New to XP but overall savvy to computers and windows

[Videofreak]

So I created a user account on XP Pro SP2. Easy enough. The only other
account is me and of course I am the admin. XP how to text states that
the first user account you create requires admin privileges. I'm
assuming that's referring to me from when I was installing the OS. Or
am I confused and it actually means the first user account outside the
admin account also requires admin rights. I think not as that does not
make sense.


Anyway I created the user account. Then, in my admin account I wanted
to make a folder with videos in it only available to my admin account
and not accessible in the other user account. When right click the
folder, select properties and click the sharing tab, the "Make this
folder private" option is grayed out. So how do I privatize some
folders? Yeah I guess I could make em "hidden" but that's not
productive.


Also, I have set up Xp to use a static IP in conjunction with my
Linksys router. When I logon on to the other user account. I noticed
that its network settings are set to obtain IP address(which is the
normal way my ISP sets us up. I didn't have to enter any networking
info at all and I see that surfing is no problem. Is it just borrowing
my other logons info? or do I need to setup my networking for IP's and
gateway as my admin account?

Ideas anyone?

Pete

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

XP creates the Administrator account as part of setup. During the Out-of-Box experience you're prompted to create additional user accounts. By default, these are administrator level accounts. Its a good idea to create at least one other Administrator account. This allows you to system maintenance tasks and other things that limited users can't do. Save the built-in Administrator account for emergencies, such as a system that won't boot, or a profile that won't load.

By default, only folders in My Documents can be made private. In Window Explorer go to Tools, Folder Options, View and scroll down. Uncheck Use simple file sharing.

Network settings are usually machine wide, as far as I know. If you set a static IP address on any profile, it should remain that way, no matter who logs on. There are some user specific settings for networking (such as proxy server and whether or not to dial a connection), but how the IP address is obtained is a system wide setting, as far as I know.

 

[Videofreak]

XP creates the Administrator account as part of setup. During the Out-of-Box experience you're prompted to create additional user accounts. By default, these are administrator level accounts. Its a good idea to create at least one other Administrator account. This allows you to system maintenance tasks and other things that limited users can't do. Save the built-in Administrator account for emergencies, such as a system that won't boot, or a profile that won't load.

Yeah Good idea. I also read that HERE earlier today.

By default, only folders in My Documents can be made private. In Window Explorer go to Tools, Folder Options, View and scroll down. Uncheck Use simple file sharing.

Guess I need to read up. I ended up locking myself(admin accounts) out
of the files as well as the non admin account

Network settings are usually machine wide, as far as I know. If you set a static IP address on any profile, it should remain that way, no matter who logs on. There are some user specific settings for networking (such as proxy server and whether or not to dial a connection), but how the IP address is obtained is a system wide setting, as far as I know.

apparently the network settings are displayed correctly and are only
editable if you have an admin authorization. The non admin account
didn't display identical network settings AND of course TCP/IP
settings where grayed out


Here is a strange anomaly. After login in to one account and then
eventually logging off, instead of going to the welcome screen I just
see black. My monitors stays on during this. Same thing happens when
multiple accounts are open. Switch accounts there is no problem. Log
off on one and you just get a black screen. even after 15minutes of
waiting. No choice but a manual reboot.