C:\ProgramData

[wcology]

this folder just popped out of nowhere today. what created it? why can't I delete it?

[cluberti]

Vista creates it, and it's a default junction. Usually it's hidden - did you unhide it, or allow explorer to see hidden folders?

[wcology]

well i can still see it after making sure it does not show hidden files and folders. i donno what made it no longer hidden.

[cluberti]

Going to be almost impossible to say without auditing. It's not an abnormal folder (the allusersprofile is there, for example, amongst other things, so it's been there since you installed Vista), but it usually is hidden.

Odd indeed. You could make it hidden again though, that'd be easy to do.

[Kotuku]

It probably has been there for a while. Open it and you will see which of your installed programs has its data stored in this folder (as opposed to the program executables in C:\program files).

If it genuinely has just appeared, then you have installed a program that needs it

Adobe, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Logitech, Roboform, Skype etc to name a few, all use this folder, hence you should not or cannot delete it

[wcology]

ok i've hidden it but in the process there was an error saying access denied but i have admin rights...

[wcology]

and after i've hidden it my start menu went blank Xp

[EagleWing]

All the times I have installed Vista, Ultimate or Premium it NEVERhidden. Maybe you need to visit Microsoft.com and learn some more about it. Learn if indeed if it is suppose to be hidden. I don't think so. Good luck.

[x-Shadow-x]

Yes it is suppose to be hidden, Its so people don't delete it. It holds registry files (for registering some programs) and a bunch of needed stuff. Right click the folder and click the 'make this folder hidden' box. Make sure you don't have 'show hidden files and folders' on.