IF01076

User Profile Contents

NTUSER.DAT - Within the root of the profile, a file named NTUSER.DAT contains the user's personalized settings for the majority of software installed on the computer, including Windows itself. When the user logs-on, NTUSER.DAT becomes merged with the computer's registry, such that it appears as the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch of the registry tree. NTUSER.DAT is held open for writing (i.e. 'locked') for the entire time the user remains logged-on, hence somewhat paradoxically this file cannot be copied or backed-up by its owner, but only by another user, whilst the owner is logged-off.

My Documents - Is intended to contain the user's work, and in Windows XP-aware programs, dialog-boxes will typically prompt the user to store documents here. 'My Documents' also as a shortcut also appears on the desktop, and in My computer. It is here that these shortcuts point.

Favorites, Cookies and History - These folders are used by Microsoft's Internet Explorer web-browser to store surfing data. They are not used by alternative browsers such as Firefox or Opera, which typically store their data under "Application Data."

Nethood, Printhood - Contain the network shares and printers 'discovered' by the user with the My Network Places applet, in the form of shortcuts.

Start Menu - contain the shortcuts present on the same-named Desktop feature.

Desktop - Similarly contains files and shortcuts present on the user's desktop.

Application Data is provided mainly for the use of programmers, as a place to store data related to specific software, but which does not fall into the category of documents that a user might open directly. This folder was made necessary by Windows 'good practice' programming guidelines, which now prohibit the storage of temporary data of any kind in the Program Files folder.

Local Settings is functionally similar to Application Data -and in fact it contains a second subfolder of that name. It also contains the temporary files generated by Windows programs themselves, and as a result of Internet Explorer's online activities. For standalone computers the two folders are functionally similar, but on networks employing Roaming Profiles, the Local Settings folder is not included in the profile-synchronization process. Thus, data in the Local Settings folder will not be copied between computers when the user roams.

Note; Some of these subfolders are hidden from the user's view in Explorer. To see them you must uncheck Hide System Folders in the folder-options.

Did this Article Give you the Information You Were Looking For?

If you found this information useful, please