All your media files, such as music, pictures, videos etc. can be stored in your Windows Documents folder, or anywhere you wish. 

You can specify the locations of your media files, see Quick Setup

MediaPortal Files

Several  folders are used to store files for MediaPortal and the TV-Server. However, the location of these folders and files can vary depending on the OS you use.

We have used a common method of naming these folders throughout the wiki and folder or file locations are always displayed in a different font.

There are basically two main areas where files are stored, with a separate sub-folder each for MediaPortal and MediaPortal TV-Server:

1. Program Files \Team MediaPortal

   1. \MediaPortal - where the MediaPortal application files are stored (i.e.

      C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal

      in Windows Vista, 7 or 8)

   2. \TV-Server - were the TV-Server application files are stored  (i.e.

      C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\TV-Server 

      in Windows Vista, 7 or 8)

2. Program Data \Team MediaPortal

   1. \MediaPortal - where the MediaPortal configuration files are stored (i.e.

      C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal

      in Windows Vista, 7 or 8)

   2. \TV-Server - were the TV-Server configuration files are stored  (i.e.

      C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\TV-Server 

      in Windows Vista, 7 or 8)

Most of the files you use for MediaPortal are stored in the ProgramData folder.

Program Files

By default, the MediaPortal and TV-Server applications are stored within a folder

Team MediaPortal

in your

Program Files

folder. However, you may have changed this during installation. The most secure way to determine the actual location is by reading the registry key. 
  Windows XP/Vista/7/8

C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\ 

64-bit OS

C:\Program Files (x86)\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\

Variable

%ProgramFiles%\Team MediaPortal\

Registry (32-bit)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\MediaPortal\InstallPath

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\MediaPortal TV Server\InstallPath

Registry (64-bit)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\MediaPortal\InstallPath

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\MediaPortal TV Server\InstallPath

Program (Application/User) Data 

The easiest way to find your user files is to use the Start Menu Shortcut under T*eam MediaPortal > MediaPortal > User Files*,

Or you may open  the Configuration Tool and use the link at the top left of the screen. This link also includes sub links for:

Program Data Folder Names

Here you can see the Folder Name and locations used to describe the different Folders where your program data is stored.

User Files

• Thumbs (Images, pictures, backdrops, etc) - [userdata]\thumbs or Thumbs folder
• Log files - [userdata]\logs or Logs folder
• Database files - [userdata]\database or Database folder
• Skin files (xmls and media or image files, usually .png format) - [userdata]\skin or [userdata]\skin\media  sometimes called Skin folde*r or *Skin Media folder

Since the actual location varies based on your OS, the location is referred to as [userdata]\...

Cache Files

The Cache folder is where  packed textures - skin graphics and fonts - files are stored.  Any changes you make to graphics or fonts or screen resolution, require you to recache graphics and fonts. See Graphics, Packed Graphics and ReCaching

The packed graphics files are located within individual skin folders in the Cache folder:

• VIsta/7 = C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Cache
• XP = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\Cache

Skin Graphics

The cache folder contains a sub folder for each skin you have installed.  The graphics are compressed in packedgfx*.xml files. See Packed Graphics for details.

Fonts

Fonts are loaded as textures in MediaPortal, so there is a fonts subfolder, in each skin folder.  

Thus, compressing or packing graphics improves graphics performance in MediaPortal. See also  Graphics and Fonts.

Configuration Files

Configuration files for MediaPortal and TV Server are stored in the Team MediaPortal folder

* Windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\

* Windows Vista / 7

C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\

* Variable

%AllUsersProfile%\Team MediaPortal\

Since the actual location varies based on your OS, the location is referred to as *\[userdata\]* or *Config folder* The Cache folder is where  packed textures - skin graphics and fonts - files are stored.  Any changes you make to graphics or fonts or screen resolution, require you to recache graphics and fonts. See Cache\Recache

Log files

The information contained in these log files will assist in troubleshooting your problems. When troubleshooting, please change *log verbosity* to *Debug* level in [Configuration > General |General]settings, or use the *Debug-Mode Shortcut* in Start Menu Programs > Team MediaPortal > MediaPortal. See [log4net logging] for information about configuring log files in MediaPortal.

MediaPortal Log files

* Windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\log\

* Windows Vista / 7

C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\log\

* Variable

%AllUsersProfile%\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\log\

Since the actual location varies based on your OS, the location is referred to as *\[userdata\]\logs* or *Logs folder

TV-Server Log files

For easy access, a shortcut TV-Server Log-Files has been installed in your TV Server program group.

* Windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\log\

* Windows Vista / 7

C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\log\

* Variable

%AllUsersProfile%\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal TV Server\log\

Since the actual location varies based on your OS, the location is referred to as *\[userdata\]\TV-Server\logs or TV-Server logs folder

Temporary files

The MediaPortal Installer (DeployTool) and various other applications store extracted files in the Temporary Files folder.

* Windows XP

C:\Documents and Settings\<Username>\Local Settings\Temp\

* Windows Vista / 7

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Local\Temp\

* Variable

%temp%

Since the actual location varies based on your OS, the location is referred to as [temp]* or *Temp folder