Odd user folders

[Tony Luxton]

Hello Group. I've noticed (since comparing with a second XP machine) that
I've got strange user profile folders in "Documents & Settings" -

Default User.WINDOWS
All Users.WINDOWS

"Windows" is in caps as I've written. The normal "Default User" and "All
Users" folders also exist, but they don't seem to have been accessed since
the machine was built.

All the shared documents you'd expect (documents, user data, etc.) are
contained in the ".WINDOWS" folders. Another clue: if I right-click the
start button, and select "open all users", I am in "All Users.WINDOWS\Start
Menu". User-specific stuff is in the relevant user folders, as normal.

It's not an enormous problem (the machine works perfectly), but it's untidy,
and it bugs me. How can I put it right?

Computer built 2004
Windows XP Home OEM, SP2
512 MB RAM
120 GB HD
Avast! AV up to date
Spybot S&D up to date
Ad-Aware up to date
Windows firewall only (plus hardware firewall on router)
Part of workgroup with one other machine

TIA Tony.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Hello Group. I've noticed (since comparing with a second XP machine) that
I've got strange user profile folders in "Documents & Settings" -

Default User.WINDOWS
All Users.WINDOWS

"Windows" is in caps as I've written. The normal "Default User" and "All
Users" folders also exist, but they don't seem to have been accessed since
the machine was built.

All the shared documents you'd expect (documents, user data, etc.) are
contained in the ".WINDOWS" folders. Another clue: if I right-click the
start button, and select "open all users", I am in "All
Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu". User-specific stuff is in the relevant user
folders, as normal.

It's not an enormous problem (the machine works perfectly), but it's
untidy, and it bugs me. How can I put it right?

Computer built 2004
Windows XP Home OEM, SP2
512 MB RAM
120 GB HD
Avast! AV up to date
Spybot S&D up to date
Ad-Aware up to date
Windows firewall only (plus hardware firewall on router)
Part of workgroup with one other machine

TIA Tony.

You probably did a secondary install on this system. Otherwise, you would
have only the original pair. These "duplicates" are recreated in the case
of a second (or third) install, and *that* is probably the Windows version
you're using.

You can test by putting "marker" text files, that differ in name or content,
in the two All Users desktop folders. The file you actually see will
indicate the folder actually in use.

HTH
-pk

 

[Tony Luxton]

You probably did a secondary install on this system. Otherwise, you
would have only the original pair. These "duplicates" are recreated in
the case of a second (or third) install, and *that* is probably the
Windows version you're using.

You can test by putting "marker" text files, that differ in name or
content, in the two All Users desktop folders. The file you actually see
will indicate the folder actually in use.

HTH
-pk

Patrick, thanks for your reply.

I'm sure you're right about the secondary install, but it wasn't done by
me - it must have been the OEM. Is there a quick and dirty way to tidy
things up? I repeat there's no real problem, it all works perfectly. Can I
delete the folders that aren't used? Can I rename the folders that are? Or
will that make my system go bang?

BTW, the "All Users" folder doesn't have a Desktop folder, "All
Users.WINDOWS" does. And yes, the text file showed up.

Regards Tony.