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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
  • 9,096
SebMa
  • 2,035

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.