Transfering user settings

[Guest Stevoisiak@hotmail.com]

Hello. Usually, I have no problems with figuring out how do things on the PC

(except getting it to actually work WELL compared to mac :D) But I have a

problem. I started using the computer on the default admin name. Now however,

I'd like to add a regular user for other people, but it wont let me since

there are no admin accounts. (Well, except the one titled ADMINISTRATOR, but

who cares about that) I need to make a new admin account. But, I'd like to

transfer the settings from the Admin account I'm using now. How can I do

this? Would copying and pasting the user setings folder work? Or is there

some hidden feature I'm unaware of?

[Guest Anteaus]

RE: Transfering user settings

 

Copying the contents of the Administrator profile to the "Default User"

profile will result these files and settings being copied to new users'

profiles the first time they log on. The file 'NTUSER.DAT' contains the

user's settings.

 

Only proviso is that this transfer cannot be done whilst the Administrator

user is logged-on, only under another account.

 

The profiles are under "Documents and Settings" in XP.

 

Stevoisiak@hotmail.com" wrote:

> Hello. Usually, I have no problems with figuring out how do things on the PC

> (except getting it to actually work WELL compared to mac :D) But I have a

> problem. I started using the computer on the default admin name. Now however,

> I'd like to add a regular user for other people, but it wont let me since

> there are no admin accounts. (Well, except the one titled ADMINISTRATOR, but

> who cares about that) I need to make a new admin account. But, I'd like to

> transfer the settings from the Admin account I'm using now. How can I do

> this? Would copying and pasting the user setings folder work? Or is there

> some hidden feature I'm unaware of?

[Guest Malke]

Re: Transfering user settings

 

Stevoisiak@hotmail.com wrote:

> Hello. Usually, I have no problems with figuring out how do things on the

> PC (except getting it to actually work WELL compared to mac :D) But I have

> a problem. I started using the computer on the default admin name. Now

> however, I'd like to add a regular user for other people, but it wont let

> me since there are no admin accounts. (Well, except the one titled

> ADMINISTRATOR, but who cares about that) I need to make a new admin

> account. But, I'd like to transfer the settings from the Admin account I'm

> using now. How can I do this? Would copying and pasting the user setings

> folder work? Or is there some hidden feature I'm unaware of?

 

Very simple to do. First create an extra administrator account. Call it

"Tech" or "CompAdmin" or whatever you want. It is always a good idea to

have an extra user account with administrative privileges anyway in case of

emergencies where the other administrative user account becomes corrupted.

 

Next, create your own new user account, the one you want to use. Make it

"Computer Administrator" to start with. Log into this new account once. Now

log out and into the new Tech/CompAdmin account you made.

 

Follow the instructions to copy the built-in Administrator account to your

new user account.

 

Copy a User Account - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811151

 

Once done (and it will only take a few minutes), log into your new user

account. Some of the cosmetic bits (Desktop background, etc.) may be

different but everything else will be the same, including all your stuff

from My Documents. After you have everything to your liking, you can delete

the documents, etc. from the built-in Administrator account so as not to

have duplicates of your data. You won't delete this account, of course.

 

If you want to make your new user account a Standard account, after you've

finished your copying and are happy with it, you can do this.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

[Guest Stevoisiak@hotmail.com]

Re: Transfering user settings

 

 

 

"Malke" wrote:

> Stevoisiak@hotmail.com wrote:

>

> > Hello. Usually, I have no problems with figuring out how do things on the

> > PC (except getting it to actually work WELL compared to mac :D) But I have

> > a problem. I started using the computer on the default admin name. Now

> > however, I'd like to add a regular user for other people, but it wont let

> > me since there are no admin accounts. (Well, except the one titled

> > ADMINISTRATOR, but who cares about that) I need to make a new admin

> > account. But, I'd like to transfer the settings from the Admin account I'm

> > using now. How can I do this? Would copying and pasting the user setings

> > folder work? Or is there some hidden feature I'm unaware of?

>

> Very simple to do. First create an extra administrator account. Call it

> "Tech" or "CompAdmin" or whatever you want. It is always a good idea to

> have an extra user account with administrative privileges anyway in case of

> emergencies where the other administrative user account becomes corrupted.

>

> Next, create your own new user account, the one you want to use. Make it

> "Computer Administrator" to start with. Log into this new account once. Now

> log out and into the new Tech/CompAdmin account you made.

>

> Follow the instructions to copy the built-in Administrator account to your

> new user account.

>

> Copy a User Account - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811151

>

> Once done (and it will only take a few minutes), log into your new user

> account. Some of the cosmetic bits (Desktop background, etc.) may be

> different but everything else will be the same, including all your stuff

> from My Documents. After you have everything to your liking, you can delete

> the documents, etc. from the built-in Administrator account so as not to

> have duplicates of your data. You won't delete this account, of course.

>

> If you want to make your new user account a Standard account, after you've

> finished your copying and are happy with it, you can do this.

>

> Malke

> --

> MS-MVP

> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

>

>

Wow. That seems annoying. 3 admins just to transfer account data. Will this

transfer programs, documents, and files, or do I need to transfer those

individually?

[Guest Malke]

Re: Transfering user settings

 

Stevoisiak@hotmail.com wrote:

> Wow. That seems annoying. 3 admins just to transfer account data. Will

> this transfer programs, documents, and files, or do I need to transfer

> those individually?

 

Well, I don't think having 3 accounts is a bad idea nor do I think spending

less than 10 minutes to correct the mistake of having used the

Administrative account for daily work to start with is any big deal.

 

Yes, the whole point of copying a user account is that all your stuff will

be in the new one. As you would have seen if you had read the article I

linked you to. Please note the caveats about emails in the article.

 

Malke

--

MS-MVP

Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

[Guest Stevoisiak@hotmail.com]

Re: Transfering user settings

 

> Well, I don't think having 3 accounts is a bad idea nor do I think spending

> less than 10 minutes to correct the mistake of having used the

> Administrative account for daily work to start with is any big deal.

>

> Yes, the whole point of copying a user account is that all your stuff will

> be in the new one. As you would have seen if you had read the article I

> linked you to. Please note the caveats about emails in the article.

>

> Malke

> --

> MS-MVP

> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!

> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

>

 

Well, no worries on having 3 accounts, the default admin dissapeared from

the logon list. Anyways, at the end of copying it said that it could not copy

"UsrClass". Should I be worried about that? Also, after the new account is

set up, is it safe to manually delete the origional admin account? Having the

files posted twice takes up so much space. Especially considering this is my

home computer. (Aka: For the most part, only I use it)