[SOLVED] Can't find 'C::\Users\Public' folders

Keboose · Mar 14, 2013

A quick background: I installed my copy of Windows 7 to a 64GB SSD, and didn't have the space for my Users folder. Before I discovered Hard Links, I had gone into the registry to change the Users folder from C:\Users to D:\Users. After I discovered Hard Links, I attemted to change the registry entries back to what they were, but I may have messed up. I can't install some programs, because they give me an error #1606, can't find the network path "C::\Users\Public\Desktop."

See, if I type "C:\Users\Public\Desktop" or "C:\Users\Public\Public Desktop" into Explorer, I get directed to the public desktop. But if I use "%PUBLIC%\Desktop," I'm told that it can't find "C::\Users\Public\Public Desktop," similar to the error from the installers. This rings true for all my public folders.

In my opinion, I think that somewhere in my registry, I accidentally messed up, and pointed %PUBLIC% to "C::\Users\Public" instead of "C:\Users\Public." I don't know for sure, I don't even know if there is a key that does this, all I know is that I can't install a bunch of programs I want to, and I'm getting a bit upset. I tried searching the registry for "C::" but got nothing.

What do?

jcgriff2 · Mar 14, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Hi -

Let's see what the user shell folders say.

Download & save - http://www.sysnative.com/apps/jcgriff2/user_shell_folders.bat

RIGHT-click on the bat file, "Run as Administrator"

A Notepad will open in a few seconds. Copy/paste the entire contents into your next post.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

`

Keboose · Mar 14, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Alright then. Here:

Code:

[font=lucida console]  
  

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
    AppData    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming
    Cache    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
    Cookies    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
    Desktop    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
    Favorites    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Favorites
    History    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History
    Local AppData    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local
    My Music    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Music
    My Pictures    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Pictures
    My Video    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Videos
    NetHood    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
    Personal    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Documents
    Programs    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
    Recent    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
    SendTo    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
    Startup    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
    Start Menu    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
    Templates    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
    {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
    PrintHood    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
    CD Burning    REG_EXPAND_SZ    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Burn

  
  Thu 03/14/2013     7:39:11.06 
  Thu 03/14/2013     7:39:11.06 
  Thu 03/14/2013     7:39:11.06

[/font]

jcgriff2 · Mar 14, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

That looks normal.

Please run - http://www.sysnative.com/apps/jcgriff2/setCMD_jcgriff2.bat

Paste the output into next post.

Keboose · Mar 14, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Aha! I see it in there!

Code:

[FONT=lucida console]  
  
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\ProgramData
AMDAPPSDKROOT=C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD APP\
APPDATA=C:\Users\Dillon\AppData\Roaming
asl.log=Destination=file
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
CommonProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
CommonProgramW6432=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=DILLON-PC
ComSpec=C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Users\Dillon
KMP_DUPLICATE_LIB_OK=TRUE
LOCALAPPDATA=C:\Users\Dillon\AppData\Local
LOGONSERVER=\\DILLON-PC
MKL_SERIAL=YES
NIDAQmxSwitchDir=D:\National Instruments\NI-DAQ\Switch\
NIEXTCCOMPILERSUPP=D:\National Instruments\Shared\ExternalCompilerSupport\C\
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=8
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD APP\bin\x86_64;C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD APP\bin\x86;C:\Program Files (x86)\Pololu\Simple Motor Controller\bin;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Shared;C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin;
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=AMD64
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=Intel64 Family 6 Model 45 Stepping 7, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=6
PROCESSOR_REVISION=2d07
ProgramData=C:\ProgramData
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)
ProgramW6432=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
PSModulePath=C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\[COLOR=SeaGreen]
[B]PUBLIC=C::\Users\Public[/B][/COLOR]
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
RGSC=D:\Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\Rockstar Games Social Club\1_0_0_0
RGSCLauncher=D:\Steam\steamapps\common\Grand Theft Auto IV\Rockstar Games Social Club
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\Windows
TEMP=C:\Users\Dillon\AppData\Local\Temp
TMP=C:\Users\Dillon\AppData\Local\Temp
USERDOMAIN=Dillon-PC
USERNAME=Dillon
USERPROFILE=C:\Users\Dillon
windir=C:\Windows
windows_tracing_flags=3
windows_tracing_logfile=C:\BVTBin\Tests\installpackage\csilogfile.log
  
  Thu 03/14/2013    18:30:04.99 
  Thu 03/14/2013    18:30:04.99 
  Thu 03/14/2013    18:30:05.00 
[/FONT]

W00t! So where can I find that value and take out that extra colon? I looked in your .bat file, but I can't make sense of it.

jcgriff2 · Mar 15, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Keboose said:
Aha! I see it in there!

Code:

[FONT=lucida console][COLOR=seagreen][B]PUBLIC=C::\Users\Public[/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

W00t! So where can I find that value and take out that extra colon? I looked in your .bat file, but I can't make sense of it.

Great eye!

I'm not sure about this one -- no Java here (my system)

Code:

[FONT=lucida console]CLASSPATH=[COLOR=red].;[/COLOR]C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\lib\ext\QTJava.zip[/FONT]

Keboose said:
I looked in your .bat file, but I can't make sense of it.

I'm glad to know that I'm not alone! :lol: -- KIDDING. . .

Batch file explained -
http://www.sysnative.com/apps/jcgriff2/setCMD_jcgriff2.bat

Code:

[FONT=Lucida Console][PLAIN]@echo off

::  J. C. Griffith
::  Microsoft MVP
::  SET command
::  2008-2013
 
[/PLAIN][LIST=1]
[*]cd /d %homedrive%
[*]echo. > 0
[*]echo. >> 0
[*]echo [PLAIN][code][font=lucida console][/PLAIN] >> 0
[*]echo. >> 0
[*]set >> 0
[*]echo. >> 0
[*]echo   %date%    %time% >> 0
[*]echo   %date%    %time% >> 0
[*]echo   %date%    %time% >> 0
[*]echo [PLAIN]

[/FONT][/PLAIN] >> 0
[*]start notepad 0
[/LIST][/FONT][/CODE]
1. extraneous - left over from other batch scripts
2. create a file named 0 -- or write spaces to it if it exists (note single >)
-- >> = append to file v. overwrite
3,5,7 - write a blank line (append)
4,11 - write CODE & FONT BB code to output file to make pasting into post easier for you & easier for me to read!
8,9,10 - write current DATE & TIME to output file -- just a habit of mine to repeat 3x

The 2 "real" commands are 6, 12
6 - run SET command; write to output file
12 - open the file 0 with NOTEPAD

A period after the ECHO statement = ignore text after it; write blank line

You can bring up a CMD screen & type SET - same output as appeared in Notepad.

I'll leave you know with jenae -- truly the absolute master of the NT Registry. :thumb:

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

jenae · Mar 14, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Hi, the lesson here is to always make Reg backups. The set cmd reads these keys, we are only concerned here with System variables:-

User Variables:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment

System Variables: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment

It is not necessary to modify the registry, follow this:-

Go to Control Panel --> System and Security --> System
Click Advanced system settings
Click Environment Variables
In the System Variables area, locate the Path variable (PUBLIC=C::\Users\Public), highlight it and click Edit...
Make the required changes, Click OK, OK, OK

Keboose · Mar 14, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

I don't see a variable "Public" under System Variables. Should I create a new one?

jenae · Mar 15, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Hi, yes, variable name Public, value C:\users\public

Keboose · Mar 15, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

Thanks to both of you! I added the Public key, and I installed one of my programs without error. I'm in the middle of downloading another installer that had this problem (a big update to a big program,) and I expect it to go without a hitch, either!

Also, I didn't know that 'set' was a command, or that it would display all that information. Thanks for the lesson!

jcgriff2 · Mar 15, 2013

Re: Can't find "C::\Users\Public" folders

My pleasure.

Good luck to you.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

[SOLVED] Can't find 'C::\Users\Public' folders

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