Probably, almost all users working with Windows operating systems, when installing any serious software product, noticed that some files during installation are copied to the Application Data folder for OS versions of the seventh version and higher. What kind of object is this, which is present not only in desktop, but also in mobile "OSes", now it will be told.
The main directory: why is it needed
First, let's focus on some questions of theory. Let's outline the main points regarding understanding what the Application Data folder is used for in any system.
Note right away that in older versions of Windows the folder name may differ, but this will be discussed later.
The directory itself is designed to save not the main, but the accompanying files of installed programs, which should be outside the user's intervention. To be clear, somegame settings files or virtual synth soundbanks (as well as configuration files) are saved here. Thus, the Application Data folder is, roughly speaking, a repository of information about all applications installed in the system, not counting the standard ones that are included in the Windows set itself.
How to find the Application Data folder (Windows 7)?
Some meticulous users try to find this directory through the standard "Explorer" or some other file manager. Unfortunately (and to the disappointment of many), this turns out to be a difficult task. The folder is a system folder, and due to the presence of such properties, it is hidden from the user's eyes.
However, the most important thing is that there can be several Application Data folders in the system, tied to a particular user. If you really need to find this directory, you should use the properties menu for displaying files and folders, called when executing the corresponding command in Explorer. Here, the checkbox is simply unchecked from the line for prohibiting the display of hidden objects, that's all.
Windows OS: possible search, rename and move issues
Not everyone, of course, accesses the Application Data folder when cleaning the system, especially since it is hidden. But searching by object name does not always give the desired result.
This is only because in some versions of Windows this directory is called AppData. By the way, on many mobile devices it is calledexactly the same.
Should I change the directory itself and its location
Now a few words about the cardinal changes. Firstly, if something is deleted from a folder, it is not a fact that some application, to which the corresponding files in this directory were associated, will start at startup.
No, of course, some of the simplest programs do run, but most of the basic functions are not available, resulting in the appropriate type of error.
Naturally, it is not recommended to rename or relocate this folder (otherwise it can disrupt the work of all programs installed by the user). However, even here there is a way out, for example, when there is simply not enough space on the hard drive. Let's make a reservation right away: from the location of this directory in the settings of the local user Local Settings / Application Data, the movement of an object must be recorded in the system registry, otherwise Windows will simply not see this folder and the settings stored in it.
So, first we copy the folder to another location, and then we call the registry editor (regedit). Here we find the Shell Folders section, in which you will have to specify the new location of the object you are looking for manually (for example, D:\Application Data.
Among other things, it should be said that few users know how to find this folder, even if it is hidden. The capabilities of the standard "Explorer" make it possible, as they say, elementary.
There is a search bar at the top right. Exactlyand we will focus on it. We enter the entry "%USERPROFILE%\AppData" (of course, without quotes), after which the system issues the presence of the desired directory and its location, showing that the object is hidden. But access to the folder can be obtained only after activating the display of hidden files and folders.
Mobile Data Monitoring Application: what is it?
As for mobile systems, they also provide for the presence of folders that store the configuration settings of installed applications. True, the directory itself is called a little differently (on Android systems, these are usually folders on the internal drive of Android and DCIM).
If we talk about the concept of Mobile Data Monitoring Application, this is, in fact, a monitoring program (as the name suggests) focused on monitoring signal strength in 3G / 4G networks and managing the parameters of routers like stationary modems. So do not confuse the data required to run a mobile application with this utility. In the best case, it is useful only when working with programs that download content from the Internet during operation, in extreme cases - to monitor outgoing and incoming traffic, but nothing more.
Grand total
As it is already clear, only general questions were considered here regarding what the Application Data directory is, what is stored in it, and how the system uses it in terms of installed programs and applets. There is only one conclusion: it is better not to touch the folder. The maximum that is possibleto do is to manually delete unused items left after uninstalling some applications.
But even here it is better not to engage in amateur activities, but to use professional software removal utilities like iObit Unistaller, which not only physically delete program files from the hard drive, but also erase all "junk" entries in the system registry. In addition, such a formulation of the question is as safe as possible from the point of view of the performance of the entire system as a whole.
