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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: BevL on Tuesday 07 August 18 05:08 BST (UK)

Title: copies
Post by: BevL on Tuesday 07 August 18 05:08 BST (UK)

Hi,
I am still using my windows 7 and love it most of the time, but I have this trouble of finding full copies of my User file all the time ,
The first time I saw it I just started to delete the copy, but it was deleting the files etc. from the original one I was using and I lost some of my work.
Is there a way to get rid of the copies which doesn't interfere with  the  original as it is becoming very confusing (for me) which is right one for me
Kind regards
Bev

Title: Re: copies
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Tuesday 07 August 18 07:25 BST (UK)

Bev, I didn't understand that. What do you mean by "full copies of my User file"?

Title: Re: copies
Post by: BevL on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:28 BST (UK)

Hi,
By full copies I meant that I checked and found them the exactly the same as the original and that is when I noticed that I when was deleting  the copy was losing the same data from the original as well.
Sorry about that, my husband hates to have me describe something to him  I am not too clearwith how I describe it.d !
Kind regards
Bev

Title: Re: copies
Post by: [Ray] on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:32 BST (UK)

Hi     

Copies of what?     


Ray

Title: Re: copies
Post by: KGarrad on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:35 BST (UK)

What is the name of the original?
And original what?

In what program are these files used?

The term "User Files" is pretty useless unless we know what it is, and where you usually use it :-\

Title: Re: copies
Post by: familydar on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:39 BST (UK)

Perhaps a screen shot/screen grab might help?

Title: Re: copies
Post by: hallmark on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:42 BST (UK)

Quote from: [Ray] on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:32 BST (UK)

Hi     

Copies of what?     


Ray

Files!   ;D

Title: Re: copies
Post by: Gadget on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:44 BST (UK)

Is it in any way related to this:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=793806.0

Title: Re: copies
Post by: [Ray] on Tuesday 07 August 18 08:57 BST (UK)

Oh!     

[ I been reading it as "FLIES"      ::) ]   


Seriously, Word/Excel/Mail/FamilyTree downloads/etc?     

Is it only since you had someone "restore" your machine?

 

Title: Re: copies
Post by: familydar on Tuesday 07 August 18 09:08 BST (UK)

Writing this from memory because not at my computer but I *THINK* that windows generates a copy of a file when you're working on it and it disappears when you close it.  So if you're using file explorer/my computer to delete say a copy of a word doc WHILE YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT WORD DOC then it will just replace it with another copy.

I wasn't aware that a similar thing happened with entire user profiles though.

Title: Re: copies
Post by: BevL on Tuesday 07 August 18 12:17 BST (UK)

I am sorry as I seem to be messing every thing up
 On my desktop   This folder is a general folder with my blind golf work in it, all person work, receipts. Anything to do with me as I can't see very well now and I like to keep everything  together as it is easier for me to get to when I need my folder is marked user Jean and this is the one that is being copied all the time.
I do hope I have explained it better this time - it gets a bit annoying trying to hold the magnifying glass and type at the  same time ???
Kind regards
Bev

Title: Re: copies
Post by: Mart 'n' Al on Tuesday 07 August 18 12:47 BST (UK)

BevL, did you know there is an accessibility setting in Windows which will display everything at a larger size? I won't talk you through enabling it, as it will be much easier for you to have a friend or family member to do it for you.

Martin

Title: Re: copies
Post by: jim1 on Tuesday 07 August 18 17:55 BST (UK)

Does the folder in question have a little arrow on it similar to this?

Title: Re: copies
Post by: BevL on Wednesday 08 August 18 02:55 BST (UK)

Hum
I do have my icons as  as large as I can get them, but with Macular Degeneration the words or numbers sometimes skip around the page!   I am in the process of getting a magnifying light to help me out.
Kind regards
Bev

Title: Re: copies
Post by: BevL on Wednesday 08 August 18 02:58 BST (UK)

Hi Jim,
Yes they do.
Bev

Title: Re: copies
Post by: tellx on Wednesday 08 August 18 05:13 BST (UK)

If it has that little curved arrow in the bottom left corner, it is a shortcut to the file. It has no information (other than where to link to) in it. Deleteing it should only delete the shortcut not the original file.

Title: Re: copies
Post by: BevL on Wednesday 08 August 18 05:25 BST (UK)

Hi,
I will try to get rid of them one by one.   This happened a while ago and after that I didn't try it again but they are having so many babies it definitely needs to be culled
Thank you all for your help
Bev

Title: Re: copies
Post by: jim1 on Wednesday 08 August 18 10:19 BST (UK)

If you open the folder with the arrow on it & delete what's inside you will be deleting the original files.
The folder with the arrow on isn't a copy. As Tellx said it's just a shortcut to the original folder.
You can delete the folder as this will just remove the shortcut but not what's inside.

Title: Re: copies
Post by: andrewalston on Wednesday 08 August 18 18:30 BST (UK)

If in doubt, you can always right-click something and select "Properties". That will bring up a box describing what that something is.

If it's a shortcut, it will show you where clicking on it will take you.

If it's a folder full of files, it will count them and add up their sizes.

Here are a pair of Properties from my machine:

Title: Re: copies
Post by: BevL on Thursday 09 August 18 03:01 BST (UK)

Thanks Jim
I will try that.    I seem to have lost my confidence and get scared of trying anything.
Kind regards
Bev