multiple I386 folders. Abnormal?

[Guest rsl18@sbcglobal.net]

The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information.

I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be multiple folders named

SYSTEM32.

"File Locator Pro" search reveals:

 

C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32

2/28/2008:

 

C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec

1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

 

C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

 

C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

 

C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008

Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is

that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has

been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My

Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are $OEM$,

ASMS,

COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are subfolders

ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

 

It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the

specific

I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location. Or,

delete it.

Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

[Guest R. McCarty]

Re: multiple I386 folders. Abnormal?

 

Don't delete the i386 with the OEM folder. That is the original source

for Windows. The problem with prompting for a CD is a Registry Key

called CDInstall. If that key value = 1, then XP was originally setup

with a CD. This isn't the case with an OEM machine which is created

by a master image file. But many OEMs neglect to change that Key

value in their image file.

 

The key is found at:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

 

SFC has a hierarchy to how it searches for source content. It scans the

\ServicePackFiles\ folder then proceeds to the original i386 if the content

can't be located in a previous source point. The ONLY place SP3

modules can be found is in the \ServicePackFiles\ folder.

 

<rsl18@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:uVeSOHMJJHA.3460@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information.

> I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be multiple folders named

> SYSTEM32.

> "File Locator Pro" search reveals:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32

> 2/28/2008:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec

> 1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

>

> C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

>

> C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

>

> C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008

> Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is

> that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has

> been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My

> Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are

> $OEM$, ASMS,

> COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are

> subfolders

> ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

>

> It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the

> specific

> I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location.

> Or, delete it.

> Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

>

>

[Guest Jim]

Re: multiple I386 folders. Abnormal?

 

 

<rsl18@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:uVeSOHMJJHA.3460@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information.

> I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be multiple folders named

> SYSTEM32.

> "File Locator Pro" search reveals:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32

> 2/28/2008:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec

> 1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

>

> C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

>

> C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

>

> C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008

> Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is

> that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has

> been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My

> Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are

> $OEM$, ASMS,

> COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are

> subfolders

> ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

>

> It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the

> specific

> I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location.

> Or, delete it.

> Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

>

>

It is not normal for an i386 folder to appear anywhere in the Documents &

Settings folder tree.

This system has many such folders in the \Windows folder tree, and this is a

normal situation.

There are also some i386 folders in the \Program Files folder tree.

The purpose of these folders is to provide a backup in case the actual

program somehow gets damaged.

Windows does not execute any program located in any i386 folder unless

malware has infected the system.

Thus, it seems to me that i386 folders located anywhere are rather benign.

I would like to know how (and why) the i386 folders were installed into the

\Documents & Settings folder tree.

Jim

[Guest db.·.. >]

Re: multiple I386 folders. Abnormal?

 

i would simply move

the i386 folder to

the c drive, so it reads:

 

c:\i386

 

if in the future something

requires a file from the

folder, a pop up will be

provided asking you for

the location of the i386.

 

--

 

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

 

<rsl18@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:uVeSOHMJJHA.3460@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information. I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be

> multiple folders named SYSTEM32.

> "File Locator Pro" search reveals:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32

> 2/28/2008:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec

> 1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

>

> C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

>

> C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

>

> C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008

> Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is

> that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has

> been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My

> Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are $OEM$, ASMS,

> COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are subfolders

> ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

>

> It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the specific

> I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location. Or, delete it.

> Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

>

>

[Guest AJR]

Re: multiple I386 folders. Abnormal?

 

Some applications have their "own" system32 folder - only problem is that

an application may install a dll in it's system32 folder when it's required

location is the system32 folder in Windows.

 

Believe it or not - location of the i386 folder can vary. Many OEMs utilize

the folders rather than providing OS CD/DVDs. Other instances - if you

decide to install the OS from a HD - the install disk would be copied to an

i386 folder at any location desired and setup initiated.

 

Also a i386 folder may be necessary when using WAIK and WIN PE (and BART at

times) - a default location may be recommended but browse is provided if

installed elsewhere.

 

From the original post: "...I repeat that the OS has been functioning for at

least a full year with this I386 located in a My Documents subfolder...." -

good enough!

 

 

<rsl18@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message

news:uVeSOHMJJHA.3460@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> The reply to a previous post did not fully answer my need for information.

> I am now guessing that it is normal for there to be multiple folders named

> SYSTEM32.

> "File Locator Pro" search reveals:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\Desktop\seldom USED\EN-World\System32

> 2/28/2008:

>

> C:\Documents and Settings\Lynn&Kathy\My Documents\Cecil\Discharge 31 Dec

> 1959\I386\SYSTEM32 5/2/2008

>

> C:\OP16Std\Prerequisite\System32 2/28/2008

>

> C:\Program Files\pebuilder3110a\BartPE\I386\SYSTEM32 5/19/2008

>

> C:\WINDOWS\system32 9/29/2008

> Also, there are folders named "I386" in several locations. My concern is

> that there is no I386 at C:\Windows. I repeat that the OS has

> been functioning for at least a full year with this I386 located in a My

> Documents subfolder. Some subfolders under this particular I386 are

> $OEM$, ASMS,

> COMPDATA, DRW, LANG, SYSTEM32, AND WINNTUPG. Under WINNTUPG are

> subfolders

> ENTINF, MS, OEM, PERINF, & SRVINF.

>

> It seems to me that I could use expert advice about whether to move the

> specific

> I386 folder now under My Documents\ Cecil\ . . . to another location.

> Or, delete it.

> Or as I wrote before, leave well enough alone.

>

>