Documents and Settings - Revisited

[Gordon Biggar]

With the invaluable help of Dave Patrick from this board, I have a much
better understanding of the role of Users, User Groups, and Administrators.
One thing still confuses me, however. When I log on as User1 (for example),
and I update my Address Book, the file is updated under
Applications\Microsoft\Address Book for User2 (the only other approved User
that has been established). I believe that this occurs because several
months ago I started receiving a log-on error message (as User1), saying
that my User file in the registry was corrupted, and that I was being logged
on under another User name (Default?). Shortly thereafter, I was unable to
log on as User1, and I was forced to re-create all of my files. The User1
folder still appears under Documents and Settings, but perhaps the system
doesn't recognize it? Perhaps, it is still corrupted, and the system
defaults me to User2?

Is there a way to check for this in the registry (via regedit), or am I
better off removing User1 from the Users category and deleting the folder
altogether, after which I could establish the User name anew?

Thanks for any and all responses.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

 

[Dave Patrick]

Seems the account user2 was renamed to user1. To avoid this confusion it is
usually best to delete the profile. Then when the user next logs on a new
profile is created from an image in \default user. Of course you'll want to
save any important files stored anywhere in that profile, also export things
such as IE favorites, address book, emails, etc.

You shouldn't have had to recreate any files unless there was unrecoverable
file system corruption and or disk damage. Everything should still be
somewhere within the now orphaned;

\Documents and Settings\user1

profile folder.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[G.G. Biggar, Jr.]

Let's see if I have this correct. When I am logged on as User1, any changes
that I make (like to the Address Book) get stored under User2. Therefore,
you are suggesting that I delete User2 and the appropriate folder (I'll
probably have to be logged on as an Administrator?), reboot and log on as
User1.

Or, are you suggesting that I make the User1 and User2 folders/files
identical, delete User1, reboot, maybe log in as User2 (or the
adminstrator), re-create User1, reboot, and attempt to log in as User1?

Believe it or not, I think that we may be getting there. (as your eyes
roll...)

Merci, monsieur.

Gordon Biggar

Seems the account user2 was renamed to user1. To avoid this confusion it is
usually best to delete the profile. Then when the user next logs on a new
profile is created from an image in \default user. Of course you'll want to
save any important files stored anywhere in that profile, also export things
such as IE favorites, address book, emails, etc.

You shouldn't have had to recreate any files unless there was unrecoverable
file system corruption and or disk damage. Everything should still be
somewhere within the now orphaned;

\Documents and Settings\user1

profile folder.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

With the invaluable help of Dave Patrick from this board, I have a much
better understanding of the role of Users, User Groups, and
Administrators.
One thing still confuses me, however. When I log on as User1 (for
example),
and I update my Address Book, the file is updated under
Applications\Microsoft\Address Book for User2 (the only other approved
User
that has been established). I believe that this occurs because several
months ago I started receiving a log-on error message (as User1), saying
that my User file in the registry was corrupted, and that I was being
logged
on under another User name (Default?). Shortly thereafter, I was unable
to
log on as User1, and I was forced to re-create all of my files. The User1
folder still appears under Documents and Settings, but perhaps the system
doesn't recognize it? Perhaps, it is still corrupted, and the system
defaults me to User2?

Is there a way to check for this in the registry (via regedit), or am I
better off removing User1 from the Users category and deleting the folder
altogether, after which I could establish the User name anew?

Thanks for any and all responses.

Gordon Biggar
Houston, Texas

 

[Dave Patrick]

Let's see if I have this correct. When I am logged on as User1, any
changes
that I make (like to the Address Book) get stored under User2.

*** Yes, because it was renamed from user2 to user1

Therefore,

you are suggesting that I delete User2 and the appropriate folder (I'll
probably have to be logged on as an Administrator?), reboot and log on as
User1.

*** What you can do is logon as local administrator and rename both user1
and user2 to user1old and user2old. Then when you next logon as user1 a new
profile will be created from an image in \default user named user1. By all
means have backups on hand before performing these steps.


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[G.G. Biggar, Jr.]

After renaming User 1 and 2 as "old," I presume that I will then have to go
to the Control Panel and add a new user name, n'est-ce pas? Otherwise, when
I reboot, I will only be able to log on as Administrator. Or, am I missing
something?

Gordon Biggar

Let's see if I have this correct. When I am logged on as User1, any
changes
that I make (like to the Address Book) get stored under User2.

*** Yes, because it was renamed from user2 to user1

Therefore,

you are suggesting that I delete User2 and the appropriate folder (I'll
probably have to be logged on as an Administrator?), reboot and log on as
User1.

*** What you can do is logon as local administrator and rename both user1
and user2 to user1old and user2old. Then when you next logon as user1 a new
profile will be created from an image in \default user named user1. By all
means have backups on hand before performing these steps.


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Dave Patrick]

No, you're just renaming the profile folder. The user account remains as
was.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[G.G. Biggar, Jr.]

I'll report back in the wee hours of the morning!

Gracias, senor.

Gordon Biggar

No, you're just renaming the profile folder. The user account remains as
was.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

After renaming User 1 and 2 as "old," I presume that I will then have to
go
to the Control Panel and add a new user name, n'est-ce pas? Otherwise,
when
I reboot, I will only be able to log on as Administrator. Or, am I
missing
something?

Gordon Biggar

 

[Dave Patrick]

Ok

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Naturally, it worked just like you said it would! I even added a dummy
record to my Address Book to ensure that it was stored in the appropriate
folder.

There is a tedium attached with re-aligning tool bars in Word and Excel, and
having to re-create many folders in Outlook Express. I copied the folders
over from the "old" User file Documents and Settings, but for some reason
they do not automatically appear in O.E. (I have gone through this drill
before).

But, I am back to square one, and I have learned a lot in the process. I
continue to believe that these User Forums are one of the best info
exchanges around, and that idiots, such as myself, are blessed to have
folks, such as yourself, who tirelessly respond to the many messages. A BIG
THANK YOU!

Regards,

Gordon Biggar

Ok

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

I'll report back in the wee hours of the morning!

Gracias, senor.

Gordon Biggar

 

[Dave Patrick]

You're welcome. Yes, you can't just copy the OE folders and such. You can
however import them. Also here's some help along that line.

http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/how.htm#importOE5

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/backup/

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Thank you -- I will explore the links.

The following is really basic stuff -- except for this kid: in Windows
Explorer (folder window on the left), there is a My Documents folder at the
top. Obviously, the My Documents folder also appears under My
Computer\Local Disk (C). If I copy folders/files from the latter into the
My Documents folder on top, am I not wasting storage space? At one point in
the past, it seems to me, I created the folder names that I wanted under My
Documents (on top), but then used a target reference to point to the other
folders. (Maybe the reference was just for the My Documents folder itself?)
Or, am I way off base here?

Gordon Biggar

You're welcome. Yes, you can't just copy the OE folders and such. You can
however import them. Also here's some help along that line.

http://www.insideoe.com/faqs/how.htm#importOE5

http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/backup/

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

Naturally, it worked just like you said it would! I even added a dummy
record to my Address Book to ensure that it was stored in the appropriate
folder.

There is a tedium attached with re-aligning tool bars in Word and Excel,
and
having to re-create many folders in Outlook Express. I copied the folders
over from the "old" User file Documents and Settings, but for some reason
they do not automatically appear in O.E. (I have gone through this drill
before).

But, I am back to square one, and I have learned a lot in the process. I
continue to believe that these User Forums are one of the best info
exchanges around, and that idiots, such as myself, are blessed to have
folks, such as yourself, who tirelessly respond to the many messages. A
BIG
THANK YOU!

Regards,

Gordon Biggar

 

[Dave Patrick]

Thank you -- I will explore the links.

The following is really basic stuff -- except for this kid: in Windows
Explorer (folder window on the left), there is a My Documents folder at
the
top. Obviously, the My Documents folder also appears under My
Computer\Local Disk (C).

*** This virtual folder path is really;
%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents
or
%USERPROFILE%\My Documents


So from a command prompt;

echo %USERNAME%
or
echo %USERPROFILE%
or simply
SET
to see what these environment variables resolve to.


If I copy folders/files from the latter into the

My Documents folder on top, am I not wasting storage space?

*** When you're sure the copy succeeds then you can delete the source.

At one point in

the past, it seems to me, I created the folder names that I wanted under
My
Documents (on top), but then used a target reference to point to the other
folders. (Maybe the reference was just for the My Documents folder
itself?)
Or, am I way off base here?

*** Yes, that's correct. Right-click My Documents|Properties|Target|Move


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Gordon Biggar]

Many thanks!

GGB

Thank you -- I will explore the links.

The following is really basic stuff -- except for this kid: in Windows
Explorer (folder window on the left), there is a My Documents folder at
the
top. Obviously, the My Documents folder also appears under My
Computer\Local Disk (C).

*** This virtual folder path is really;
%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents
or
%USERPROFILE%\My Documents


So from a command prompt;

echo %USERNAME%
or
echo %USERPROFILE%
or simply
SET
to see what these environment variables resolve to.


If I copy folders/files from the latter into the

My Documents folder on top, am I not wasting storage space?

*** When you're sure the copy succeeds then you can delete the source.

At one point in

the past, it seems to me, I created the folder names that I wanted under
My
Documents (on top), but then used a target reference to point to the other
folders. (Maybe the reference was just for the My Documents folder
itself?)
Or, am I way off base here?

*** Yes, that's correct. Right-click My Documents|Properties|Target|Move


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Dave Patrick]

You're welcome.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect