Reference document: Windows 7 (and Vista) File folder locations.
Folders locations for various items, such as All Users Start Menu, Default Profiles, etc., have changed since Windows XP. New file / folder locations are listed below.
For Windows XP, see this article: Windows XP Folder Locations
Required Windows Explorer Changes
Many of the folders described below are hidden by default in Windows Explorer. Make these changes to expose them.
In Windows Explorer:
A. Expose the File-Edit-View menus:
Select top-tool-bar button "Organize", Layout
Check [x] Menu Bar
B. Set Folder options:
In the top-menu, choose Tools, Folder Options, "View"
[x] Show Hidden files and folders
[ ] Hide extensions for known file types (uncheck)
[ ] Hide protected operating system files (uncheck)
C. Propagate changes to all folders on the drive:
Click "Apply"
Click "Apply to Folders"
Click Ok
Folder Locations:
All Users
| All Users Desktop | users\Public\Desktop |
| All Users Start Menu | programData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs Note: ("Pin to Start Menu" is user-based only) |
| See also users\[userid]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\Start Menu | |
| All Users Programs | programData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs |
| All Users SendTo | (None: See user) |
| All Users Documents | users\Public\Documents |
| All Users Favorite | users\Public\Favorites |
| All Users Templates | users\Public\Favorites |
USER
| My Documents (Documents and Settings) |
users\[userid]\My Documents |
| Users (Personal) Start Menu | users\[userid]\Appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu |
| Users (Personal) Desktop" | users\[userid]\Desktop |
| Users (Personal) Music" | users\[userid]\My Music |
| All Users Send-To Menu" | users\[userid]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo |
| Users (Personal) AppData | users\[userid]\Appdata\Roaming |
| Note: sub-folder 'LocalLow' does not roam; for hardware-specific data or if too large to roam LocalLow is also for non-critical, "low-integrity data"; used by IE in protected mode |
|
| Cookies | users\[userid]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies |
| Local Settings | users\[userid]\AppData\Local |
| Recent | users\[userid]\Appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent Items |
| History | users\[userid]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History |
Default Profiles
| Default User Profile | users\Default |
| Default User SendTo | users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo |
Outlook
| Outlook (settings) | users\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook |
| Outlook (msg) | users\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook |
