documents&settings>'users' mix up

[frankg]

can someone help to sort out this muddle - we're totally confused and dont
know what to delete.

we installed XP and Sp2 over an earlier version of XP on my wife's machine -
we overwrote it rather than upgraded.

viewing through windows explorer, under documents and settings, there are 7
'user' listings (vs 3 folders on my machine for 'all users', 'default
users', and 'frank')

the 7 'users' listed are:administrator, all users, all users.windows,
default user, default user.windows, helene, helene.computer_2 (helene is my
wifes name and computer_2 is the computer name)

Under the user 'helene' there are all the typical user folders and files
including her documents - this we assume is left over from the old version
of xp and we should be able to copy the documents over tothe user -
helene.computer_2, which appears to be the new and currently empty user (we
altered the computer name slightly during the installation to computer_2 so
we think this user name identifies it as the new windows installation.

Assuming these two user names are sorted out this way, what about the
remaining ones, how can we figure which can be safely deleted -
administrator, all users, all users.windows, default user, default
user.windows

thanks for any housecleaning help
Frank

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Frank,

To know which folders are the valid ones, type CMD /K SET in Start, Run:

Note down the paths for the following:

ALLUSERSPROFILE
HOMEPATH
(HOMEPATH is per-user specific. So, run the SET command under each user
profile.)

Alternately, you can verify the ProfileImagePath data under this registry
key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\<SID>

This script lists all the SIDs and the corresponding user names:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/reg/sidlist.vbs

The remaining folders under the \Documents and Settings\ can be backed-up
and then deleted. Make sure that you move all your files from the old
profile directories. Don't delete the following folders:

1. Administrator
2. All Users
3. NetworkService
4. LocalService
5. Default User

 

[frankg]

Thanks Ramesh, we'll be trying this over the weekend and get back to you
with a 'thanks' or a 'help!'

 

[frankg]

Ramesh,
There is only one user, Helene (who is also administrator), for this machine
(plus 'guest' is listed by default).

I ran CMD /K SET and found the path for :
allusersprofile=c:\documents & settings\allusers.windows
homepath=\documents & settings\helene.computer_2

The folders that are listed under documents & settings are:
1. all users
2.allusers.windows ( in the allusersprofile path)
3. administrator
4. default user
5. default user.windows
6. helene
7.helene.computer_2

Your list of folders Not to delete include:
Default user, but I think in this case it is actually default user.windows
that I should not delete..
All Users, but I think in this case it is actually Allusers.windows as in
the allusersprofile path
Helene, but I think it is helene.computer_2, as in the homepath, that I
should not delete

It seems to me I can delete #1, #4 and #6 in the above list of 7 ?

Can you verify this?

I dont see # 3 and #4 of your list: LocalService and Networkservice under
documents and settings

Thank you,
Frank,
=============================================================

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Yes, that's correct Frank. Don't delete any active profiles (with the suffix
..windows) in your system.

Related information: (ProfileImagePath)

How to restore a user profile in Windows 2000:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314045