I would like to know what the purpose of the directory C:\Users\TEMP in Windows 7 is. I am installing Aptana from the Admin account and it is trying to place files there, specifically, in C:\Users\TEMP\AppData\Local\Aptana
2 Answers
C:\Users\Temp means that a user has been logged on with a temporary profile. Generally, this means the user's real profile is missing or corrupted.
You can determine whether the folder contains a profile by examining its contents. If you see directories named Desktop, Documents (or My Documents), Pictures, etc., then it is a profile directory.
Given that Aptana wants to put files there while you are logged in as the Administrator, and the fact that C:\Users\Temp is usually deleted when the affected user logs off, my hunch is that the current user, Administrator, is logged on with the temporary profile. You can check this by opening a command prompt and typing set userprof. You should get a list of environment variables that includes USERPROFILE. If this value is set to C:\Users\Temp, it is indeed the current user who is afflicted.
Look at what's in the directory. If you aren't familiar with it, compress the directory using 7zip and rename the whole thing (to back it up). Then delete the original directory. If nothing happens, run with it for a while. When YOU are convinced that the directory had no value, delete the backup you made with 7zip.
If you compress and rename the backup you create, and all heck breaks loose, reboot Windows in safe mode, and put everything back like it was.
This will help you determine if it is needed, and if not, helps you safely get rid of it.
ANY program could have made that TEMP directory.
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