Help!!! Problem with "mirrored" files on c drive after transfer Thread poster: Ferdy (X)
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To any of you computer gurus out there--
Here is my problem---
I bought a new computer and also purchased a file transfer software to copy
my data files from old computer to new.
All went well except for one thing---the files are doubled on my new
computer. In a sense.
Here's the deal---the directory tree goes like this, using Windows Explorer:
Just under Desktop at the top of the tree is My Documents; and when expanded ... See more To any of you computer gurus out there--
Here is my problem---
I bought a new computer and also purchased a file transfer software to copy
my data files from old computer to new.
All went well except for one thing---the files are doubled on my new
computer. In a sense.
Here's the deal---the directory tree goes like this, using Windows Explorer:
Just under Desktop at the top of the tree is My Documents; and when expanded
contains all of the data files and directories from the old computer. The
next item farthest left in the tree under the expanded My Documents folder
is My Computer. In order after this (unexpanded) are Local Disk C:, DVD/CD
RW Drive D:, Control Panel, Shared Documents, then (My name) Documents.
When (My name) Documents is expanded, it is an exact copy of My Documents
from above. OK, simple, right? Just delete one or the other of them and
everything's great, right? WRONG! If you delete one of them, the other
deletes also!!
What gives with this, and what's the solution? This is 9 GIGS of hard drive
space that I want to recapture, and can't. By the way, it's definitely
there taking up the space, running utilities shows them as junk files. I
also verified by doing a hard drive inventory. I had the idea of running a
backup on the hard drive, going in after the backup and deleting them all,
then re-installing just one of them, but that doesn't work, they both
reappear again, even though they are NOT shown doubled on the backup
utility. (The My Documents part of the hard drive tree doesn't show up in
the backup utility tree., only the My name Documents part.)
Please put some thought to this and suggest solutions---
By the way I can't go back to the old machine and redo the file transfer, I
already deleted the data files and gave the old computer away.
The software used for transfer was Intellimover Transfer your PC Deluxe--
TIA ▲ Collapse
| | | | | No need to worry | Mar 20, 2005 |
Uh, hold on. "My Computer" is what you could call a "magic shortcut". That is to say, while it has no shortcut item and handles like a regular folder, it is actually a link to the topmost level of your file hierarchy (please, fellow IT pros, don't kill me for this - it's supposed to be easily understandable.)
Hence, everything you see is not a copy - instead, you're looking at the real thing. My suggestion is you never mind that you can find the same stuff twice on your hard drive - it's ... See more Uh, hold on. "My Computer" is what you could call a "magic shortcut". That is to say, while it has no shortcut item and handles like a regular folder, it is actually a link to the topmost level of your file hierarchy (please, fellow IT pros, don't kill me for this - it's supposed to be easily understandable.)
Hence, everything you see is not a copy - instead, you're looking at the real thing. My suggestion is you never mind that you can find the same stuff twice on your hard drive - it's only taking up the space once, anyhow.
Oh, and yes, this is somewhat unusual, but probably, it's just how this file transfer software of yours works. Can't really understand why you chose to use something like that, anyhow. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Gary Daine (X)
English to Spanish
+ ...
| My Documents is simply a pointer | Mar 20, 2005 |
I don't believe you have an actual copy of everything.
My Documents is simply a handy pointer to anywhere you like on the physical disk.
I have all my translations in a folder called 'c:\Work'. Rather than click down to it every time I open or save a file, I changed the definition of My Documents to point to 'c:\Work' (right click on My Documents, Properties, Move).
Then, on the Explorer tree, I get My Documents at the top, as you say, with all my work documents inside.
I... See more I don't believe you have an actual copy of everything.
My Documents is simply a handy pointer to anywhere you like on the physical disk.
I have all my translations in a folder called 'c:\Work'. Rather than click down to it every time I open or save a file, I changed the definition of My Documents to point to 'c:\Work' (right click on My Documents, Properties, Move).
Then, on the Explorer tree, I get My Documents at the top, as you say, with all my work documents inside.
In Disk C, I have a folder called work, with the same structure, files, everything.
Of course, My Documents is just pointing to this folder, which is why if I delete a file from one place it gets deleted in the other as well.
Think of it as just another shortcut.
Gary ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Normal with WinXP | Mar 20, 2005 |
Hi Ferdie,
I think it's normal under Windows XP. I don't think that your files are twice on your DD, but that the folder called "My documents" is actually a kind of "shortcut" to the actual folder where your files are stored.
It was created to offer a quick access to the files, rather than browse your DD until you find the actual folder.
Hope I'm clear. Correct me if I'm wrong
Sylvain... See more Hi Ferdie,
I think it's normal under Windows XP. I don't think that your files are twice on your DD, but that the folder called "My documents" is actually a kind of "shortcut" to the actual folder where your files are stored.
It was created to offer a quick access to the files, rather than browse your DD until you find the actual folder.
Hope I'm clear. Correct me if I'm wrong
Sylvain
Edit : well, tectranslate's answer (Hallo Benjamin;) was not there when I posted mine.
[Edited at 2005-03-20 12:55] ▲ Collapse
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Jerzy Czopik 
Germany
Local time: 17:10
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
| A tip for storing documents | Mar 20, 2005 |
It is VERY advisable NOT to store documents (ie your own work) on the same partition of your HDD as all the applications and operating system. For the case something happens with Windows (is not that unlikely) and you need to reinstall it your documents will not be damaged or changed in any way, since they are not on the installation partition for Windows. Even the copying of files is than easier.
For instance, if your Windows is installed in C:\Windows, then geerate a new partition... See more It is VERY advisable NOT to store documents (ie your own work) on the same partition of your HDD as all the applications and operating system. For the case something happens with Windows (is not that unlikely) and you need to reinstall it your documents will not be damaged or changed in any way, since they are not on the installation partition for Windows. Even the copying of files is than easier.
For instance, if your Windows is installed in C:\Windows, then geerate a new partition (usually during the installation, otherwise you will need an extra software, for instance Norton Partition Magic) D: and organise all your work there.
For smooth running of Windows a third (small) partition E: s advisable for the swap file. It only needs to be approximately so big as twice and half the amout of your system memory (2,5 GB with 1 GB RAM for instance) - then you place the fixed swap file there.
Regards
Jerzy ▲ Collapse
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