Guest Joan Posted September 20, 2007 Posted September 20, 2007 Thanks to this ng I have found solutions and answers to many questions across time, it is a great resource . Here are a few more questions: - If I am the sole user and administrator( owner) of my XP SPF2 desktop computer, can I get rid of the various user folders (All Users, Default user, Owner)? Delete them? Are there any risks in doing so? - Does the answer apply also to XP Professional Media Center, which I have in my laptop? - How can I make My Computer be expanded to show all drives when I open Windows Explorer? Thanks, Joan
Guest Malke Posted September 20, 2007 Posted September 20, 2007 Re: Why so many My Docs? Joan wrote: > Thanks to this ng I have found solutions and answers to many questions > across time, it is a great resource . > Here are a few more questions: > > - If I am the sole user and administrator( owner) of my XP SPF2 desktop > computer, can I get rid of the various user folders (All Users, Default > user, Owner)? Delete them? Are there any risks in doing so? > > - Does the answer apply also to XP Professional Media Center, which I have > in my laptop? > > - How can I make My Computer be expanded to show all drives when I open > Windows Explorer? Let's take one thing at a time. I'd like you to explain more precisely what you mean by your last question. As for your first two questions, you need to understand the file hierarchy of XP. Below you will find a simple explanation of it. It is applicable to all versions of XP. ***** 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 OS X - 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". If you don't have an OEM machine (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.) you may not have this user account. My Network Places - This is a graphical representation of other computers on the network and any shared network resources. If you don't have other computers, you can remove the Network Places icon from the Desktop using the Control Panel Display>Desktop>Customize Desktop function. Leave the folder alone! ***** Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Patrick Keenan Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Why so many My Docs? "Joan" <josie63@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:ehKdZN9%23HHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > Thanks to this ng I have found solutions and answers to many questions > across time, it is a great resource . > Here are a few more questions: > > - If I am the sole user and administrator( owner) of my XP SPF2 desktop > computer, can I get rid of the various user folders (All Users, Default > user, Owner)? Delete them? Are there any risks in doing so? You cannot or should not remove the All Users or Default Users folder structures. These are system folders; the Default User is used basically as a template for creating new accounts, and by itself takes very little space. All Users similarly uses little space, and mostly holds things like shortcuts to programs that will be available to every user account on the system. There should also be an Administrator account which you must not delete (and shouldn't be able to delete) or disable, and should not use for regular tasks. Keep it for emergency system maintenance. The Owner account was created by whoever installed your system, probably in the original image. If you aren't actually using that account, yes, you can delete that one. But first, be certain that there is *no* data in it that you actually wanted to keep. > > - Does the answer apply also to XP Professional Media Center, which I have > in my laptop? Yes. This applies to all XP versions. In XP Home, Adminstrator is only available in Safe Mode. HTH -pk > > - How can I make My Computer be expanded to show all drives when I open > Windows Explorer? > > Thanks, Joan > >
Guest Joan Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Why so many My Docs? Malke, I really appreciate your detailed description of the function of User folders in the XP OS. I see now that I must let all these folders "be" for their purpose and allow Windows to do its intelligent thing. Thanks for that. Actually the reason My Docs was initially in this email subject was because I found in my XP Home desktop that I had ended up having two My Pictures folders in two separate locations with each folder being different from the other. I had not realized it until I failed to find photos I was looking for in the one accessed from the desktop shortcut whose path is: C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Docs\My Pics. The other location is in Desktop\My Docs\My Pics. It seems when I save edited photos automatically through Photoshop My Pics in the Owner User folder comes up for saving files and when I myself select a Picture folder for saving I go to the one in Desktop\My Docs\My Pics since it is faster to access than having to open drive C and follow up to target it there. That realization led me to inquire about User folders. The Owner User folder is the one where all relevant data is in my PC, but its path is longer to reach. - I'd like to able to set it up so when saving from applications only one My Pics folder comes up as an option. How do I do that? - In my laptop, XP Pro media Center, there are two user folders besides the ones you mention, that I wonder what they are. 1. BB443B11-7D12-45 and lots more numbers, with a Temp subfolder 2. 1st name~1~last name with a LOCAL~ subfolder Are these important also? Sorry about the lengthy post but I couldn't make it any shorter. I am definitely learning. Joan "Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:ezCCzZ9%23HHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > Joan wrote: >> Thanks to this ng I have found solutions and answers to many questions >> across time, it is a great resource . >> Here are a few more questions: >> >> - If I am the sole user and administrator( owner) of my XP SPF2 desktop >> computer, can I get rid of the various user folders (All Users, Default >> user, Owner)? Delete them? Are there any risks in doing so? >> >> - Does the answer apply also to XP Professional Media Center, which I >> have in my laptop? >> >> - How can I make My Computer be expanded to show all drives when I open >> Windows Explorer? > > Let's take one thing at a time. I'd like you to explain more precisely > what you mean by your last question. As for your first two questions, you > need to understand the file hierarchy of XP. Below you will find a simple > explanation of it. It is applicable to all versions of XP. > > ***** > 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 > OS X - 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". If you don't have an OEM machine > (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.) you may not have this user account. > > My Network Places - This is a graphical representation of other computers > on the network and any shared network resources. If you don't have other > computers, you can remove the Network Places icon from the Desktop using > the Control Panel Display>Desktop>Customize Desktop function. Leave the > folder alone! > ***** > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Joan Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Why so many My Docs? Thanks Patrick for your input, very to the point. Yes, the Owner folder accnt was installed by a technician and it is my main account as described in the post above. It is very useful to learn the Administrator in XP Home can only be seen in safe mode, since I see it in my Pro version and that the extra user folders take up little space. Regards, Joan .. "Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message news:u$78GK$%23HHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > "Joan" <josie63@hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:ehKdZN9%23HHA.1212@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... >> Thanks to this ng I have found solutions and answers to many questions >> across time, it is a great resource . >> Here are a few more questions: >> >> - If I am the sole user and administrator( owner) of my XP SPF2 desktop >> computer, can I get rid of the various user folders (All Users, Default >> user, Owner)? Delete them? Are there any risks in doing so? > > > You cannot or should not remove the All Users or Default Users folder > structures. These are system folders; the Default User is used basically > as a template for creating new accounts, and by itself takes very little > space. All Users similarly uses little space, and mostly holds things > like shortcuts to programs that will be available to every user account on > the system. > > There should also be an Administrator account which you must not delete > (and shouldn't be able to delete) or disable, and should not use for > regular tasks. Keep it for emergency system maintenance. > > The Owner account was created by whoever installed your system, probably > in the original image. If you aren't actually using that account, yes, > you can delete that one. But first, be certain that there is *no* data > in it that you actually wanted to keep. > > >> >> - Does the answer apply also to XP Professional Media Center, which I >> have in my laptop? > > Yes. This applies to all XP versions. In XP Home, Adminstrator is only > available in Safe Mode. > > HTH > -pk > >> >> - How can I make My Computer be expanded to show all drives when I open >> Windows Explorer? >> >> Thanks, Joan >> >> > >
Guest Malke Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Why so many My Docs? Joan wrote: > Actually the reason My Docs was initially in this email subject was because > I found in my XP Home desktop that I had ended up having two My Pictures > folders in two separate locations with each folder being different from the > other. I had not realized it until I failed to find photos I was looking for > in the one accessed from the desktop shortcut whose path is: C:\Documents > and Settings\Owner\My Docs\My Pics. The other location is in Desktop\My > Docs\My Pics. It seems when I save edited photos automatically through > Photoshop My Pics in the Owner User folder comes up for saving files and > when I myself select a Picture folder for saving I go to the one in > Desktop\My Docs\My Pics since it is faster to access than having to open > drive C and follow up to target it there. That realization led me to inquire > about User folders. The Owner User folder is the one where all relevant data > is in my PC, but its path is longer to reach. > > - I'd like to able to set it up so when saving from applications only one > My Pics folder comes up as an option. How do I do that? > - In my laptop, XP Pro media Center, there are two user folders besides the > ones you mention, that I wonder what they are. You've apparently made an extra pictures folder in the Desktop directory. I would copy those pictures to a different location and then delete it and its shortcut. Put the copied files either in the "real" My Pictures folder or simply make a new "Pictures" folder in the My Documents folder and create a shortcut to it by right-clicking the folder and dragging it to your Desktop. Release the right mouse button and you will get a context menu. Choose "Create Shortcut". The correct path to the "real" My Pictures directory is here: C:\Documents and Settings\your-user-account\My Documents\My Pictures (assumes your operating system is on the C:\ drive) In many programs you can choose the default directory for saving files from that program's preferences. Even if you can't, most programs will remember the last place you saved and default to that until you change the location again. Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
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