Windows 7 Thousands of files in "Music" Library - Windows 7 Pro

[charlesh]

One of the four basic Libraries is Music. I found thousands (yes!) files in that Library, most of them I have no idea about and have absolutely nothing to do with music. Windows said they are references and deleting them will not remove the actual file from the PC. I found that incorrect, I deleted a .jpg file (Picture) from there and it is also gone from the C:\users\myname\pictures\actual picture folder. I had to reclaim it from the Recycle bin.
Why are all those "references" there? Windows Explorer is just one needs. Do they load up the memory and just make things even more confusing? How can I get rid of them and not jeopardize the actual files in the C:\users|....? And why they show up in the Music Library when they are nothing to do with music?
Windows 7 Pro or not Pro has a lot confusing items. Are they there just to promote a "new" version to be purchased? (Beware of Windows 8) Sometimes I long for the good old XP.

 

[Saltgrass]

If you look in the Music Library Folder, on the top it has an "Includes" line with the number of folders referenced. You can click on that to see what folders are included. You can remove library folders from the Library without affecting the actual folder, or at least you are supposed to be able to since it is just a node type folder and does not actually contain the files.

But actions taken on the folders and files in the Library folder does seem to be the same thing as what would happen if you were in the actual folder.

 

[charlesh]

Thank you Saltgrass; I checked the "include" line, all it does to repeat the folder names including those thousand files. Actually, what is a "node" folder? I am not a PC savvy person, so a step by step kind of info would be greatly appreciated. Anyhow, I copied the whole "Music" Library folder to an auxiliary drive, would you think now I could delete the whole Music Library folder and see what happens?

 

[Saltgrass]

What I would do for testing is open the Music Library. Look at the folders listed in "locations" so you can replace them later. Then click on one folder, or both and select Remove. Then check if the files are gone from the library listing.

An alternative might be to look at the folders listed in the locations and see if they actually contain the files you are showing listed in the Music Library. It would make sense if you had, somehow, included a folder/s in the library that was not supposed to be in the Music library.

Another possibility might be, and this has happened some time ago, although not recently to my knowledge. The User folders get duplicated into several levels, so your Music Library folder might contain the Music and other Libraries from the sub User folders. This should be easy to find by looking at the Users folders and sub folders.