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What is the difference between C:\Users\Default and C:\Users\Default User folders?

PS $ & "$HOME/psh/dirsize.ps1" "C:\Users\Default"

2.01 MiB


PS $ & "$HOME/psh/dirsize.ps1" "C:\Users\Default User"


dir : Access to the path "C:\Users\Default User" is denied.
  At C:\Users\t2-sma\psh\dirsize.ps1:2 char:21
    + "{0:n2} MiB" -f ( ( dir $dirName -force -recurse | measure -property  ...
    +                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      + CategoryInfo          : PermissionDenied: (C:\Users\Default User:String) [Get-ChildItem], UnauthorizedAccessException
      + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DirUnauthorizedAccessError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetChildItemCommand


0.00 MiB
  • Both C:\Users\Default and C:\Users\Default User exists : 
    PS $ dir "C:\Users" -Force | ? Name -like 'Default*'

    Directory: C:\Users
    

    Mode          LastWriteTime  Length  Name
----          -------------  ------  ----
d-rh--   31/05/2023   10:58          Default
d--hsl   07/12/2019   10:30          Default User

  • dir says C:\Users\Default User is a junction, but surprisingly PowerShell says nothing: 
    $ dir /a "C:\Users" | findstr Default

    31/05/2023  09:58    <DIR>          Default
  07/12/2019  10:30    <JUNCTION>     Default User [C:\Users\Default]
    

    PS $ (gi "C:\Users\Default User&quot; -Force).LinkType
JW0914
  • 7,865
SebMa
  • 1,793
  • In a normally set up machine (Windows 10 and 11) there is no c:\users\Default Users. Just c:\users\Default. So you may have set up such a user or folder but it is something on your machine. – John Feb 02 '24 at 18:40
  • that that is not a common/normal folder, in a system controlled directory, plus your error message, I'm wondering if "c:\users\Default Users" exists at all. can you show us a directory listing? – Frank Thomas Feb 02 '24 at 18:52
  • On my (fairly) new Windows 11 machine, C:\Users\Default User is a link to C:\Users\Default.  I’m 99% sure that I didn't create that. Note that it has the SYSTEM attribute set, so you won’t see it unless you enable display of such files. – Scott - Слава Україні Feb 02 '24 at 19:46
  • (gi 'C:\Users\Default User\' -Force).LinkType should return Junction - if OP's terminal does not, please perform Steps 1 - 6 – JW0914 Feb 05 '24 at 14:48

1 Answers1

1

On Windows 11, at least, C:\Users\Default is an actual directory.  And C:\Users\Default User is a link to C:\Users\Default.

Scott - Слава Україні
  • 21,717
  • A bit more effort could have gone in to answering the difference between the two, such as the purpose of each – JW0914 Feb 05 '24 at 14:25