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Vista's Users (Folder) Replaces XP's
 Documents and Settings

Vista's Users Replaces XP's Documents and Settings

The purpose of this page is to help you locate Vista's new Users folders. This is where you look to find Vista's AppData folder, which stores a user's Local Settings and Application Data.

Topics for Vista's Users and AppData

• Overview - Storage of Personal Folders and Settings
• Users in Vista -v- Documents and Settings in XP
• AppData -v- Application Data
• (My) Documents
• Summary of Vista's Users and AppData

Overview - Storage of Personal Folders and Settings

What we are comparing below is the structure of a user's local profile on XP, with the same local profile on Vista.  As you move from XP to Vista, so Microsoft have made changes in layout of personal folders.  Vista has new locations for the storage of Documents, Local Settings and AppData.

The biggest change is that XP's Document and Settings folder has been moved in Vista to a folder called Users.  In terms of 'need to know', all depends whether you are a user who has lost their files (see screenshot below), or a developer planning to save your program's settings in a user's profile.

Users in Vista -v- Documents and Settings in XP

AppData -v- Application Data

In Vista, the biggest change in the arrangement of a user's settings is the creation of the AppData folder.  Furthermore, this AppData folder has three subfolders, Local, LocalLow and Roaming.  As with Local Settings, a folder called Application Data exists in Vista for backwards compatibility with XP.

If you look closely at the icons under the Users folder, you will notice that some subfolders have a shortcut arrow.  These arrows indicate a Junction point or Symbolic link.  For ordinary mortals stick with the idea that these folders represent shortcuts, for example, the 'All Users' settings are now actually stored here --> C:\ProgramData.  As far as Microsoft's technical explanation of Junction Points and Symbolic links, it was a case of 'Guy is reading, but Guy is not understanding'.

What Guy does like is practical investigation, therefore I challenge you to try this:

1. Launch a cmd prompt. 
2. Type: cd c\users
3. Type: dir
4. Now for the coupe de grace:  dir /ah
5. Observe <JUNCTION> and <SYMLINKD>

Move Your Document Folders - Location Tab

The key to moving your personal files to another drive, is to find the Location Tab.  The reason is that only special folders have a Location tab; ordinary folders only have 5 tabs.

How to Move Document Folders

1. Launch Explorer
2. Navigate to the Users Folder
3. Select the folder to move
4. Right-click the folder you wish to move
5. Select the Location tab
6. Decide which drive to move the folder
   (It is also possible to move to another computer, or another folder on the same computer)

Summary of Vista's Users and AppData

The key phrase is, change in location.  Vista has a new Users Folder which replaces XP's Documents and Settings.  Within the new folder structure, Vista has a folder called plain 'Documents', which replaces XP's 'My Documents' folder.  The most important new subfolder is AppData.  Also to maintain backward compatibility, Vista has shortcut links to the old XP folders such as Local Settings and Application Data. 

Train Signal has just released their New Windows Vista Training Course.  As an MCT trainer, I am a huge advocate of Train Signal’s products.  What impresses is me is that they demonstrate everything that they teach and they stay away from traditional 'lecture-style' training.  If you are looking for a complete DETAILED coverage of Windows Vista, then I highly recommend that you give this course a try.  I have reviewed their 18 hours of videos myself, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Watch a Vista Training Video Demo.

Configuring Windows Vista Topics:

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