Windows 10: User Folder Audit

Hi, Looking at my user folder, as well as other files and fodler I have the following Junction folder called Application DataC:\Users\marcu# dir /a Volume in drive C is OSF Volume Serial Number is EE6C-1E09 Directory of C:\Users\marcu2021-03-11 05:46 PM <JUNCTION> Application Data [C:\Users\marcu\AppData\Roaming]Is this folder supposed to be a Junction ? can anyone take a loko at what their Application Data folder looks like in their User folder please .Its weird as it links to the Roaming folder inside AppData, is that correct ?

:)

 

Audit mode

Hi Diane,

Windows boots into Windows Welcome Mode and Audit Mode. Windows Welcome Mode
is the first user experience while the Audit mode is used to add customization to Windows images. Sometimes, Windows keeps running in Audit Mode and user has no idea about it, just like in your case. While your machine is running Audit
Mode when upgrading or reinstalling Windows 10, the upgrade won’t progress.

Here's how to exit from Audit mode to reinstall Windows 10:

• Open the administrative or elevated Command Prompt. Type cmd in the
  Search field at the taskbar.
• Type the following command and press Enter key: sysprep /oobe /generalize
  DISCLAIMER: Running sysprep command each time resets Windows licensing state to default. So if your Windows is activated and you run this command, you’ll need to reactivate Windows after executing this command.
  
  
• Once the command IS successfully executed, you’ll be out of Audit Mode. Now you can re-try to upgrade to Windows 10 and it should work.

Let us know if the steps above worked for you.

 

Customize Windows 10 Image in Audit Mode with Sysprep  


Just a few pointers:

• You can always boot to Audit Mode even after the OOBE, command is
  %windir%\System32\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe /audit /reboot
• When rebooted to Audit Mode and if you like to re-customize the default user profile, it will only affect all future user accounts but does not affect existing ones already present when you booted to Audit Mode. You can of course remove all existing user accounts if necessary before sysprepping
• If rebooted to Audit Mode and existing user accounts are kept, you cannot use those usernames when back in OOBE after sysprepping. To create the initial user in OOBE you can for example simply create a dummy local user, let Windows finish the OOBE and boot to this dummy's desktop, sign out and sign in to your original admin account and remove the dummy account
• Sysprepping an upgraded Windows is of course possible and only needs a key and a DWORD deleted in the registry and changing the value of two DWORDs. Instructions in this tutorial: Users Folder - Move Location in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums, scroll down to the last part named Upgrade and its Step 2

 

Updating Windows 10 in Audit Mode

Thanks - I was unaware of the search issue as I rarely use it anyway, or I search from from file explorer (force of habit).