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Windows Guide |
The C:\Windows folder is where Windows stores the files needed for the Operating
System to support.
The Windows folder contains many files and subfolders, each with a specific
folder so that Windows can quickly and easily find the files it wants. By default
the C:\Windows and C:\Windows\System32 are included in the Command Path so that
it can load up common programs such as the Accessories and tools provided in
Windows. If the Windows version is 64 bit, then you may get a SysWOW64 folder to store 32-bit compatible system files to run 32-bit applications
Each PC has its own Windows folders and may be different from machine to machine
depending on their setup and what applications are installed. Some folders you
may not have and you may have extra folders not listed.
| Folder | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Addins | Contains Fax Server Extension files |
| ADFS | Active Directory Federation Services. Contains Microsoft Identity Server Web resources DLLs. |
| AppCompat | Contains application compatibilty reports and files |
| AppPatch | Contains Windows Compatibilty DLLs |
| AppReadiness | Unknown |
| assembly | Contains .NET Framework entries |
| AUInstallAgent | All-User Install Agent folder |
| bcastdvr | Broadcast files |
| BitLockerDiscoveryVolumeContents | Used by BitLocker disk encryption system. |
| Boot | Boot Configuration Data (BCD) files |
| Branding | Contains Base Branding Resource DLLs |
| BrowserChoice | Contains Web browser choice files |
| Camera | Camera utility files |
| CbsTemp | Unknown |
| ConfigSetRoot | Unknown |
| Containers | Windows defender application guard wim file |
| CSC | Client Side Caching files for offline folders (protected) |
| cursors | Contains mouse cursor files (.cur) |
| Debug | Contains debugging log files |
| Diagnostics | Diagnostic xml files, powershell scripts. |
| DiagTrack | Diagnostic track xml and data files. |
| DigitalLocker | Digital locker files |
| DesktopTileResources | Desktop tile images and resource files |
| Downloaded Program Files | Contains ActiveX controls for IE |
| ehome | Contains some windows programs |
| ELAMBKUP | McAfee (Early Launch AntiMalware) Elam Driver SYS file |
| en | WLXPGSS.SCR.mui file |
| en-GB | Various mui files |
| en-US | Various mui files |
| Fonts | Contains Bitmap, Truetype and Opentype fonts for applications |
| GameBarPresenceWriter | Game bar files |
| Globalization | Contains dictionaires, transliteration, nls and xml files. |
| Help | Contains windows help files and complied html help files |
| IdentityCRL | Identity certificate revocation list files |
| ime | Contains some Input Method Editor DLLs |
| ImmersiveControlPanel | Microsoft System Settings program and files |
| InboxApps | Flip Grid PWA and Outlook PWA files |
| inf | Contains driver information files needed to install drivers |
| InfusedApps | InfusedApps files |
| InputMethod | Contains language dictionary type files (lex, lm, dic) |
| Installer | Various Microsoft Installer (msi) or patch (msp) files |
| it-IT | Various mui files (italian) |
| L2Schemas | Contains LAN or WAN XML Schema files |
| LanguageOverlayCache | Language overlay cache files |
| LastGood | Last known good system files |
| LiveKernelReports | Contains DMP files (protected) |
| Logs | Contains various files |
| Media | Contains sound files for system events (.wav) |
| Microsoft.NET | Contains .NET Framework system files |
| Migration | Unknown |
| Minidump | Contains small DMP files (protected) |
| ModemLogs | Contains modem log files (protected) |
| msdownld.tmp | Contains Microsoft temporary files (hidden) |
| OCR | Microsoft OCR resource files |
| Offline Web Pages | Contains web pages saved from Internet for offline access |
| Panther | Contains WICA xml and other files |
| PCHEALTH | Contains various PC Health Check files |
| Performance | Contains WAV, MP4 and other files |
| PLA | Contains various system diagnostic reports in XML |
| PolicyDefinitions | Contains group and local policy definition files |
| Prefetch | Contains copies of system files needed to preload to speed up bootup |
| PrintDialog | Print dialog files |
| Provisioning | Microsoft desktop provisioning files |
| Pss | Unknown |
| Registration | Contains crm files |
| RemotePackages | Package file for remote apps or remote desktop |
| rescache | Contains resource cache files |
| Resources | Contains themes files |
| Resources\Ease of Access Themes | Contains Windows themes for ease of access tools |
| Resources\Themes | Contains Windows themes for customising destkop |
| SchCache | Contains cache files |
| schemas | Contains XSD Schema files |
| security | Contains security logs and files |
| ServiceProfiles | Contains profiles for service accounts (Local and Network) |
| ServiceState | Service state files |
| servicing | Contains TrustedInstaller program and various XML files |
| Setup | Contains setup files e.g state.ini |
| ShellComponents | Windows composable shell experiences files |
| ShellExperiences | Library files for apps |
| SKB | Contains language model files |
| SoftwareDistribution | Contains Windows Update files |
| Speech | Contains Speech Recognition program and files |
| Speech_OneCore | Speech core files |
| symbols | Contains source browser database files (pdb) for msvcp and vccorlib. |
| system | Contains library DLLs for Windows 9x programs (for compatibility) |
| system32 | Contains programs, library and driver files for Windows (if its a 64-bit OS, this contains the 64 bit versions of the files. See SysWOW64 for 32-bit versions). |
| system32\1033 | Contains system files (error reporting) |
| system32\AdvancedInstallers | CMI Configuration Management DLL files |
| system32\AppLocker | Unknown |
| system32\appmgmt | Unknown |
| system32\appraiser | Appraiser data files |
| system32\AppV | Application virtualisation streaming files |
| system32\BestPractises | Webserver powershell and schema |
| system32\Boot | Winload programs and files |
| system32\Bthprops | Bthprop images |
| system32\CatRoot | Contains Security Catalog files (.cat) |
| system32\CatRoot2 | Contains catalog logs |
| system32\CodeIntegrity | Bootcat cache and driver stl files |
| system32\Com | Contains Component Services system files |
| system32\config | Contains Event Viewer logs, registry, sam and other files |
| system32\Configuration | Configuration files (protected) |
| system32\DDFs | Digital Document Filing system xml files |
| system32\Dism | Deployment image servicing and management library files |
| system32\DiagSvcs | Diagnostic Hub library files |
| system32\Dism | Deployment and Image Service and Management |
| system32\downlevel | Contains API library files |
| system32\drivers | Contains driver files (.sys) for hardware devices |
| system32\DriverState | Driver state files |
| system32\DriverStore | Contains driver loc files |
| system32\DrvStore | Contains third party driver files |
| system32\dsc | Contains Dsc core DLLs |
| system32\en | Contains resource DLLs for English language |
| system32\en-GB | Contains MUI files for English (GB) language |
| system32\F12 | Various diagnostic, F12 and other library files |
| system32\FxsTmp | Unknown |
| system32\GroupPolicy | Contains local group policy files |
| system32\GroupPolicyUsers | Unknown |
| system32\HealthAttestationClient | Program and library files for Health Attestation Client agent |
| system32\Hydrogen | Various Animation, Fx and Physics files |
| system32\ias | Contains database files (protected) |
| system32\icsxml | Contains xml files |
| system32\IME | Contains some Input Method Editor DLLs |
| system32\inetsrv | Contains Internet Information Services (IIS) files |
| system32\InputMethod | Contains IME program and DLL files |
| system32\ipam | IP Address Management migtable files |
| system32\lpmi | Unknown |
| system32\Keywords | Various table data files |
| system32\Licenses | Microsoft Software License Agreement (RTF) |
| system32\LifecamTrueColor | Lifecam library files |
| system32\Logfiles | Various log files |
| system32\lxss | Nvidea library (so) files |
| system32\MailContactsCalendarSync | Text file of domains for Mail, contacts, calendar sync |
| system32\Microsoft | Contains crypto RSA and recovery data files |
| system32\migration | Contains Migration DLL files |
| system32\migwiz | Migration wizard program and files |
| system32\MRT | Unknow |
| system32\MSDRM | Microsoft digital rights management files |
| system32\Msdtc | Contains various system files for MS Distributed Transaction Co-ordinator |
| system32\MUI | Contains system files for HTML help (multilingual user interface) |
| system32\NDF | Contains event log (network diagnostics) |
| system32\networklist | Network icons (protected) |
| system32\npcap | Network capture programs |
| system32\nui | Contains Face Anaylsis Color file |
| system32\oobe | Contains Microsoft Out of Box Experience files |
| system32\OpenSSH | Secure shell and ftp programs |
| system32\Pbr | Cotnains Pbr Action files Plugins.xml for Windows Licence Protection |
| system32\PerceptionSimulation | Perception Simulation program files |
| system32\PointOfSevice | POS protocol provider libraries |
| system32\Printing_Admin_Scripts | Printing VBS scripts |
| system32\ProximityToast | Unknown |
| system32\ras | Contains Remote Access Service files |
| system32\RasToast | Unknown |
| system32\Recovery | ReAgent XML files |
| system32\Restore | Contains System Restore MachineGuid.txt file |
| system32\SecureBootUpdates | Update bin files for Secure Boot |
| system32\ServerManagerInternal | Server Manager powershell modules |
| system32\SecurityHealth | Contains optional files for Security Health |
| system32\Setup | Contains various setup DLL files |
| system32\sgrm | Sgrm assertions files |
| system32\ShellExperiences | Windows Shell library files |
| system32\SleepStudy | Sleep study files |
| system32\slmgr | Contains system licensing INI files |
| system32\SMI | Various files |
| system32\Speech | Contains speech DLL files |
| system32\Speech_OneCore | Speech onecore library files |
| system32\spool | Contains printer files |
| system32\spp | Software Protection files |
| system32\sppui | Country phone numbers INF file |
| system32\sru | SRU database files |
| system32\Sysprep | System preperation program and files |
| system32\SystemResetPlatform | Windows system reset platform program and files |
| system32\Tasks | Contains list of Scheduled Tasks (protected) |
| system32\Tasks_Migrated | Tasks files |
| system32\UNP | Update notification program files |
| system32\Wat | Unknown |
| system32\wbem | Contains Performance,Logs, WMI and system files for Web Based Enterprise Management. |
| system32\WCN | Unknown |
| system32\WDI | Windows diagnostic files and logs |
| system32\WebThreatDefSvc | Web threat definition files (protected) |
| system32\WinBioDatabase | Unknown |
| system32\WinBioPlugins | WinBio sensor DLLs |
| system32\WindowsDevicePortal | Windows Device Portal files |
| system32\WindowsPowershell | Powershell programs and files |
| system32\winevt | Various event log files |
| system32\WinMetadata | Contains WINMD files |
| system32\winrm | Windows Remote Management INI file |
| SystemApps | Various files for system apps |
| SystemResources | Various XAML and other files for Windows resources |
| SystemTemp | System temporary files |
| SysWOW64 | System Windows on Windows 64. Allows 32-bit programs to run on a 64-bit OS. (See System32 for subfolders) |
| TAPI | Unknown |
| Tasks | Third party scheduled tasks |
| Temp | Contains temporary files |
| TextInput | Text input app files |
| tracing | Unknown |
| twain_32 | Contains camera and scanner twain DS files |
| twain_64 | Contains camera and scanner twain DS files e.g. vuescan |
| UUS | Unlocked update stack files. |
| Vss | Virtual Snapshot Service applications and XML files |
| Waas | Windows update registry keys and services xml files. |
| Web | Contains picture files |
| WebManagement | Microsoft Edge dev tools files |
| WinSxS | Contains Windows Side by Side system files |
| WUModels | Windows update files (Protected) |