Sorry didn't post back sooner had a big ass storm going on last night and lost internet and power. In vista the documents and settings folder is still there for running certain apps and doesn't retain any info nor can you store things in it. The reason i posted the reg. fix is I've had people "upgrade?" from xp to vista and didn't copy the stuff they had stored in it. By applying the reg. fix you can then access it and remove your info then.

There you have it… the complete story. I actually wasn't aware that upgrading to Vista might not transition Docs and Settings to Users correctly, so that was a useful bit I'll be storing away for later.

If this is not the case and the Op is just trying to access it for no reason this thread is worthless, If you didn't upgrade and have nothing stored in docs and settings you can not access it in vista. It's a virtual folder for apps only.

I think this is probably the case but, in the event that it is, at least some of us learned a bit about the OS that everyone loves to hate.