From: "Bob said:
Subject: Single user system programs
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:38:20 -0400
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I am trying to streamline the Start Menu/All Programs menu. So, I open
Start>Explore All Users and see All Users as well as my username. I am
making new folders to compact and streamline the folders and programs
listed in the All Programs menu.
Which of these All Programs listings should have the majority of the
Program Folders and Programs listed?
In other words, should username have all of the folders/programs or
should All Users? I do't understand why I have to have an All Users
account when this is a single user system.
Thanks
Hi Bob,
(So... You think you are the only user of "your" computer...
Right click your clock, click Task Manager, click Processes (tab).
Look in the User Name column, for (3?) other users of your system.
Click Start, Click Help and Support, in Search box type: Administrator
Do not start search yet, under the search box, click "Set search options".
Change the default from 15 to 40 results. Now click Search button.
Look in left window under Suggest Topics for this, and click it:
Why you should not run your computer as an administrator
Read that topic in the right window and click: Related Topics
In the left window, also click: Users Overview
That topic explains the built-in Administrator and Guest user accounts.
Click Start, click Run, type or paste next line and press Enter:
control userpasswords2
In the User Accounts dialog, Users tab, look for:
[ ] Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.
To set a particular user name to automatically logon to the computer:
Checkmark that checkbox, click the User Name you want to logon to,
UN-check the checkbox, click Apply.
The "Automatically Log On" dialog will appear with that User Name.
If you have set up your user account with a password, enter it.
Click OK
Back in the User Accounts dialog:
Click Advanced (tab), click Advanced (button).
In Local Users and Groups window, left side, click Users (folder icon)
In the right window, double-click any name to view Properties.
(You probably should "Look but don't touch" the OK button. Use Cancel.
In Local Users and Groups window, menu bar, click Help, click Help Topics.
(Cancel/Close those windows and dialogs when done.)
Click Start, click Run, type or paste next line and press Enter:
control userpasswords
That is the same "User Accounts" window as in Control Panel.
In mine, I have Richard [Computer Administrator] and
Richard2 [Limited Account] and
Guest [Guest account is off]
In the left side of that window, click the "Learn About" topics for help.
Click "Change the way users log on or off". I have checkmarks in:
[*] Use the Welcome screen
[*] Use Fast User Switching
(Notice the "Apply Options" and "Cancel" buttons.
(Look for more "Learn About" help topics to click.
You can back-out of option windows by clicking Back arrow. (upper left
Now that you realize "your" computer is not a "single user system"...
Right click your Start button, click Open All Users.
On the menu bar, click Tools, click Folder Options, click View (tab).
In Advanced settings window:
Checkmark "Display the contents of system folders"
Select "Show hidden files and folders"
UN-check "Hide protected operating system files"
Read "Warning" message twice, answer Yes. Click OK.
Press backspace key, press backspace key.
You should be in "Documents and Settings" folder now.
"LocalService" and "NetworkService" are 2 of the User Names you noticed in
the Task Manager Processes tab, besides your name and SYSTEM.
"Default User" is the pattern or template used when first setting up any
user accounts. It contains the default minimum items.
After your (Look/NotTouch) curiosity is satisfied, on the menubar:
Click Tools, click Folder Options, click View (tab).
Select "Do not show hidden files and folders"
Checkmark "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)"
Click OK.
| In Windows XP, the Start Menu displays items from 3 sources:
| 1. Items from the All Users Start Menu folders/sub-folders.
| 2. Items from the Current user's Start Menu folders/sub-folders.
| 3. Special or system supplied items on first Start Menu panel
Right-click Start button, click Properties, click Customize, to select
various Advanced Start menu options, like "Enable Dragging and Dropping".
Any Start Menu items every user needs to access, should be in the All Users
subfolders. When you are logged on with your Limited User or Power User
account, there will be some things that are "Access Denied". Those items
should not be in the All Users subfolder, but in your other account with
Administrator privileges, and/or in the special Administrator subfolders.
Best Practices: Never use the special built-in Administrator account for
ordinary day to day things. That's your emergency account, in case one of
your other accounts get corrupted and cannot be accessed. If you choose to
password protect any accounts, keep a copy of passwords in a safe place.
Back in your Start> Help and Support> Search box, enter: User Accounts
Click search button. Do that while you are connected to the internet and
you will get Microsoft Knowledge Base articles in the search results.
In those results, look for, click, and read:
User Accounts That You Create During Setup Are Administrator Account Types
Then in the FEEDBACK form, click Yes, click Yes, click Submit (button).
The feedback form will disappear, and a Thank You note will appear.
Click "Help and Support Home Page" (Some pages are slow loading...
Look for, click, and read:
Get help at the Virus & Security Solution Center
Point to various items on left side, and right side changes.
(Is that cool, or what?
Right click a blank area of that page and click Add To Favorites. Besides
the Back button in upper left, you can press Alt+LeftArrow key to go back
to previous Help topics. The web address of that Help Topic:
Virus and Security Solution Center
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/cu_sc_virsec_master
Oops, did I get long-winded? You probably know a lot of this stuff already,
but who knows who may be reading these messages on the flip side.
(Let me know if I can be of further assistance. Keep your powder dry!
P.S. I see you're using XP SP3, but What Edition? There are a number of
differences between Home edition and Professional and other editions
relating to User Accounts and NETWORKS. (Desktop or Laptop? dual-boot?)
I'm using Windows XP Professional SP3 on a Dell Optiplex GX520 desktop.
news://msnews.microsoft.public.outlookexpress.general
And I see that you are using Outlook Express and Avast! antivirus. Scanning
outbound plain text messages is not necessary and in some cases may cause
OE to malfunction. Changing Avast settings: Double-click Avast icon in
Systray for Resident Protection dialog. If button says "Details" click it.
If it says less detail, don't. Select Internet Mail. Press Alt+C keys for
Customize. The Resident task settings dialog should appear at the first tab
at top, which is the POP tab, un-check scan. Same with SMTP, IMAP, NNTP.
(Triple-click here, to strum a tune in your ear.
--Richard
Veteran's Day Remembrance
http://www.avbtab.org/rc/veterans.htm