Access C: root of Windows 10 Mobile from File Explorer

[alb3530]

These are the two methods I've found to access C: drive in Windows 10 Mobile.

Method 1: Using Search

1 - Open "File Explorer"



2 - From the hamburguer menu, choose "This Device", and make a search for some file (or folder) that exists in one of the available folders of the phone.It could be a video, for example, or even one of the available folders (i.e.: "Videos", "Music", etc...).Just make sure that the file has a short name:



3 - When the phone returns some results, hold your finger over one of the files, and select "Properties":



4 - At the top of Properties page, click on "MainOS (C":



After that, you should be taken to the C: drive.



Method 2: Using a Windows PC shortcut file (needs PC)


1 - In your Windows PC, create a shortcut to the C: drive anywhere:



2 - Plug your phone to your PC, and copy that shortcut to the phone's storage root:



3 - In the phone, open "File Explorer" app, and from the hamburguer menu, choose "This Device".You should see the shortcut there:



4 - Click on the shortcut, and your're done.You will then be taken to the root of C: drive:



Tip: applications folders are located at C:\Data\PROGRAMS



Best regards

 

[xandros9]

This is very interesting.

 

[MDK22]

Question is are they addressable ?
can they be moved / deleted?
edited??

e.g. you d/l the next Win10 upgrade, accidently (you're looking for GDR2) can you then delete that upgrade file (& avoid the auto install looming) from the C: drive (or wherever it may be hiding)?

Could you rename Instagram to ... ?

Might be fun experimenting. I wanna get into the registry!

 

[xandros9]

this is referring to 10, not 8.1 as you might believe. (one would already be on 10 to use this trick.)

 

[MDK22]

this is referring to 10, not 8.1 as you might believe. (one would already be on 10 to use this trick.)

Yeah, just an example, but I wonder if the files are able to be addressed (or simply viewed).

Experimenting NOW ...

 

[Ma Rio]

All I can say is good job. However it will of course be patched soonish.

 

[alb3530]

Question is are they addressable ?
can they be moved / deleted?
edited??

e.g. you d/l the next Win10 upgrade, accidently (you're looking for GDR2) can you then delete that upgrade file (& avoid the auto install looming) from the C: drive (or wherever it may be hiding)?

Could you rename Instagram to ... ?

Unfortunatelly...No.

I don't know if some other folder or file is editable, or all files and folders are just read-only.

Maybe it's not only NTFS permissions ruling the lock....

If applications' folders were writable, we could at least backup app data.It was one of the first things I thought after going into C: ....

At least we can copy the files to another location to see their content.This is a great thing for such a restricted file system.

Best regards

 

[realwarder]

Interesting stuff.

Log files confirm my test 635 did have a codename MoneyPenny. Which was what leakers called it prior to release.

WINBIOPLUGS:
IRIS Engine...

Sounds like an eye unlock is coming.

 

[Asskickulater]

Interesting stuff.

Log files confirm my test 635 did have a codename MoneyPenny. Which was what leakers called it prior to release.

WINBIOPLUGS:
IRIS Engine...

Sounds like an eye unlock is coming.

Yes, windows hello, its been announced by Microsoft already and covered on windows central.

 

[Formula84]

Nice find

 

[Aman2901]

It will be patched soon. Microsofties are there on this forum too, so.....

 

[realwarder]

Yes, windows hello, its been announced by Microsoft already and covered on windows central.

Windows Hello uses infra-red stereo cameras to do facial recognition.

The Iris is the eye. I.e. retina. Of course this could simply be badly named facial recognition... time will tell.

 

[peestandingup]

Here's the million dollar question: Can it be written to? Like, could we use custom host files for system-wide ad blocking & stuff like that? Because that would be amazing.

 

[Ma Rio]

Here's the million dollar question: Can it be written to? Like, could we use custom host files for system-wide ad blocking & stuff like that? Because that would be amazing.

As alb3530 already said - unfortunately no.
Atleast not yet. There might be a way to change the premissions, but we don't know it.

 

[peestandingup]

As alb3530 already said - unfortunately no.
Atleast not yet. There might be a way to change the premissions, but we don't know it.

I personally think its possible now, I just cant find a way to do it. I was able to copy the phone's host file to my PC. I was going to edit it (which I did), then write it back to the C: (its already copied to the phone's Documents folder). The problem is the app doesn't open the phone's C: shortcut after you tell it to "copy to" or "move to". The new Files app also doesn't have the option to just do a plain old "copy" function of a file. that way you could just copy then navigate to the proper folder on C:.

I believe if we could either find a way to access the phone's C: from a PC, or sideload a custom app to the phone that would give us write access, it may work. This is all speculation of course. Right now mounting the phone to a PC then choosing the phone's C: shortcut in the folder structure does nothing. I'm betting there's a way.

 

[jlangner]

Any way to know what app each folder for? Would be interesting to delete those "hung" apps and then you could re-install if would work.

 

[peestandingup]

Any way to know what app each folder for? Would be interesting to delete those "hung" apps and then you could re-install if would work.

C:\Data\PROGRAMS. From there its just a bunch of number/letter strings w no app names, but you can go into each & check icons & stuff like that to know what app it is exactly. Make a note of the app string name, then go back & you can delete it from there.

 

[peestandingup]

Looks like we need some way to be granted admin access (like on a PC) or else we cant write to C:. So basically someone needs to write a root granting app, like SuperSU or Superuser on Android.

All of the folders arrangement seemed strikingly similar to system folders on a Windows PC. In the case of PC you need admin access to change/ rename or delete a file from system folders. But in the case windows phone user is considered as public not admin( i was judging it from the path of 'This Device' folder which is MainOS>Data>Users>Public ) here Microsoft will be the admin.

You can get access to System files in Windows 10 Mobile Due to a bug in file explorer - Windows Hive

 

[jlangner]

C:\Data\PROGRAMS. From there its just a bunch of number/letter strings w no app names, but you can go into each & check icons & stuff like that to know what app it is exactly. Make a note of the app string name, then go back & you can delete it from there.

I tested and was able to delete one app that was installed correctly but on one that was not working it seemed I didn't have permission to delete. No way to change permissions I can see. Too bad can't access from pc.

 

[AnthonyJA]

could this be continuum related?