%USERPROFILE% what is it and can I delete it?

XP Home +SP2 and all patches.

I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
%USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.

Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
stuff.

Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.

TIA

Jumbo
Silver Surfer

On 25 Apr, 16:33, "Jumbo" <ju...@dreamland.net> wrote:
> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>
> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>
> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
> stuff.
>
> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>
> TIA
>
> Jumbo
> Silver Surfer

Your user profile is the collection of personal information about your
account on the computer. It includes my documents, my music, email
messages etc. You haven't given enough information to say much more.
The % is just the system's way of referrer to the current user's (i.e
your) profile. Make sure it *actually is* a folder, (zip archives look
like folders)
If you right click on it and go to properties, what does it say? If it
is just a shortcut to a folder, it is safe to delete. If it actually
is a folder, I wouldn't delete it at this stage.

"demonwebb" <demonwebb@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:f17ee03f-1617-4513-8c11-db02b99c6634@z72g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On 25 Apr, 16:33, "Jumbo" <ju...@dreamland.net> wrote:
>> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>>
>> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
>> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>>
>> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
>> stuff.
>>
>> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Jumbo
>> Silver Surfer
>
> Your user profile is the collection of personal information about your
> account on the computer. It includes my documents, my music, email
> messages etc. You haven't given enough information to say much more.
> The % is just the system's way of referrer to the current user's (i.e
> your) profile. Make sure it *actually is* a folder, (zip archives look
> like folders)
> If you right click on it and go to properties, what does it say? If it
> is just a shortcut to a folder, it is safe to delete. If it actually
> is a folder, I wouldn't delete it at this stage.

Thanks

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop 80.3KB contains Local settings dated
09/05/2006 and inside of that there are Applications and History folders
leading toFeeds Cache all with the same date.

I just did a virus scan and there it was.

Jumbo
Silver Surfer

"Jumbo" <jumbo@dreamland.net> wrote in message
news:dPSdnSvVSbdUZIzVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@pipex.net...
> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>
> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>
> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
> stuff.
>
> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>
I have never heard of this happening. It seems reasonable to ask which
anti-virus scanner did you run to create this desktop folder?
Do not delete it yet; you can hide it by moving it to another location on
your computer.

--
Allan

"Allan" <mu8ja0i@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:eP%23PcWzpIHA.4912@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> "Jumbo" <jumbo@dreamland.net> wrote in message
> news:dPSdnSvVSbdUZIzVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@pipex.net...
>> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>>
>> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
>> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>>
>> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
>> stuff.
>>
>> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>>
> I have never heard of this happening. It seems reasonable to ask which
> anti-virus scanner did you run to create this desktop folder?
> Do not delete it yet; you can hide it by moving it to another location on
> your computer.
>
> --
> Allan

Thank you Allan

I used Avast 4.8 in the quick scan mode which actually takes about 4 hours
to scan my C:\ drive.

Jumbo

"Jumbo" <jumbo@dreamland.net> wrote in message
news:dPSdnSvVSbdUZIzVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@pipex.net...
> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>
> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>
> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
> stuff.
>
> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>
> TIA
>
> Jumbo
> Silver Surfer
>
Userprofile is the environment variable which locates your documents and
settings.
The folder is necessary, and you will regret such an action if you delete
it.
As to why it showed up on your desktop is another question indeed (and one
that I don't have an answer).
Jim

"Jim" <jim-norris@sbcglobal.com> wrote in message
news:ufqspn7pIHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> "Jumbo" <jumbo@dreamland.net> wrote in message
> news:dPSdnSvVSbdUZIzVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@pipex.net...
>> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>>
>> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
>> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>>
>> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very technical
>> stuff.
>>
>> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Jumbo
>> Silver Surfer
>>
> Userprofile is the environment variable which locates your documents and
> settings.
> The folder is necessary, and you will regret such an action if you delete
> it.
> As to why it showed up on your desktop is another question indeed (and one
> that I don't have an answer).
> Jim
>

Thanks Jim I'll leave it well alone.

Jumbo

"Jumbo" <jumbo@dreamland.net> wrote in message
news:0L2dnVIMN5QAxY7VnZ2dnUVZ8surnZ2d@pipex.net...
>
> "Jim" <jim-norris@sbcglobal.com> wrote in message
> news:ufqspn7pIHA.2292@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>
>> "Jumbo" <jumbo@dreamland.net> wrote in message
>> news:dPSdnSvVSbdUZIzVnZ2dneKdnZydnZ2d@pipex.net...
>>> XP Home +SP2 and all patches.
>>>
>>> I have just done a virus scan and after rebooting a folder called
>>> %USERPROFILE% appeared on my desktop.
>>>
>>> Google not much help because I don't really understand the very
>>> technical stuff.
>>>
>>> Please advise. Is it important and can I safely delete it.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Jumbo
>>> Silver Surfer
>>>
>> Userprofile is the environment variable which locates your documents and
>> settings.
>> The folder is necessary, and you will regret such an action if you delete
>> it.
>> As to why it showed up on your desktop is another question indeed (and
>> one that I don't have an answer).
>> Jim
>>
>
> Thanks Jim I'll leave it well alone.
Why don't you just move it to the Avast folder in \Documents and
Settings\%user%\Application Data ?

--
Allan