Why One 'Expert' Stored All His Files in AppData\Roaming—And What Tech Support Really Thinks
Let’s be honest: every IT pro has a favorite “I know computers” story. But few can top the tale of the user who thought he’d outsmarted hackers—and tech support—by storing all his documents in the most unlikely of places: Windows’ AppData\Roaming folder. Yes, that AppData\Roaming. The one most users never even notice exists.
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when confidence meets, well, creative file management, buckle up. This is the story of one man’s quest for “security,” the bewildered tech team trying to help him, and a Reddit thread that had the entire r/TalesFromTechSupport community howling.
The Migration That Was “Too Easy”
It was the start of the pandemic, and tech teams everywhere were scrambling to swap desktops for laptops so employees could work from home. Most migrations followed a script: pull the old hard drive, copy the usual folders (Documents, Desktop, Pictures), and call it a day.
But as the original poster (u/SpacemanLurker) recounts, one migration went off-script in a big way. The user’s drive was nearly empty—no files in any of the usual places. Figuring the user must rely on shared drives or cloud storage, the tech shipped the new laptop and moved on.
Then came the dreaded call: “None of my files are here.”
The user insisted he had “loads of files.” The only clue? His desktop shortcut no longer worked. Where did it point? Without missing a beat, the user declared: “They’re in the Roaming folder. It’s more secure. I know computers.”
Cue the collective facepalm.
Security Through Obscurity… Or Just Obscure?
It turns out, our would-be security guru had stashed every single file—documents, folders, you name it—in AppData\Roaming. Why? “It’s more secure. I know computers.” To his credit, he was at least consistent: shortcuts on the desktop and in File Explorer both pointed to his secret stash.
As u/tech-guy-says-reboot quipped, this is the definition of “security through obscurity”—hiding something where (almost) no one will look. But as several commenters pointed out, this isn’t real security. “It never was,” they added. After all, if malware or a determined hacker wants your files, they’ll just search the whole drive for common file types. (Or, as u/Th4t9uy joked, “Do they also park their car in the kitchen for similar reasons?”)
Others noted the dangerous confidence of the “expert novice.” As u/pcnauta explained, “The most dangerous user is the one who thinks they know everything.” Many techs would rather help someone who admits they know nothing, rather than someone who claims to know it all—because, as u/oloryn noted, that’s classic Dunning-Kruger in action.
The Roaming Folder: What It’s Actually For
If you’re wondering why AppData\Roaming exists at all, you’re not alone. Several commenters jumped in to clarify: it’s designed for application configs that should “roam” with a user’s Windows profile across networked computers (think: browser profiles, program settings). As u/xenontechs observed, “The Roaming folder is supposed to roam around with the profile… technically correct on a few levels here.”
But using it as your personal file vault? That’s a recipe for disaster. Not only does it bypass normal backup routines (as u/Crizznik pointed out, IT usually sets up backups for the Documents folder, not Roaming), but it can also cause performance issues. “This sounds like a good way to have too many files in a folder that Windows doesn’t like having lots of files, and then random issues start popping up,” warned u/smokinbbq.
Still, some commenters had to give credit for creativity. As u/detroitmatt noted, “He’s nuts for doing it manually… but yes, you should have been copying Roaming, that’s what Roaming is for.” And as u/Polymarchos said, “At least he knew computers enough to identify where he had put them. The number of users who have no idea where they save things… is astounding.”
Tales From the Trenches: You Think That’s Bad?
If you thought storing files in AppData\Roaming was wild, wait until you hear the stories from the trenches. Multiple commenters chimed in with tales of users who archived everything in the Recycle Bin (“because that was so easy to get to”—yes, really), or used the “Deleted” email folder as a permanent storage spot.
u/Fatigue-Error shared the story of a user who lost all his files when IT, trying to free up space for an OS upgrade, emptied the Recycle Bin—unaware the user had been using it as his main folder. The boss’s response? “He was dumbass.” Another described users who stashed documents in C:\temp, or even the Windows directory itself (“it’s in Windows, so it must be safe!”).
Perhaps the best summary comes from u/wildwing: “I know enough to know I don’t know enough.”
Final Thoughts: If You “Know Computers,” Maybe Double-Check
So, what’s the takeaway? While hiding your files in AppData\Roaming might keep your manager (or your nosy coworkers) from stumbling on them, it’s hardly a security breakthrough. As the Reddit hive-mind agreed, true security comes from good habits, not clever hiding spots.
And if you’re ever on the other end of a support call, maybe channel u/Merkuri22’s wisdom: “When I call tech support, I do not tell them I know about computers. I let them walk me through all the stuff I’ve already tried. I do it all again… I don’t try to jump ahead.” Trust us, your future self—and your tech support—will thank you.
Ever found files in a bizarre place? Got a “security through obscurity” story of your own? Drop your tale (or your best tech support horror story) in the comments below!
Original Reddit Post: “I store all my files in AppData\Roaming because it’s more secure. I know computers.”