Privacy Problem with Recently Changed Folder
Question:
In the Windows Explorer window there is a folder named Searches which contains a folder named Recently Changed. This folder shows every file that I have ever recently changed. These are not shortcuts so if I try to remove this evidence of my work by deleting a file in this folder the actual file is deleted from the folder it actually sits in. I need to be able to empty the contents of this Recently Changed folder (obviously without losing any files) and then disable it permanently. This is a terrible feature that denies the main user of a computer security and privacy. All other users have access to the Recently Changed folder.
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Les
Answer: Hey, Les. This is an easy one–just right-click the Recently Changed folder and then click Delete.
These are saved searches, and they’re kinda useful–basically they’re shortcuts to searches that you could do manually with a little more work. Windows Vista doesn’t stop you from deleting the default ones. To find them, open My Computer, expand your username, and then expand Searches.
Since you’re concerned about privacy, you really should just create separate user accounts for every person who might use your computer, password protect your user account, and have other users log on with their own accounts when they use the computer. Otherwise, they stillcan figure out what you’ve been working on.
For more information, read the Windows Vista Resource Kit (co-authored by your very own Tony Northrup). Got a question for Tony? Send an e-mail to qa@vistaclues.com.
Posted: July 30th, 2007 under Security, Reader Questions, Search.
Comments: 10
Comments
Comment from RL
Time: August 22, 2007, 12:52 am
Can I set my laptop with vista to connect to the internet via wireless automatically?
RL
Comment from gene
Time: November 13, 2007, 2:31 am
I need to completelt delete some items from “recently changed” but right click delete doesn’t work. I get the msg saying the item cant be found even though I can see it in the “search” .
Can I delete vista and load XP without losing the rest of my software?
Comment from shah Muhmud
Time: December 30, 2007, 7:11 pm
hello, i want to delete the ‘recently changed’ files. I can see them but cant delete. it says the original cannot be found. what to do? i have tried going all else
Comment from RUKIGREE
Time: January 16, 2008, 11:03 am
I tried to delete the recently changed files using the right click suggestion and still the files could not be found. I have windows vista.
Comment from Anne r
Time: January 23, 2008, 12:54 am
The files cannot be deleted because the have already been deleted from their original location.
Try right clicking on a file and choosing “open containing folder” if you have deleted the file it can’t find it.
Vista won’t let you delete the reference to the file that has gone!
I even had this happen with a left over shortcut on the desktop to a program I uninstalled. It won’t let me delete it coz it can’t find it!!
This has got to be the biggest most awful feature in Vista!
I have heard that you can right click and delete the whole recently changed folder, how you get it back I don’t know.
Another solution is to stop this “indexing” in the control panel, select “Indexing options” then Advanced, then the File types tab, uncheck either all or just those you wish not to be indexed in the recently changed folder.
When I right click the folder, I have an option to “remove Link”, I take it this would remove the link of this folder from the right hand side favourites list when in windows explorer but the option to put it back would be where?
Comment from Anne r
Time: January 23, 2008, 1:12 am
Just want to warn users that if you delete actual items from the recently changed folder they will be deleted from your pc, you are not deleting a reference to the file, your deleting the file itself, that’s why you get the error that it cannot find the file when you try to delete one that you already deleted.
Obviously, the folder doesn’t get refreshed in any way to indicate the file no longer exists.
This feature is just crap, we should have control to turn the feature off altogether, I mean, who needs to search, I know where I put my files!
Comment from Anonymous
Time: March 8, 2008, 4:38 am
try disk cleanup and defrag
Comment from Anonymous
Time: March 22, 2008, 10:16 pm
Does it actually duplicate the files meaning there are 2 copies. one in the original folder and one in the recently changed folder?
Comment from Mr. Blue
Time: March 30, 2008, 7:12 pm
Absolutely this is an awful feature, especially from a privacy standpoint.
What seemed to work nicely for me was to go to Indexing Options in Control Panel, then merely click Modify, click Show All Locations, click the arrow beside the (C:) drive, then uncheck the box beside Users (or all locations if more are listed). Click OK, and then it will unindex all items, and voila! no more items at all will show in the Recently Changed Folder.
Again, a stupid feature for total newbies only. I know what I work on and where these things are located. I don’t need this kind of “dumbing down” - I want “smarting up”!
Comment from Logic Gate 2
Time: April 13, 2008, 2:56 pm
This lack of privacy in Recently Changed Folder feature in Vista is to help Microsoft snoop on Vista user to collect information and sell to whoever wants it and thereby MS can keep their filthy earned $20 billion savings intact to show it to the world 
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