Redundant user group settings

[NCBill39]

I've just bought a new computer with XP Pro. I've used XP for years and have
always been curious as to why there are so many user account files
(Administrator, All Users, Default User, MyName, etc.) I am content to have
only one account for anyone who uses the computer and I would like to get rid
of all the clutter from the extra accounts. I can get it down to "Guest" and
"MyName" as an administrator, but that doesn't get rid of all users, default
user, etc.

Then when I add an application, I can never tell where it is going to end up
- sometimes it goes in the administrator account, sometimes in myname,
sometimes in default user, etc.

How can I get it down to one, or two at most, accounts?

 

[Leonard Grey]

For a full explanation of the purpose of those accounts, I suggest an
internet search. But here it is in a nutshell:

There are only two types of user account: 1) accounts that you create
and 2) the Guest account.

Since many people don't understand how to create their user account, an
OEM will often do this for you automatically, and call it something like
Owner. You never have to activate the Guest account, if you don't need it.

All the other 'accounts' that you see are not user accounts, but system
accounts that are used by Windows for specific purposes. There is no
login for these accounts. You should just ignore them.

One special system account that you should be aware of the the built-in
Administrator account. You should never use this account for your
day-to-day computing. The built-in Administrator account is your
lifeline in case you run into serious trouble.

 

[Malke]

I've just bought a new computer with XP Pro. I've used XP for years and
have always been curious as to why there are so many user account files
(Administrator, All Users, Default User, MyName, etc.) I am content to
have only one account for anyone who uses the computer and I would like to
get rid
of all the clutter from the extra accounts. I can get it down to "Guest"
and "MyName" as an administrator, but that doesn't get rid of all users,
default user, etc.

Then when I add an application, I can never tell where it is going to end
up - sometimes it goes in the administrator account, sometimes in myname,
sometimes in default user, etc.

How can I get it down to one, or two at most, accounts?

Here's a little more information to add to the good advice you got from Mr.
Grey:

XP is a multi-user operating system, no matter if only one person is using
it. In all multi-user operating systems - NT, Win2k, XP, Unix, Linux, Mac
OSX - there is the one built-in account that is "god" on the system. In
Windows terminology, that is "Administrator". In the *nix world, it is
"root". This is a necessary account and is not normally used in everyday
work. You cannot delete the built-in Administrator account nor would you
ever want to.

Here is the explanation of what you really have:

My Computer - represents your entire computer, showing drives and shared
folders. Shared Folders are folders where you can put files you wish to
share with other users on the system. You don't need to use these folders
if you don't want to, but leave them alone!

[some name] C:\ - your first hard drive, usually the system drive.

Document and Settings - The "container" for all user settings. Each user
will have [username] Documents, Music, Videos, My Pictures.

Administrator - Built-in account - Leave alone! Do not use! Do not worry
about it!

All Users - Section where items common to all users go. In a multi-user
operating system, users have separate accounts. This is the place where if
you want to share files with all the other users on the system you would
put those files. You don't ever have to use those folders but they need to
be there. This is where programs you install that are meant to be installed
for all users put settings. All the "Shared Documents" type of folders you
see at the root of C:\ are shortcuts to the shared folders in here. Leave
them alone!

Default Users - This is the template from which new user accounts are made.
You will never put anything in any of those folders but they are needed to
create new users. In Linux we use "skel" ("skeleton" - get it?). In
Windows, the less-colorful term "Default User" is used. Leave it alone!

[OEM] Administrator or Owner - This is the generic user created by the OEM
when installing the operating system. After all, the OEM doesn't know who
is going to buy the computer. If you aren't using this OEM user account,
you can delete it from the User Accounts applet in Control Panel. It is not
the same account as "Administrator".

Malke

 

[NCBill39]

For a full explanation of the purpose of those accounts, I suggest an
internet search. But here it is in a nutshell:

There are only two types of user account: 1) accounts that you create
and 2) the Guest account.

Since many people don't understand how to create their user account, an
OEM will often do this for you automatically, and call it something like
Owner. You never have to activate the Guest account, if you don't need it.

All the other 'accounts' that you see are not user accounts, but system
accounts that are used by Windows for specific purposes. There is no
login for these accounts. You should just ignore them.

One special system account that you should be aware of the the built-in
Administrator account. You should never use this account for your
day-to-day computing. The built-in Administrator account is your
lifeline in case you run into serious trouble.

Well, I sort of understood most of that already. I do appreciate the
comment about the Administrator account lifeline. But I guess the main
message is that it is better to put up with all the extra clutter than it is
to delete any of it.

I just wish I had some way to predict where an item will go when I add it
-e.g., an application, for example. Sometimes it ends up in my account,
sometimes in another user account (all users, default user, etc)

 

[Leonard Grey]

This is not "clutter". This is part of the Windows operating system. If
you want technology with clean design I suggest Bang and Olufsen.

Is your 'real' question that you want to have control over which account
new software gets installed into? (Pardon the lousy grammar.)

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I just wish I had some way to predict where an item will go when I
add it -e.g., an application, for example. Sometimes it ends up in
my account, sometimes in another user account (all users, default
user, etc)

This has nothing to do with user accounts; this is user *profiles*. The
location of the shortcuts installed by any application, is entirely up to
the application developer & their installation routine. You can't control
that. You can move stuff afterwards, to All Users, if the software can be
run by all users on the computer and isn't limited to the logged-in user.