Using Windows Explorer, I keep getting "Location Not Available"message boxes for sub folders under c:\ProgramData and the ApplicationData folder. This is scary. Software vendors and virus authors now have locations on my computer that they can get to but I can't.How do I view the contents of these folders?Thank you,KarlCheers, Karl - Microsoft Product Team, Code Project MVP - http://karlshifflett.wordpress.com/

You could log in using the full administrator account, which is disabled by default. Remember starting with Vista the administrator account that most users are assigned to is not the same as "full" administrator hence the inability to view or do certain things even though you think you are admin.

Did not help. These folders in Windows 7 are locked from any account viewing them.Cheers, Karl - Microsoft Product Team, Code Project MVP - http://karlshifflett.wordpress.com/

This is because the owner of the folders is SYSTEM. If you change the ownership of any folder to SYSTEM, a lock will be added on the icon.Arthur Xie - MSFT

Now I know why a folder has a lock icon, thank you.However, this does not answer the greater question.Why "by default" does Windows 7, prevent me (the administrator) from viewing the content of these folders. If I was writing a virus, this is exactly where I would put collected data, since the owner of the computer can't see what the virus is doing.By the way, the only permissions on these folders is "SYSTEM."This does not make sense from a security standpoint. Programs can write to these folders, I know because I have programs I've written that write to the c:\ProgramData folder, but I can't see the files in Windows Explorer.Cheers, Karl - Microsoft Product Team, Code Project MVP - http://karlshifflett.wordpress.com/

Not really, if a virus can access files that are restricted to System then the virus has already completely compromised your computer and can do anything. In other words, its already too late.Kurt Dillard http://www.kurtdillard.com

Using Windows Explorer, I keep getting "Location Not Available"message boxes for sub folders under c:\ProgramData and the ApplicationData folder. This is scary. Software vendors and virus authors now have locations on my computer that they can get to but I can't. How do I view the contents of these folders These locations have been changed in Windows 7 and Vista anyway. Enter %appdata% at the run line which will take you to C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming. Whatever you do don't check "Show hidden files, folders and drives" - you'll be horrified to see how many things you can't tamper with. Google "UAC Virtualization" and "UAC Data Redirection" - these features actually keep malware and poorly written /incompatible apps from hosing the registry.

Mac,Thank you very much. As a developer, I'm face down in the code and now see I need to be getting up to speed with the newest features of the O/S.Appreciate your time and information.Cheers,KarlCheers, Karl - Microsoft Product Team, Code Project MVP - http://karlshifflett.wordpress.com/

I don't think these folders were locked in Vista--in fact, I know they weren't, as I often looked into them and deletedfolders for programs that I had deleted. I just upgraded from Vista to Win 7 and I had been able to access all of these Program Data folders, and programs routinely wrote information to them. I even think they were used in the Win 7 final beta, as I had that installed as well. Now they are all locked and I can't even give myself, as administrator, permission to see them. If they aren't used any more, I would like to delete them, not have them there taking up space.