What's so "Surreptitious" about C:>ProgramData?

By saurabhdua
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saurabhdua

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Hello Folks! 

 

It has been more than 2 Years since using Windows 8 on my Desktop PC, & it is now only that I have come to discover somehow that a Folder sits in surreptitiously & Hidden within C: with the name of ProgramData!? Iam the only User of my Desktop PC & that's why Wonder that why have Microsoft kept it that way!? Why should the same be kept Hidden from the "Administrator" of PC? 

 

The Folder is worth of few GBs & what's the relevance of it? What's the significance of Hiding it from even the Sole user of PC?

 

Installation of Android Emulator----Bluestacks helped me discover on this aspect! What if I UNHIDE the same on a permanent basis? Are there any risks involved?

 

Please help decipher the Mystery behind ProgramData folder & its Contents?

 

Thank you. 

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Noir Angel

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The name is exactly what it would suggest. It stores vital program data for applications and OS components. It's hidden because it's intended for those applications to use it as a repository for data critical to their functionality, and is write protected to non administrative users, allowing for critical data to be protected from being tampered with so that your applications function properly. It's hidden for a reason. Keep it that way.

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Daedroth

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  On 24/05/2016 at 07:00, Javik said:

The name is exactly what it would suggest. It stores vital program data for applications and OS components. It's hidden because it's intended for those applications to use it as a repository for data critical to their functionality, and is write protected to non administrative users, allowing for critical data to be protected from being tampered with so that your applications function properly. It's hidden for a reason. Keep it that way.

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Couldn't have explained it better.

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saurabhdua

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  On 24/05/2016 at 07:38, Nik L said:

Mystery?  Only if you are absolutely clueless!?  Why are you making such  a conspiracy theory out of the standard workings of Windows?

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Because the Latest Version of Windows aka 10 has Telemetry features enabled by Default! ...& the Users of previous versions still go "Clueless" over the snooping capabilities of Microsoft! That's Why!

 

Moreover, in order to Transfer any File from Windows to Bluestacks, one has to perform a COPY-PASTE function against this ProgramData folder only! So does that mean that one has to Unhide & Hide it over & over again?

 

What's the Logic of Hiding ProgramData from the Individual Users?

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neufuse Veteran

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  On 24/05/2016 at 13:13, saurabhdua said:

Because the Latest Version of Windows aka 10 has Telemetry features enabled by Default! ...& the Users of previous versions still go "Clueless" over the snooping capabilities of Microsoft! That's Why!

 

Moreover, in order to Transfer any File from Windows to Bluestacks, one has to perform a COPY-PASTE function against this ProgramData folder only! So does that mean that one has to Unhide & Hide it over & over again?

 

What's the Logic of Hiding ProgramData from the Individual Users?

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uh I duno the same reason we always hid the %appdata% folder (which is the user by user equivalent of the program data folder, but limited to user specific parts of configurations and other data)? Do into your user folder in c:\users\username\ see the appdata folder? no? oh that's because it's also hidden... the whole point is to hide stuff that you don't want users messing with... yes windows and program files should also be hidden by this logic, but there is only so much you can hide before people start freaking out

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neufuse Veteran

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*sarcasim* I'd be more worried about that System Volume Information folder on every drive I hear it records information about every file on your system and when it was accessed and by who and what permissions they have, lots of file system telemetry there..... might want to remove it if you are scared ;)

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Jim K Global Moderator

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  On 24/05/2016 at 13:19, Nick H. said:

ProgramData has existed since Windows 7 at least:

 

 

That's my work computer's view. You can leave it hidden or unhidden, but there is nothing scary or nefarious about it.

 

 

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Also in Vista (just checked my bedroom's Vista computer)

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devHead

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  On 24/05/2016 at 06:55, saurabhdua said:

Hello Folks! 

 

It has been more than 2 Years since using Windows 8 on my Desktop PC, & it is now only that I have come to discover somehow that a Folder sits in surreptitiously & Hidden within C: with the name of ProgramData!? Iam the only User of my Desktop PC & that's why Wonder that why have Microsoft kept it that way!? Why should the same be kept Hidden from the "Administrator" of PC? 

 

The Folder is worth of few GBs & what's the relevance of it? What's the significance of Hiding it from even the Sole user of PC?

 

Installation of Android Emulator----Bluestacks helped me discover on this aspect! What if I UNHIDE the same on a permanent basis? Are there any risks involved?

 

Please help decipher the Mystery behind ProgramData folder & its Contents?

 

Thank you. 

Expand  

Why don't you delete it and find out?  Plus, surreptitious typically refers to something that's hidden because it's dangerous, or hidden due to being harmful.  ProgramData is pretty benign.  No mystery here - move along.  And what's with the random Capitalization of Certain words?

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+Warwagon MVC

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Man, I was sure this thread was going to be by someone else :D

 

I agree with the person above. After being told in quite good detail about what that folder does, and if you still are skeptical delete it and see what happens ;) (You are going to wish you hadn't)

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+Gary7 Subscriber²

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  On 24/05/2016 at 13:44, warwagon said:

Man, I was sure this thread was going to be by someone else :D

 

I agree with the person above. After being told in quite good detail about what that folder does, and if you still are skeptical delete it and see what happens ;) (You are going to wish you hadn't)

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This is why it is a hidden file..:)

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+Dick Montage Subscriber²

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  On 24/05/2016 at 13:13, saurabhdua said:

Because the Latest Version of Windows aka 10 has Telemetry features enabled by Default! ...& the Users of previous versions still go "Clueless" over the snooping capabilities of Microsoft! That's Why!

 

Moreover, in order to Transfer any File from Windows to Bluestacks, one has to perform a COPY-PASTE function against this ProgramData folder only! So does that mean that one has to Unhide & Hide it over & over again?

 

What's the Logic of Hiding ProgramData from the Individual Users?

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Which is entirely unrelated.  It's hidden because the INDIVIDUAL USER needs not access these.  User settings are in relevant places.

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Noir Angel

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  On 24/05/2016 at 13:13, saurabhdua said:

Because the Latest Version of Windows aka 10 has Telemetry features enabled by Default! ...& the Users of previous versions still go "Clueless" over the snooping capabilities of Microsoft! That's Why!

 

Moreover, in order to Transfer any File from Windows to Bluestacks, one has to perform a COPY-PASTE function against this ProgramData folder only! So does that mean that one has to Unhide & Hide it over & over again?

 

What's the Logic of Hiding ProgramData from the Individual Users?

Expand  

You really think they're storing several gigs of telemetry data? I mean I agree the process needs to be more transparent, and when people turn it off it should stay off across the OS, but that really makes no sense. ProgramData isn't new to Windows 10, it's always been there and it will get bigger as you install more programs. As other posters have said, it's simply hidden because there's stuff in it users aren't meant to fiddle with. Part of the reason XP was so easy to infect with malware is that crucial system folders were not write protected, and that's something they changed with Vista. If you don't want your OS to be secure and your apps to be stable, just install XP and buy some more tin foil.

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