SIDs?

[Bill in Co.]

I'm a little confused here as to what is going on with the SIDs (I believe
it's called).
(I'm a single user of Windows XP Home).

For example, when I look in the registry at one location,
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\ProfileList,
I see a list of keys named
S-1-5-18,
S-1-5-19,
S-1-5-20,
and a very long one S-1-5-21-1657934 etc etc (a VERY long number) which
apparently is the <username> related key.

Are all of thesel supposed to be in here? Like to uniquely identify my
computer, or something like that? (Or maybe something got messed up during
the install).

Are these keys S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19, and S-1-5-20 universal, or do their
numbers vary all over the place depending on the computer?

I guess the last one (S-1-5-21-1657934 etc etc) which is really long) is a
random number, but the other ones don't seem very random.

At any rate, I gather I'm not supposed to try deleting or renaming any of
them, as weird as they seem.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I'm a little confused here as to what is going on with the SIDs (I
believe it's called).
(I'm a single user of Windows XP Home).

For example, when I look in the registry at one location,
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\ProfileList,
I see a list of keys named
S-1-5-18,
S-1-5-19,
S-1-5-20,
and a very long one S-1-5-21-1657934 etc etc (a VERY long number)
which apparently is the <username> related key.

Are all of thesel supposed to be in here? Like to uniquely
identify my computer, or something like that? (Or maybe something
got messed up during the install).

All Valid.

Are these keys S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19, and S-1-5-20 universal, or do
their numbers vary all over the place depending on the computer?

Built-in accounts used by various services/ect on your computer.

I guess the last one (S-1-5-21-1657934 etc etc) which is really
long) is a random number, but the other ones don't seem very random.

Likely your account.

At any rate, I gather I'm not supposed to try deleting or renaming
any of them, as weird as they seem.

No - you should leave them be.

 

[John Wunderlich]

I'm a little confused here as to what is going on with the SIDs (I
believe it's called).
(I'm a single user of Windows XP Home).

For example, when I look in the registry at one location,
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\ProfileList,
I see a list of keys named
S-1-5-18,
S-1-5-19,
S-1-5-20,
and a very long one S-1-5-21-1657934 etc etc (a VERY long number)
which apparently is the <username> related key.

Are all of thesel supposed to be in here? Like to uniquely
identify my computer, or something like that? (Or maybe
something got messed up during the install).

Are these keys S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19, and S-1-5-20 universal, or do
their numbers vary all over the place depending on the computer?

I guess the last one (S-1-5-21-1657934 etc etc) which is really
long) is a random number, but the other ones don't seem very
random.

At any rate, I gather I'm not supposed to try deleting or renaming
any of them, as weird as they seem.

If you want to know what accounts these SIDs are, then download the
program "PsGetSID" (part of PsTools package) at:

<http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897417.aspx>

HTH,
John