Duplicates of "Documents" Folder in Vista

I don't use forums much so I am sorry if this is in the wrong spot, bu
I have a fairly serious problem that I need help with

I am running Windows Vista Ultimate x64, and I have a strange proble
with the "Documents" folder. I noticed that all of the Files present i
my Documents folder are also present in the "Users" directory. Alon
with them and a few hidden folders is a folder called "Mitch" (m
windows logon name). Now, I know that there should be this folder i
here, but why are all these other Documents files outside of it? When
go into Mitch there is another Documents folder (alongside Videos
Pictures, etc) which contains all of those same files. And in this on
there is another Mitch containing another Documents containing thes
files again! However there is no Mitch folder inside this last one, s
it isn't an infinitely recurring loop of shortcuts

Now, you might think that these are just shortcuts, but I have checke
and there are definitely *three* copies of these files taking up spac
on my computer

Just to show that I've done the math and that they are *not* shortcuts

C:\Users\Mitch\Documents\Mitch\Documents: 25.6G
C:\Users\Mitch\Documents: 68.4G
Everything Minus Mitch: 42.2G
42.2 + 25.6 = 67.
Therefore there are *two* sets of data here
C:\Users: 177G
Everything Minus Mitch: 25.8G
25.8 + 82.8(Videos, Pictures, etc) + 68.4(Documents) = 177G

I just edited a file in Documents(C:\Users\Mitch\Documents) it hasn'
reflected the change in Users or the deeper copy. However if thi
problem is caused by a backup tool or something (I don't think I us
any) then they might update later

If anyone knows what is going on can you please help me. I am afrai
to delete any of the copies, I'll have to wait until someone replies

Thanks in advance..

--
callmemitchs

Hi,

Sounds like at some point you created a copy and dragged it into the
documents folder. While there should be mirrors of this folder at the top
level in the explorer folder view, you should not have subfolders under it
unless you created them.

C:\Users\Mitch\Documents

is the correct default location, the subfolder under it is something you
created at some point, likely a drop and drag gone awry. You should be able
to safely delete the lower level folder.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"callmemitchs" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> I don't use forums much so I am sorry if this is in the wrong spot, but
> I have a fairly serious problem that I need help with.
>
> I am running Windows Vista Ultimate x64, and I have a strange problem
> with the "Documents" folder. I noticed that all of the Files present in
> my Documents folder are also present in the "Users" directory. Along
> with them and a few hidden folders is a folder called "Mitch" (my
> windows logon name). Now, I know that there should be this folder in
> here, but why are all these other Documents files outside of it? When I
> go into Mitch there is another Documents folder (alongside Videos,
> Pictures, etc) which contains all of those same files. And in this one
> there is another Mitch containing another Documents containing these
> files again! However there is no Mitch folder inside this last one, so
> it isn't an infinitely recurring loop of shortcuts.
>
> Now, you might think that these are just shortcuts, but I have checked
> and there are definitely *three* copies of these files taking up space
> on my computer.
>
> Just to show that I've done the math and that they are *not* shortcuts:
>
> C:\Users\Mitch\Documents\Mitch\Documents: 25.6GB
> C:\Users\Mitch\Documents: 68.4GB
> Everything Minus Mitch: 42.2GB
> 42.2 + 25.6 = 67.8
> Therefore there are *two* sets of data here.
> C:\Users: 177GB
> Everything Minus Mitch: 25.8GB
> 25.8 + 82.8(Videos, Pictures, etc) + 68.4(Documents) = 177GB
>
> I just edited a file in Documents(C:\Users\Mitch\Documents) it hasn't
> reflected the change in Users or the deeper copy. However if this
> problem is caused by a backup tool or something (I don't think I use
> any) then they might update later.
>
> If anyone knows what is going on can you please help me. I am afraid
> to delete any of the copies, I'll have to wait until someone replies.
>
> Thanks in advance...
>
>
> --
> callmemitchs

Hi Mitch,
Yes. That is correct.
Before Vista, Windows used drive:documents & settings\user blaa blaa.
In Vista there is no "documents & settings" folder. Vista uses drive:\users\username\documents


John

"callmemitchs" <> wrote in message news:...
>
> I don't use forums much so I am sorry if this is in the wrong spot, but
> I have a fairly serious problem that I need help with.
>
> I am running Windows Vista Ultimate x64, and I have a strange problem
> with the "Documents" folder. I noticed that all of the Files present in
> my Documents folder are also present in the "Users" directory. Along
> with them and a few hidden folders is a folder called "Mitch" (my
> windows logon name). Now, I know that there should be this folder in
> here, but why are all these other Documents files outside of it? When I
> go into Mitch there is another Documents folder (alongside Videos,
> Pictures, etc) which contains all of those same files. And in this one
> there is another Mitch containing another Documents containing these
> files again! However there is no Mitch folder inside this last one, so
> it isn't an infinitely recurring loop of shortcuts.
>
> Now, you might think that these are just shortcuts, but I have checked
> and there are definitely *three* copies of these files taking up space
> on my computer.
>
> Just to show that I've done the math and that they are *not* shortcuts:
>
> C:\Users\Mitch\Documents\Mitch\Documents: 25.6GB
> C:\Users\Mitch\Documents: 68.4GB
> Everything Minus Mitch: 42.2GB
> 42.2 + 25.6 = 67.8
> Therefore there are *two* sets of data here.
> C:\Users: 177GB
> Everything Minus Mitch: 25.8GB
> 25.8 + 82.8(Videos, Pictures, etc) + 68.4(Documents) = 177GB
>
> I just edited a file in Documents(C:\Users\Mitch\Documents) it hasn't
> reflected the change in Users or the deeper copy. However if this
> problem is caused by a backup tool or something (I don't think I use
> any) then they might update later.
>
> If anyone knows what is going on can you please help me. I am afraid
> to delete any of the copies, I'll have to wait until someone replies.
>
> Thanks in advance...
>
>
> --
> callmemitchs

Thanks John, but you haven't really solved my problem. Can you tell m
which ones I can safely delete and why there are these duplicates?
never created another Mitch folder inside my Documents folder, nor did
copy all these files to the Users folder

Cheers

> Hi Mitch
> Yes. That is correct
> Before Vista, Windows used drive:documents & settings\user blaa blaa
> In Vista there is no "documents & settings" folder. Vista use
> drive:\users\username\document
>
>
> Joh

--
callmemitchs

Mitch,
I believe what you're seeing is called a junction point. They are the same files.
Create a test file and see if it appears in both folders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS_junction_point

John


"callmemitchs" <> wrote in message news:...
>
> Thanks John, but you haven't really solved my problem. Can you tell me
> which ones I can safely delete and why there are these duplicates? I
> never created another Mitch folder inside my Documents folder, nor did I
> copy all these files to the Users folder.
>
> Cheers.
>
>> Hi Mitch,
>> Yes. That is correct.
>> Before Vista, Windows used drive:documents & settings\user blaa blaa.
>> In Vista there is no "documents & settings" folder. Vista uses
>> drive:\users\username\documents
>>
>>
>> John
>
>
> --
> callmemitchs

callmemitchs;997588 Wrote:
> I don't use forums much so I am sorry if this is in the wrong spot, bu
> I have a fairly serious problem that I need help with
>
> I am running Windows Vista Ultimate x64, and I have a strange proble
> with the "Documents" folder. I noticed that all of the Files present i
> my Documents folder are also present in the "Users" directory. Alon
> with them and a few hidden folders is a folder called "Mitch" (m
> windows logon name). Now, I know that there should be this folder i
> here, but why are all these other Documents files outside of it? When
> go into Mitch there is another Documents folder (alongside Videos
> Pictures, etc) which contains all of those same files. And in this on
> there is another Mitch containing another Documents containing thes
> files again! However there is no Mitch folder inside this last one, s
> it isn't an infinitely recurring loop of shortcuts
>
> Now, you might think that these are just shortcuts, but I have checke
> and there are definitely *three* copies of these files taking up spac
> on my computer
>
> Just to show that I've done the math and that they are *not* shortcuts
>
> C:\Users\Mitch\Documents\Mitch\Documents: 25.6G
> C:\Users\Mitch\Documents: 68.4G
> Everything Minus Mitch: 42.2G
> 42.2 + 25.6 = 67.
> Therefore there are *two* sets of data here
> C:\Users: 177G
> Everything Minus Mitch: 25.8G
> 25.8 + 82.8(Videos, Pictures, etc) + 68.4(Documents) = 177G
>
> I just edited a file in Documents(C:\Users\Mitch\Documents) it hasn'
> reflected the change in Users or the deeper copy. However if thi
> problem is caused by a backup tool or something (I don't think I us
> any) then they might update later
>
> If anyone knows what is going on can you please help me. I am afraid t
> delete any of the copies, I'll have to wait until someone replies
>
> Thanks in advance..

Hello Mitch

You may be able to do this ti fix your problem

1. Backup anything in these folders that you do not want to lose

2. Verify that the default Documents (called Personal in registry
folder location is set for it in the registry. OPTION THREE in thi
tutorial will help show you how to

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/14...ing-folder.htm

3. Delete all of the Documents folders

4. In the Start menu, type "shell:Personal" (no quotes) in the searc
line and press enter

5. Restart the computer. You may need to do this a couple of times

6. When the folder returns, copy any backup files back to the now onl
Documents folder

Hope this helps
Shaw

--
Brin

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not as
them.*
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