Inspiron and Username Folders empty

  • Thread starter Thread starter webster72n
  • Start date Start date
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webster72n

I just discovered that my Username and Inspiron Folders are empty,
with a blank folder picture as icon.
When I click on either one of them I get the "Open with" scenario.
Yet by right-clicking I am able to access "Properties".
According to it the folders were modified on July 5 and 6 respectively and
not by me, of course.
Is there a way to correct this and, if so, how?
Have no idea what could have caused it and can live with it, if necessary.
Nothing else is effected.
Would be extremely grateful for suggestions.

Harry.
 
Hi,

If your username folder were truly empty, you would not be able to logon to
that account. Where are these "folders" located in the file structure? Do
you have folder options/view tab set to see hidden and system folders?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

If your username folder were truly empty, you would not be able to logon
to that account. Where are these "folders" located in the file structure?
Do you have folder options/view tab set to see hidden and system folders?
Click to expand...

It is set to: 'Show hidden files and folders'.
Since you mention it, I seem to recall another instance where it is
recommended not to show System Files.
Will have to look into that to change it and see if it makes a difference.
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

If your username folder were truly empty, you would not be able to logon
to that account. Where are these "folders" located in the file structure?
Click to expand...

Overlooked this the first time:
they both are at the bottom of the list instead of on top.
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

If your username folder were truly empty, you would not be able to logon
to that account. Where are these "folders" located in the file structure?
Do you have folder options/view tab set to see hidden and system folders?
Click to expand...

Can't find any other option besides the 'Show hidden files and folders' nor
the specific location of the two folders, but my user data appears under the
'Public' folder as 'NUSER.DAT', only when opened it shows funny looking
hyroglyphs in Notepad
with some normal words, like 'public' and 'data', I believe.
If I open with 'Words', it says in a dialog box:
'Works cannot open 'C:\User\user\INSPIRON (or USERNAME respectively). The
file may be in use by another application, the file format may not be
supported by any of the converters, or the file may be corrupt.'
After closing the box it shows the file empty, apparently.
Should you have any other ideas, please let me know
Thanks for the support so far, Rick.

Harry.
 
Ntuser.dat is a user-specific registry file. While you can open it in
notepad, much of it cannot be interpreted by that program. All notepad does
is convert binary strings into characters defined by a standard ascii table.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

If they are both at the bottom, it suggests they are files, not folders,
such as shortcuts.
Click to expand...

They are files according to the icon, I erroneously referred to it as folder
icon, but how can I find the destination of those shortcuts? The 'open with'
choices don't lead me anywhere.
Is there any way at all to restore the original situation?
Still can't figure out how it may have turned out this way.
 
Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

If they are just shortcuts, then you should be able to delete them.
Click to expand...

That's exactly my problem, they are there in place of the folder and I don't
seem to be able to locate it. Any ideas?
 
webster72n said:
That's exactly my problem, they are there in place of the folder and I
don't seem to be able to locate it. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Looks like we're fresh out of them (in answer to my own question) and I'm
going 'to live with it'.
Thanks again,

Harry.
 
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