SOLVED Mysterious folders in my AppData>Local folder

[clifford_cooley]

A new version of Windows Live Essentials may correct this.

From Windows Live Mail, click the blue tab and select About.

This is the version I am showing to have

Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3502.0922)

If you don't have the Ribbon interface then you are using an older version.

I questioned about different versions earlier in the thread but no one followed up on the thought.

 

[Hadron]

This is my Windows Live Messenger version.

Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109)

 

[clifford_cooley]

This is my Windows Live Messenger version.

Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109)

Hmm, a newer version doesn't seem to be the answer.

 

[Zoolx]

Good morning ....

still no news on my side. I have disabled the autostart of MSN. Now i dont hava any new folders (but also no msn).

My Version is also [ Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3502.0922) ] and it was installed over the live istalation tool which you can download here:
http://www.windowslive.de/Download/windows-live-download.aspx

Where can we get a newer version (only for testing ... perhaps beta) or even older ones ?

regards
.Zool.

 

[Hadron]

As far as I know this is the latest version.

Windows Live Essentials 2011 v15.4.3508.1109

Offline Installer (209.37MB):
http://g.live.com/1rewlive4-all/en/wlsetup-all.exe

But the thing is that I have only had this problem for a few weeks, and I have had this version of Windows Live Messenger for about 2 months.

 

[Zoolx]

...
[quoteBut the thing is that I have only had this problem for a few weeks, and I have had this version of Windows Live Messenger for about 2 months.
HadronHere is Windows Live Essentials 2011 v15.4.3508.1109.
As far as I know it is the latest version.

Offline Installer (209.37MB):
http://g.live.com/1rewlive4-all/en/wlsetup-all.exe

But the thing is that I have only had this problem for a few weeks, and I have had this version of Windows Live Messenger for about 2 months.
[/quote]

what that means ?
The problem is now gone ?
Have you done windows updates in the meantime ?
perhpas it has to do with a combination of Windows Live and a Windows Update thing

confused
.Zool.

 

[Hadron]

The problem is still there as I have said in previous posts.
So all I am saying is that I am having some doubts as to whether it is Messenger because of the time discrepancies as I posted above.

I don't install many apps, so yes, I am tending to lean towards a Windows Update at this stage. But I am still only guessing at this point in time.

So what was the answer to my question in regards to Microsoft Security Essentials? Does anyone with this problem NOT have it installed?

 

[Zoolx]

es - absolutely yes. they have to be in the temp folder !

.Zool.

 

[lalittle]

I just checked my systems and noticed that my two systems that ARE having this issue are running WL Mail "Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109)."

My one system that is NOT having this issue is running WL Mail "Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3502.0922)."

I have no idea if the version number is the significant difference here, but it's interesting to note. I also find it interesting that I don't see any "update" feature from within WL Mail, and Windows Update does not tell me that there is a newer version of WL Mail available even though there clearly is a newer version.

I'm not sure what to make of this information, but I'm just adding it to the pot here.

Larry

PS. It would be interesting to see if all the people running WL Mail who are NOT having this issue are running EARLIER versions of WL Mail. clifford_cooley -- do I understand correctly that you are not seeing this issue? If so, then perhaps this issue started with a NEWER version of WL Mail. The same could possibly be true for WL Messenger -- i.e. that newer version of the program cause this issue.

 

[clifford_cooley]

clifford_cooley -- do I understand correctly that you are not seeing this issue?

True - I'm not having this issue.

Perhaps its time for an update to see if I inherit the issue.

Edit:
I have just upgraded Windows Live Mail

Previous ver - Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3502.0922)
Upgraded ver - Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109)

We will see if I inherited this issue.

Edit2:

I now have one folder listed in the "App Data/Local" folder.

 

[lalittle]

True - I'm not having this issue.

Perhaps its time for an update to see if I inherit the issue.

Edit:
I have just upgraded Windows Live Mail

Previous ver - Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3502.0922)
Upgraded ver - Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109)

We will see if I inherited this issue.

Clifford,

Thanks for taking the time to do this -- I think this could be a really helpful troubleshooting step.

If you give it a day or so and check both the AppData\Local and AppData\Local\Temp folders for the appearance of these folders, it could tell us if this is indeed the culprit. Note that these folders are typically only created about once a day (sometimes twice on my systems), so it may not show up right away. If possible, take a look at the dates/times of the folders created and see if they line up with the times you opened WL Mail. On my systems, I was able to actually watch the folder being created in my "Local" folder by having Windows Explorer open, and by switching to it right after I started WL Mail. It probably took less than 10 seconds to appear.

Thanks again,

Larry

 

[Hadron]

True - I'm not having this issue.

Perhaps its time for an update to see if I inherit the issue.

Edit:
I have just upgraded Windows Live Mail

Previous ver - Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3502.0922)
Upgraded ver - Version 2011 (Build 15.4.3508.1109)

We will see if I inherited this issue.

Edit2:

I now have one folder listed in the "App Data/Local" folder.

Interesting. It must be the latest version causing it then.
But I am not keen on going back to a previous version right now. And I don't think the installer makes it easy to go back to a prior version anyway.

 

[draceena]

I do not have MSE installed; I have the newest version of Windows Live Mail. I get the mysterious folder upon starting Windows Live Mail or Windows Live Messenger. I get what seems to be one folder per day created right at the time I open either Live program.

I updated my Live Mail from the website, the update was not delivered to me via the usual Windows Update, I wonder if this is why we are all having this issue.

Question: If you are getting this mystery folder and have the newest Live Mail/Messenger, did the update come through Win Update or did everyone get it through the Live Products Website.

 

[murphy]

Sorry to butt into this thread, on my first post, but I was fascinated by the sheer volume of what, to me, appeared as an almost total waste of time.
Why are the users so intent on worrying about something which, in Microsoft's eyes, is not, in the slightest degree, a problem?
There are several such hidden and system folders in Windows. They are hidden, by default, for the OS's exclusive use. Axiomatically, that is why they are hidden.
Several are constantly being written to, during the daily operations. They can easily be unhidden - possibly a mistake by Microsoft.
Surely it can be no concern, operationally, to users, that empty folders are being created in a portion of the OS that they should not even be seeing! (Or have I overlooked the essence of this thread?) I can see this has been pointed out, at least twice, by a moderator, but ignored.
I can assure those who mentioned it, that Microsoft will totally ignore any complaint/bug suggested from this feature.

Or perhaps, at this stage, it is just curiosity.? If not, hit the reset button in the folder views, and the problem goes away.

 

[clifford_cooley]

There is a temp folder withing the same folder for temporary files and folders. These folders are not being placed there. And as a result we feel the cleaning programs are over looking them because they are not in their proper place.

I never allow Microsoft to place any of my personal data within their folder structure. To me Microsoft has never had good filing practices. Personally, I don't really care what Microsoft does with their empty temp folders. I spend all my time in a data partition not the OS partition. This thread is the only reason I even know of them.

However on behalf of those concerned about this issue, one could also wonder how many other area's in the OS are going unchecked. I believe the OS could function the same way with a third of the space it is operating with. If you don't believe me do a scan of the OS partition for duplicate files.

 

[Hadron]

I do not have MSE installed; I have the newest version of Windows Live Mail. I get the mysterious folder upon starting Windows Live Mail or Windows Live Messenger. I get what seems to be one folder per day created right at the time I open either Live program.

I updated my Live Mail from the website, the update was not delivered to me via the usual Windows Update, I wonder if this is why we are all having this issue.

Question: If you are getting this mystery folder and have the newest Live Mail/Messenger, did the update come through Win Update or did everyone get it through the Live Products Website.

I downloaded my latest version from the link that I posted recently. Hence, not through Windows Update.

 

[lalittle]

Question: If you are getting this mystery folder and have the newest Live Mail/Messenger, did the update come through Win Update or did everyone get it through the Live Products Website.

On my systems that are having this issue, the latest version of WL Mail was the first and only version of WL Mail that I ever installed, so I HAD to get it from the Live website. On my system that does not exhibit this issue (which is using the older version of WL Mail) I have never seen any update offered to me -- neither through WL Mail nor through Windows Update.

There does not appear to be any way of knowing that an update is available for WL Mail unless you specifically download and install the latest version from the Live website. This seems pretty strange to me given MS's normal behavior of automatically offering updates for their software.

Larry

 

[Zoolx]

Good morning ...

i always had the problem only on my computer at home. Never ever on my office system. Yesterday i tested the offline installer because of the different versions.
After i have downloaded 120 MB and started the installer he told mehe will update the MSN (only because i have nothing else installed) After the update process i forgot about this .. until today....

The version is now (still ?!): 1.5.4.3508.1109 shown in MSN about.

But know i took a look in my app folder ... and surprise: I have two empty folders.....

One is from yesterday at 16.09 and the other one is from today 11.07.

So i have destroyed my installation on my office system yesterday with the offline installer. WHY ... i dont know ...

Perhaps someone can tell me where to download the old version (offline installer) 15.4.3502.0922.
So i would do an downgrade on my office system.

.Zool.

 

[Hadron]

Perhaps someone can tell me where to download the old version (offline installer) 15.4.3502.0922.
So i would do an downgrade on my office system.

.Zool.

Try this link. I think it is still working, but I am not sure if the installer will allow you to downgrade. You may have to clean your system of any remnants of the latest version.


Windows Live Essentials 2011 Final (v15.4.3502.0922)

Offline Installer (155 MB):
http://wl.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/9/4/2/942E4DB1-ACF0-49FE-A89E-E5E0565EBAE0/en/wlsetup-all.exe

 

[lalittle]

How many people here have reported this to MS, and what method/s were used to do so? I'm not even clear where/how to report this.

It is logical to assume that if this issue started with the latest version, an update could also fix it, so I'm reluctant to revert back to an older version. The problem is that I have NO idea how long a fix could take, or even if MS knows about this yet.

Larry