Forum FAQ:Why Application Data folder is not accessible

Why Application Data folder is not accessible

Question

When I access the Application Data folder with administrative privilege on my computer, I get an error message "Access is denied".

Answer

Note:This FAQ is based on discussions from a previous forum thread (Accessing "Application Data" in Windows 7). Thanks to Ronnie Vernon and other participants' information sharing.

In Windows Vista or later Operating Systems, the default location of user data has changed. TheApplication Data folder is not an actual folder. It is a Junction Point for backward compatibility. A Junction Point is a physical location on a local hard disk that points to another location on that disk or another storage device. It is essentially a shortcut.

You might have noticed when clicking on a folder inWindows Explorer with a shortcut icon shown on it (a Junction Point ), you get anAccess Denied error message. This is to be expected. By default, the Read permission for Junction Points is set toEveryone– Deny . You are not supposed to access these folders, and there really is no reason to access these folders.

If you want to know where are those Junction Points pointing to. You can track down the real location of the files by running the commanddir /aLto display all the Junction Points and the locations that theJunction Points refers to.

For example:

If you want to track down all Junction Points on C: drive, please locate C: drive and enter the following command:

C:\>dir /aL /s

More Information

For more information on Junction Points, click the following links to view the articles:

Junction Points and Backup Applications

Junction Points

Junction Points in Vista

Applies to

Windows 7 Starter

Windows 7 Home Basic

Windows 7 Home Premium

Windows 7 Professional

Windows 7 Ultimate

FOR INTERNAL INFORMATION RECORD

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