Quote:
Originally Posted by Mugatu
These are some of the other Folders listed in Documents and Settings...
What is the difference between Owner and Admin and Default User?
Diff between all Users and Default user?
*Which of these folders should or can I delete?
Can I delete all three Mary Folders?
Steve is not listed as a main folder only as a sub in all three of Mary's folders.
Steve is a current and active Limited Account.
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User Profiles
What is a user profile?
A user profile is a group of settings and files that defines the environment that the system loads when a user logs on. It includes all the user-specific configuration settings, such as program items, screen colors, network connections, printer connections, mouse settings, and window size and position.
The first time you log onto a Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT® Workstation–based computer a profile is created that is specific to you.
What are the different types of profiles?
There are three main profiles types:
• Local User Profile. Created the first time that a user logs on to a computer, the local user profile is stored on the computer's local hard disk. Any changes made to the local user profile are specific to the computer on which the changes are made.
• Roaming User Profile. A copy of the local profile is copied to, and stored on a server share on the network. This profile is downloaded every time that a user logs on to any computer on the network, and any changes made to a roaming user profile are synchronized with the server copy when they logoff. A roaming user profile requires that the computer be part of a Windows NT domain or Active Directory.
• Mandatory User Profile. A special type of profile that administrators can use to specify particular settings for users. Only system administrators can make changes to mandatory user profiles. Changes made by the user to desktop settings are lost when the user logs off.
A fourth type of profile, issued any time that an error prevents the users profile from being loaded, is a temporary profile. A temp profile allows a user to logon and correct any configurations that may have caused the profile load failure. Temporary profiles are deleted at the end of each session - changes made to desktop settings and files are lost at logoff.
I looked in the Documents and Settings Folder, and I see lots of profiles what do they all do?
Windows creates a profile for each user that has logged onto the computer. In addition to these profiles, there are some "special" profiles;
• Default User. The default user profile is used as the starting point for any new user. When a user logs on for the first time, Windows creates a new folder to store the new user's own profile, and copies the default profile into that new folder. Changes that the user makes to the default profile are then recorded in the user's copy. The Default User profile is hidden by default.
• All Users. Each user's Start menu and Desktop contain all of the items from the All Users profile as well as from his or her own profile. The items from the All Users profile are considered common program items, which are seen by every user on the system. If you want to make sure that everyone who logs on has access to a program or file, place the shortcut in the All Users profile, but be aware that if one user deletes shortcut or file, it is deleted for all users.
• NetworkService and LocalService. The LocalService and NetworkService profiles are automatically created by Windows XP for two new built in user accounts that are used by the Service Control Manager to host services that do not need to run as the local system account. These profiles are required by the system to run and should not be modified. Both of these profiles are hidden by default.
I don't like these profiles; can't I just have one profile for everyone like I did in Windows 95/98/ME?
Not really. User profiles are a fundamental part of Windows 2000/XP. If you don't want each user to have their own separate profiles, you can simply have everyone log on with the same user account. This will give you similar experience to Windows 95/98/ME.
I installed a program, and I can see the program shortcuts but other users can't – why?
This is because the program was installed to your user profile, and not for all users. In Windows XP and Windows 2000, each user has their own personal Start Menu. Some applications will prompt you at setup time to decide whether the program should be installed for all users, or just the current user.
You may be able to simply copy the shortcuts from your Start Menu to the Start Menu in the All Users Profile (usually C:\Docuemnts and Settings\All Users\Start Menu).
How do I view contents of my profile?
Either use Windows Explorer and navigate from My Computer to C:\Documents and Settings\ and look for your username, or click the START button choose RUN and type %USERPROFILE% then press enter. This will open a window with the contents of your profile.
Hybrid Mode
