Windows 8.1 AppData folder

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In addition to the AppData folder in the root drive, C:/Users/Name/AppData containing the Local/LocalLow/Roaming folders, I have on my PC desktop a AppData folder containing Local/LocalLow/Roaming folders with the same date/time stamp as the root drive folder AND a folder labeled “Desktop” which is a mirror of the original folder, Desktop, in the root drive. Also, I have on the PC desktop a separate AppData folder containing it’s own Local/LocalLow/Roaming folders with a different date/time stamp than the root drive folder referenced above. I want to delete the folders on the PC desktop and get back to having one AppData folder and one Desktop folder in the C drive. I attempted to consolidate and delete the unwanted folders but dug myself a hole and thanks to backups was able to get back to a baseline. But the folders not needed/wanted remain on the PC desktop and I’m fearful of trying to do more without some extra guidance. I learned that simply deleting the unwanted folders also deleted the root drive folder files too. So, please, pour forth with expert testimony. And I say thank you.

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It’s possible the folders are shortcuts to the real folders. If you right click on the folder and select Properties, what does it show?

cheers, Paul

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Thanks, Paul T for responding. The two folders parked on the desktop are not standard shortcut icons as neither contain the pointing arrow, are not labeled as shortcuts and one of the two is labeled as a “file folder”. The other created Sep 25 opens and contains Local/LocalLow/Roaming sub-folders modified Sep 26. It’s size is 394MB, 6839 files, 594 folders. It’s path is C:UsersNameDesktop. The “file folder” contains 13 sub-folders with most empty except the AppData at 469MB, 7602 files, 1678 folders and Desktop at 19.6GB, 17,700 files, 800 folders. It’s path is C:UsersName and was created Nov 8, 2014. The info matches the root drive AppData and Desktop sub-folders as if the “file folder” on the desktop is a clone. I hope I’ve made sense in describing this mess and I welcome your input or questions. :confused: Bill T

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They sound like symbolic links.
Does this page help? http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/

cheers, Paul

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They sound like symbolic links.
Does this page help? http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/

cheers, Paul

Thanks, Paul. I read the article which then led me to find other articles about symlinks, etc. The folder on my desktop which I’ve called “file folder” fits the description of a hard link but I’m not sure. Your input took me to Wikipedia, along with other sources, reading more about symbolic links and a statement there read, “If a symbolic link is deleted, its target remains unaffected”. So I went to “file folder” and deleted several AppData folders therein that were empty and found the same folders in the target AppData were also deleted. I learned that the hard way a few days ago and confirmed it again now. It seems to eliminate my two desktop folders as symlinks. Other ideas??

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There is a tool here: http://www.rekenwonder.com/linkmagic.htm for working with Junction Points & symbolic links. It should allow you to see clearly which it is and hopefully help to remove it. Of course the usual make a backup first, mantra applies.

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Thanks for the tip, henryvii. This is my first opportunity to check in since my last post Oct 6 and I’m on the road for a week or more starting this week. So, I’ll work with the link you sent in future days. Too bad you don’t have the notoriety of henryviii but that may be good or maybe not so good. :huh:

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Create a folder on your desktop called “Misc”. Drag them into there, along with anything else you want to get rid of, but don’t know how.

This will get them “out of sight, out of mind”, which will be better than nothing.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Create a folder on your desktop called “Misc”. Drag them into there, along with anything else you want to get rid of, but don’t know how.

This will get them “out of sight, out of mind”, which will be better than nothing.

It is better than the current but I’d like that to be the last option. One, I hate seeing the hole I’ve dug and can’t yet fill in – I’d like a solid resolution. And two, there is almost 19.5GBs of space to recover. Thank you for the input.

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Deleting things in the link *is* deleting things. Deleting the link should be just the link.

cheers, Paul

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Deleting things in the link *is* deleting things. Deleting the link should be just the link.

cheers, Paul

I will agree with that, Paul T. (Learned the hard way :huh:).

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Here is a update about the two folders. Quoting from my previous post, “also, I have on the PC desktop a separate AppData folder containing it’s own Local/LocalLow/Roaming folders with a different date/time stamp than the root drive folder referenced above”. That folder is now off the desktop. I was hesitant but decided to create a restore point, made sure file history was updated, stored the folder on my backup drive and pressed delete. It disappeared with no warnings about permissions, etc and after a few days the PC appears to be working normally. The “file folder” containing 13 sub folders remains on the desktop and I’ve yet to find a way to remove it. If I remove or rename one of the empty folders in “file folder” that change follows to the AppData folder in the root drive. If I attempt to move a folder to the root drive, to merge the two, the “destination folder is the same as the source folder” prompt appears. Still watching for any input you may have to delete this one and recover the GBs of space. Thank you.

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Those Roaming folders are supposed to be used in support of Roaming Profiles. This is a Windows function that stores user data on a network share. The idea there is that a user can roam around a network, using different machines to log in and out. Yet because the user data is on a network share, their data appears to the user regardless of what machine the user is currently using.

This was like an early version of cloud storage. It is a bit more limited than cloud storage because the user has to remain inside their host network, as defined by Active Directory. Yet it does have some popularity on corporate networks. Personally I’ve never used it though.

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