On newer versions of Windows, you will see a folder named ProgramData on the system drive (usually drive C :). However, this folder is hidden, so you can only see the folder if you want to display the folder or file on File Explorer. To hide, show folders, files and file extensions on Windows 7, 8 and 10, you can refer to the implementation steps.
here. The Program directory stores data in various locations on the Windows operating system. This depends on how the developers code the program.
1. Application data, Registry and program data are stored here
The Program directory stores data in various locations on the Windows operating system. This depends on how the developers code the program. Which includes:
- Application Data folder (application data): By default, most of the application storage settings, set in the Application Data folder located in C: UsersusernameAppData. Each Windows user account will have a separate Application Data folder, so each user account can store their own application data and settings and settings of programs using this directory.
- Documents folder For some applications, especially computer games, the settings in the Documents folder are located at C: UsersusernameDocuments. This makes it easy for users to search, back up, and edit files.
- Registry Many applications store different settings on the Windows Registry. Registry settings can be system-wide or per-user. However, the Registry is just a place to store personal settings - applications can not store large files or data here.
- Program directory of each application On Windows 95, 98 and Windows XP, programs often store settings and other data in their own folders. Suppose if you installed a program called Example into C: Program FilesExample, the application would only store settings and other data files at C: Program FilesExample only. The security level is not high.
Modern versions of Windows have restricted access to programs, and applications can not overwrite the system directory during normal operation. However, some applications, such as Steam, still store the settings of the application and other data files in the Program Files folder.
2. ProgramData directory
This folder has the most common features with the Application Data folder, but instead of each user account has its own folder, the ProgramData folder is shared for all user accounts on your computer. On Windows XP, there are no folders
C: ProgramData . Instead, is the directory
C: Documents and Settings All UsersApplication Data . Starting from Windows Vista, the All Users application data folder is moved to C: ProgramData. If inserted
C: UsersAll Users to File Explorer or Windows Explorer On your Windows 10 computer, Windows will automatically redirect you to the C: Program Data folder. It will redirect any program that tries to write on C: UsersAll Users to the directory C: ProgramData.
As Microsoft has said,
This folder is used for data applications that are not specific users For example, a program that you use can download a Spelling Dictionary file when you program. Instead of storing a Spelling Dictionary file in the Application Data directory of a particular user, this file will stored in the ProgramData directory. Spelling Dictionary files can be shared with all users on the computer, instead of storing multiple copies in a variety of folders located in the Application Data folder. Tools running with system privileges can also store settings here. For example, an antivirus application can store settings, virus logs, and quarantined files at C: ProgramData. These settings are then shared throughout the system for all users on the computer.
In general, in the ProgramData directory you will not find important settings that need to be backed up. If you want to back up the most important data on the system, you visit
C: UsersusernameAppDataRoaming It is possible that important data will be stored here. However, if you are interested may have some settings or important data that will be stored in the ProgramData directory, you can access and check the data stored there. This depends on the developers of each program, they choose the location to store program data, so there is no exact answer for all.
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