posted
Today I have a new folder that appeared on my desktop. It reads %userprofile% and has a standard folder icon. I can delete it and it will stay away until I open a new IE browser window. I recently installed the AVG spyware to see how that works but I don't believe I have changed anything else. Anyone have any thoughts on how to get rid of this folder or move it where it belongs?
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Have you looked at the properties of the folder? Is it a shortcut?
%userprofile% is the Windows system definition for the current logged profile. If you go to Start/Run then type %userprofile%, it will go to your profile. In otherwords, it is the same as C:\Documents and Settings\(your login)
That still doesn't help explain why it is showing up, but if the shortcut points to your actual profile that would at least explain what it is.
posted
It does not show as a shortcut and the properties show: C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop like it belongs there. Inside the folder is an Application Data folder, inside that is Microsoft, inside is SystemCertificates, inside is My, inside is Certificates, CRLs, CTLs. There is nothing inside the lat folders.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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posted
I use to get this all the time on my home PC using Win XP Pro. Seems like it was isolated to two different software programs that were sending out a lot of updates that had to be installed - ITunes and HP drivers for my printer.
I ask my IT guru at work and he said that it was probably a bad installer program, or a problem with the installer interaction with XP. Apparently, the installer was trying to create/open a temp file/folder in the logged in users account, but somehow, the installer could not determine who was the logged in user so it created the folder on the desktop. As a result, the installer then could not find the folder and the installation failed.
After the next release of XP patches, the problem went away. My IT guru said that you could work around by dragging the contents of the desktop folder into the user account temp folder and then trying to reinstall the software. But, I could not get this to work.
If anyone really wants the technical answer, I'll ask my IT guru to write up the answer.
-------------------- Wayne Lee 2007 36' HR Endeavor | 2006 Hummer H3 Dinghy F1 Datastorm with D3 for Direct TV | Millenicom MiFi Posts: 374 | From: Out West Somewhere | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Wayne, You appear to be exactly correct. It seemed that this error occurred shortly after installing the AVG Spyware software to see how it did. I do recall having a couple of error messages during the install. A few days ago the folder did not return (I was always deleting it) for some unknown reason. Today the AVG spyware did a software update and the folder returned. I had to assume these actions were somehow related. I uninstalled the software and downloaded a new copy and have re-installed the software, but this time without any error messages. Hopefully, this will be the end of this annoyance.
-------------------- Bill Adams Winegard Company Posts: 15778 | From: Traveling the Western US | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Bill, I agree with you. It is a really weird problem. Glad you are through it.
-------------------- Wayne Lee 2007 36' HR Endeavor | 2006 Hummer H3 Dinghy F1 Datastorm with D3 for Direct TV | Millenicom MiFi Posts: 374 | From: Out West Somewhere | Registered: Mar 2004
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