Folders in Documents and Settings

G

Guest

System: AMD Athlon(tn) 64, 3400+, 1.00 GB of RAM, 2 200 GB WD HDs, Win XP HE
SP2

After a series problems and Win XP Home Edition reinstalls I finally seem to
have a stable system but I find multiple instances of folders in Documents
and Settings for All Users (All Users and All Users.WINDOWS), Default User
(Default User and Default User.WINDOWS), LocalService (LocalService,
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY and LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000) and
NetworkService (NetworkService, NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY and
NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY.000). The folders have different sizes and
dates. Can I delete some of these so that I have only one instance of each
type? Thanks.
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Steve,

Duplicate profile folders exist under the "Documents and Settings" folder?:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/restprofile.htm


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


System: AMD Athlon(tn) 64, 3400+, 1.00 GB of RAM, 2 200 GB WD HDs, Win XP HE
SP2

After a series problems and Win XP Home Edition reinstalls I finally seem to
have a stable system but I find multiple instances of folders in Documents
and Settings for All Users (All Users and All Users.WINDOWS), Default User
(Default User and Default User.WINDOWS), LocalService (LocalService,
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY and LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000) and
NetworkService (NetworkService, NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY and
NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY.000). The folders have different sizes and
dates. Can I delete some of these so that I have only one instance of each
type? Thanks.
 
G

Guest

Thanks for the quick reply.

I read the article, but I am still a little confused. I don't really care
about restoring the User and Service files in Documents and Settings. I
simply want to safely get rid of the ones I don't need. My present
configuration is fine. For example, All Users, dated 5/19/2006, has 346 MB
while All Users.WINDOWS, dated 6/3/2006, has 319 MB. Similarly, LocalService
(5/21/2006) has 339 KB, LocalService>NT AUTHORITY (6/2/2006) has 578 KB and
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000 (6/4/2006) has 316, and so on.
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Steve,

To determine which ones are current, open Regedit.exe and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

The values you want to look at :

1. AllUsersProfile
2. DefaultUserProfile

and for each SIDs under the "ProfileList", inspect the "ProfileImagePath"

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

The extra folders which you see under "Documents and Settings" folders, for
which the registry does not have any reference to, can be backed up and then
deleted.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks for the quick reply.

I read the article, but I am still a little confused. I don't really care
about restoring the User and Service files in Documents and Settings. I
simply want to safely get rid of the ones I don't need. My present
configuration is fine. For example, All Users, dated 5/19/2006, has 346 MB
while All Users.WINDOWS, dated 6/3/2006, has 319 MB. Similarly,
LocalService
(5/21/2006) has 339 KB, LocalService>NT AUTHORITY (6/2/2006) has 578 KB and
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000 (6/4/2006) has 316, and so on.
 
G

Guest

Thanks, Ramesh.

I backed up the folders that weren't listed in the registry values you
directed me to, but when I tried to delete the others, several wouldn't
delete. For example, the AllUsersProfile in the registry showed
AllUsers.WINDOWS as the value. The Documents & Settings folder listed a
folder named AllUsers.WINDOWS and another folder named AllUsers. The
AllUsers folder couldn't be deleted. There are also a couple of folders not
listed among the ProfileImagePath values for the SIDs that could not be
deleted either.

Ramesh said:
Steve,

To determine which ones are current, open Regedit.exe and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

The values you want to look at :

1. AllUsersProfile
2. DefaultUserProfile

and for each SIDs under the "ProfileList", inspect the "ProfileImagePath"

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

The extra folders which you see under "Documents and Settings" folders, for
which the registry does not have any reference to, can be backed up and then
deleted.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks for the quick reply.

I read the article, but I am still a little confused. I don't really care
about restoring the User and Service files in Documents and Settings. I
simply want to safely get rid of the ones I don't need. My present
configuration is fine. For example, All Users, dated 5/19/2006, has 346 MB
while All Users.WINDOWS, dated 6/3/2006, has 319 MB. Similarly,
LocalService
(5/21/2006) has 339 KB, LocalService>NT AUTHORITY (6/2/2006) has 578 KB and
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000 (6/4/2006) has 316, and so on.

Ramesh said:
Steve,

Duplicate profile folders exist under the "Documents and Settings"
folder?:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/restprofile.htm


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


System: AMD Athlon(tn) 64, 3400+, 1.00 GB of RAM, 2 200 GB WD HDs, Win XP
HE
SP2

After a series problems and Win XP Home Edition reinstalls I finally seem
to
have a stable system but I find multiple instances of folders in Documents
and Settings for All Users (All Users and All Users.WINDOWS), Default User
(Default User and Default User.WINDOWS), LocalService (LocalService,
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY and LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000) and
NetworkService (NetworkService, NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY and
NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY.000). The folders have different sizes and
dates. Can I delete some of these so that I have only one instance of
each
type? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Do you see any error messages when you delete those extra folders, Steve?

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks, Ramesh.

I backed up the folders that weren't listed in the registry values you
directed me to, but when I tried to delete the others, several wouldn't
delete. For example, the AllUsersProfile in the registry showed
AllUsers.WINDOWS as the value. The Documents & Settings folder listed a
folder named AllUsers.WINDOWS and another folder named AllUsers. The
AllUsers folder couldn't be deleted. There are also a couple of folders not
listed among the ProfileImagePath values for the SIDs that could not be
deleted either.
 
G

Guest

No error message. Just a "Confirm Folder Delete" dialog box. I click YES
and the "Deleting..." dialog box opens and it appears as if the deletion is
trying to proceed but then the dialog box just closes and the folder I am
trying to delete is still in the Documents and Settings folder.
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Steve,

Restart, and this time login as Administrator (built-in) and try again. If
not, try from Command Prompt. (rd /s <foldername>)

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


No error message. Just a "Confirm Folder Delete" dialog box. I click YES
and the "Deleting..." dialog box opens and it appears as if the deletion is
trying to proceed but then the dialog box just closes and the folder I am
trying to delete is still in the Documents and Settings folder.

:
 
G

Guest

Ramesh,

I had to change the folder name from All Users to AllUsers, but the Command
Prompt method was successful. Thanks.
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Glad that helped, Steve.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh,

I had to change the folder name from All Users to AllUsers, but the Command
Prompt method was successful. Thanks.
 
G

Guest

Hello,

I have a similar, if not the same problem... But I don't like the:
"*.WINDOWS" etc file name format (But the registry 'says' those are the
active ones). So in order for me to get rid of this I would have to delete
all "Windows" folders and/or files (because I only have 1 drive) and then try
a 'fresh' install?

--


Ramesh said:
Steve,

To determine which ones are current, open Regedit.exe and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

The values you want to look at :

1. AllUsersProfile
2. DefaultUserProfile

and for each SIDs under the "ProfileList", inspect the "ProfileImagePath"

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

The extra folders which you see under "Documents and Settings" folders, for
which the registry does not have any reference to, can be backed up and then
deleted.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks for the quick reply.

I read the article, but I am still a little confused. I don't really care
about restoring the User and Service files in Documents and Settings. I
simply want to safely get rid of the ones I don't need. My present
configuration is fine. For example, All Users, dated 5/19/2006, has 346 MB
while All Users.WINDOWS, dated 6/3/2006, has 319 MB. Similarly,
LocalService
(5/21/2006) has 339 KB, LocalService>NT AUTHORITY (6/2/2006) has 578 KB and
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000 (6/4/2006) has 316, and so on.

Ramesh said:
Steve,

Duplicate profile folders exist under the "Documents and Settings"
folder?:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/restprofile.htm


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


System: AMD Athlon(tn) 64, 3400+, 1.00 GB of RAM, 2 200 GB WD HDs, Win XP
HE
SP2

After a series problems and Win XP Home Edition reinstalls I finally seem
to
have a stable system but I find multiple instances of folders in Documents
and Settings for All Users (All Users and All Users.WINDOWS), Default User
(Default User and Default User.WINDOWS), LocalService (LocalService,
LocalService.NT AUTHORITY and LocalService.NT AUTHORITY.000) and
NetworkService (NetworkService, NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY and
NetworkService.NT AUTHORITY.000). The folders have different sizes and
dates. Can I delete some of these so that I have only one instance of
each
type? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 

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