Folder named "My Computer's" Documents

[Katy]

When I choose "my computer" from the start menu, the items listed are the
drives (a, d, c), a folder named "shared documents", and a folder named "my
computer's documents". I can't seem to figure out why I have the "my
computer's documents" folder as it contains the same documents as in
C:documents and settings:my computer:my documents. Is it supposed to be
there and does that mean there are duplicates of every document on my
machine? (I am the only user.) Thanks for any help!

 

[M.I.5¾]

When I choose "my computer" from the start menu, the items listed are the
drives (a, d, c), a folder named "shared documents", and a folder named
"my
computer's documents". I can't seem to figure out why I have the "my
computer's documents" folder as it contains the same documents as in
C:documents and settings:my computer:my documents. Is it supposed to be
there and does that mean there are duplicates of every document on my
machine? (I am the only user.) Thanks for any help!

By default XP generates a number of documents folders. It generates one for
every user of the machine (including one for the 'Administrator). Each
would normally only be used by the account holder (who can make them such
that they can't be seen by anyone else). In addition an extra 'shared
documents' is created that will always be seen by all account users (and
indeed can be shared amongst different machines). There are one or two more
for internal uses.

Normally a user puts his documents in his own 'My Documents' unless he
wishes to share them with others.

The account owner's documents are stored (normally) in

c:\documents and settings\<account name>\<account name>'s documents.

XP normally substitutes 'My' when the account holder is looking at his own
documents folder. The shared documents folder is normally at

c:\documents and setting\all users\shared documents.

 

[Nepatsfan]

When I choose "my computer" from the start menu, the items listed are the
drives (a, d, c), a folder named "shared documents", and a folder named "my
computer's documents". I can't seem to figure out why I have the "my
computer's documents" folder as it contains the same documents as in
C:documents and settings:my computer:my documents. Is it supposed to be
there and does that mean there are duplicates of every document on my
machine? (I am the only user.) Thanks for any help!

What's the name of your user account?

It sound's as if your user account is named My Computer. You can check by
hitting the Start button and looking at the top of the menu. Does it say My
Computer? If you're using the Classic Start menu, take a look in Control
Panel -> User Accounts. Is one of them named My Computer? You can also right
click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu. In Task Manager,
click on the Users tab. Is the name listed in the User column My Computer?

If it turns out your user account is named My Computer then what you're seeing
is normal behavior. The documents on your computer aren't in two separate
locations.

Good luck

Nepatsfan