PROGRAM FILES AND PROGRAMDATA

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lindsay Graham
  • Start date Start date
L

Lindsay Graham

Could someone please explain (or point me to a web site that contains an
explanation) the difference between C:\Program Files and C:\ProgramData for
Vista Home Premium?

And how do they relate to C:\Program Files that existed in Windows XP and
earlier Windows versions?

Thanks in advance.

Lindsay Graham
Canberra, Australia
 
Program Data is a "virtualized" folder used by Vista so that programs and
users running with normal rights can work around a security feature of
Vista. Only full Administrator users can write to the Program Files folder,
so any time a program or user with lesser rights wants to write to Program
Files, that action is redirected to Program Data instead.

Use Google to search for a full explanation.

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