Account access

Hello,

Windows Vista has moved/renamed the location of many well-known folders.

It sounds like both of you are mistaking the application compatability
junctions that have the same name as "old" locations for real folders.

Application compatability junctions, such as "Documents and Settings" and
"Documents\Music", are NOT folders - they are junctions that only exist to
allow applications to function in certain scenarios.

They are displayed with a ghosted icon and a shortcut symbol, and you can
only see them if you have enabled the showing of hidden files and displaying
of protected operating system files.

You will receive access denied when trying to access them.

You must learn where that location has been moved, and use the new location.

For example:

- Documents and Settings is now Users
- The "My" prefix has been removed from all folders
- The Music, Pictures, Videos, etc. folders *ARE NO LONGER* inside the
documents folder - they are directly inside the user profile folder.


--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

"Jimmy Brush" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Windows Vista has moved/renamed the location of many well-known folders.
>
> It sounds like both of you are mistaking the application compatability
> junctions that have the same name as "old" locations for real folders.
>
> Application compatability junctions, such as "Documents and Settings" and
> "Documents\Music", are NOT folders - they are junctions that only exist to
> allow applications to function in certain scenarios.
>
> They are displayed with a ghosted icon and a shortcut symbol, and you can
> only see them if you have enabled the showing of hidden files and displaying
> of protected operating system files.
>
> You will receive access denied when trying to access them.
>
> You must learn where that location has been moved, and use the new location.
>
> For example:
>
> - Documents and Settings is now Users
> - The "My" prefix has been removed from all folders
> - The Music, Pictures, Videos, etc. folders *ARE NO LONGER* inside the
> documents folder - they are directly inside the user profile folder.
>
>
> --
> - JB
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
>
> Windows Vista Support Faq
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>

This is Jimmy’s pat answer to this administrative problem. Instead of
building a system that is intuitive and seamless for real people, Microsoft
wants to educate the masses to become sys admin gurus. Have you notice that
there are at less ten pages about this subject. Go figure? Hey Jimmy how
about real answers for real people. OR! Better yet fix this problem

"Neofisher" wrote:

> I upgraded from XP to Vista, but after my upgrade, I can not access My Music
> folder. After disabling all Vista's preventative measures, it still states
> "You have been denied permission to access this folder." And I am the only
> user, and administrator on this computer

Hello,

The problem: some people have decided to view hidden operating system files
and either don't know what a junction is or what one looks like in explorer.

"the masses" would not have changed this setting, and would not be posting
this question at all - they would already be using the correct folder..

A "technical" problem (the user has mistaken a junction for a folder)
requires a "technical" answer (what is a junction and why you should ignore
it).

What would you suggest? Super-hiding these junctions? Perhaps ... but how
many levels of super-hiding will we end up with? There's already two (show
hidden files and show OS files). It has to stop somewhere.

What else ... removing the security restriction? Impossible ... would break
too many apps.

How about a compromise ... keeping the security restriction, but making
explorer aware of these junctions and allowing you to browse into them or
giving some better error than 'access denied'. Hey, sounds like a good idea
.... in fact, I suggested it to MS myself a LONG time ago, but they decided
not to do it.

I'm just as upset about it as you are ... but, hey, instead of complaining
about it and not helping anyone, I am doing what is necessary to help the
people who are having the issue!


--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

I understand that there is some kind of junction or whatever, but can I have
the same problem opening the My Music folder, but NOT ANY other subfolder in
My Documents, so what exactly do I do? I don't understand your previous
instructions.

"Jimmy Brush" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> The problem: some people have decided to view hidden operating system files
> and either don't know what a junction is or what one looks like in explorer.
>
> "the masses" would not have changed this setting, and would not be posting
> this question at all - they would already be using the correct folder..
>
> A "technical" problem (the user has mistaken a junction for a folder)
> requires a "technical" answer (what is a junction and why you should ignore
> it).
>
> What would you suggest? Super-hiding these junctions? Perhaps ... but how
> many levels of super-hiding will we end up with? There's already two (show
> hidden files and show OS files). It has to stop somewhere.
>
> What else ... removing the security restriction? Impossible ... would break
> too many apps.
>
> How about a compromise ... keeping the security restriction, but making
> explorer aware of these junctions and allowing you to browse into them or
> giving some better error than 'access denied'. Hey, sounds like a good idea
> ... in fact, I suggested it to MS myself a LONG time ago, but they decided
> not to do it.
>
> I'm just as upset about it as you are ... but, hey, instead of complaining
> about it and not helping anyone, I am doing what is necessary to help the
> people who are having the issue!
>
>
> --
> - JB
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
>
> Windows Vista Support Faq
> http://www.jimmah.com/vista/
>