File Locations

Put: 08.11.2006 | Rev 14.11.2006 | Contributed by Andrew Mallett

There are a number of new file locations with Windows Vista which users of previous versions of Windows may like to take note of..

Program Files

Under XP and previous, we had c:\Program Files\.. Under 64-bit Vista RC1 there are two locations with the traditional one for compatibility mode.

c:\Program Files (x86)\.. Most new installs should go into this new directory, but check the old one if something doesn't look right.

User Files and Documents

The old C:\Documents and Settings\%username% has been replaced with C:\Users\%username%, such as C:\Users\andym.

Explorer Address Bar

For some reason Microsoft has seen fit to change the look of the directory path in the Windows Explorer address bar. Instead of the traditional (and more universal) C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc.. system of separating directories with a back slash, we now have little arrows instead.

Not so good if you need to copy and paste the path somewhere..

If like me, you find this rather horrid, you'll be as pleased as I was when my quietly-spoken colleague Mr. Bayden Smith indicated that a single click at the end of the above 'list' will show the classic (and more accurate) notation of a directory path..

- A.