Remove User Accounts & run as Administrator only

[Outlaw63]

can user accounts be deleted to return my computer to how it looked when it was running as administrator only (no log in). Directory is now a mess with duplicate files all over the place. Want my old look back. Scared to delete files under my name in case i cant log in and get them off c drive.

[caperjack]

can user accounts be deleted to return my computer to how it looked when it was running as administrator only (no log in). Directory is now a mess with duplicate files all over the place. Want my old look back. Scared to delete files under my name in case i cant log in and get them off c drive.

how many users do you have on it now .what duplicated files do you have

[gerbil]

If you remove User accounts you won't destroy the files belonging to them; if you are just going to run as an administrator you will have access to everything.
If in the future you decide to create a new user account [even with the original name] for yourself you will not have access from that new user account to the My Documents files that were under that orig user name [or any other] -you will have to take ownership of them.
If you run as an administrator stuff you download from the web [unintentionally] will have access to everything.
Clear?

[Outlaw63]

Hi ! Thanxs for reply (first time here).. I set up a new user account for my Dad to use. Then I must have named myself as administrator. i have 2 - his and mine.
when i set this up i lost my email and access to important files. I copied and pasted files to restore access to them. I want the old 'C' Drive back and one desktop. There's 9 desktops in the directory. My C drive on my computer has a my files then my documents has all duplicated in this. which is safe to delete?

[Outlaw63]

so i should stay with user accounts for safety?
sounds like you're saying i should set up myself as a user too? not log in as administrator?

[gerbil]

My Documents in Explorer is a list of shortcuts which give quick access to files actually held in [eg] C:\Documents and Settings\User [or Admin, or...]\My Documents\My.....
So there is no actual duplication of files. As an example and to illustrate what I mean by that, rclick on My Documents\My Pictures in Explorer, > Properties and read Location. See where the file actually is?
When you go on the web it is safer to go on as a User - that way access to registry is limited. Really the only time you need to be logged on as an admin is when you wish to alter your setup... to install some pgms, fiddle with the OS, or run some certain pgms which involve checking/changing registry settings or reading\modifying system stuff.

[Outlaw63]

which file should all files be stored under?
Directly in the c drive or in the my documents in c drive? or... in the users file?

[caperjack]

when you install winxp it creates a admin account and a user account with admin rights .,if i were you i would backup any important file and then you could delete all users i nthe control panel ,except the original ,you will not see the admin account that was created when winxp was first install ,just created user accounts .

[caperjack]

go here[C:\Documents and Settings] on the c:\ drive and you will see all added users plus the admin acount .this is whre all mydocuments folders are stored for each user .

[Outlaw63]

but my documents in explorer (under desktop) is empty. In local disk c, i have documents & settings. Under that i have Administrator, All Users, Dad, Default User & Me. In 'Me' the same files are all listed as are in the 'Local disc C'. List is huge and repetitious. Does this sound right?

[gerbil]

"which file should all files be stored under?
Directly in the c drive or in the my documents in c drive? or... in the users file?"
Personal choice rules here. I know some people who have EVERYTHING stored in My Documents. I know one person who has EVERYTHING stored in Outlook Express... I prefer to have a more extensive directory structure where related files are stored, using My Docs for temporary stuff only.

[caperjack]

i cant tell you wha t fils e to delete ,i can only tell you to back up the ones you want and then you can safely delete other users ,

[gerbil]

Desktop\My Documents has no My... folders under it? Oh. I'm not sure how you can have that.... well, it is something I have never explored, deleting those links. I don't see why you could not, though; they are considered a bit "special" by Windows...
In C:\ Local Drive under D&S\Admin, or Dad, or Me you will see a lot of folders repeated... the items in those folders pertain to each user and yes, some are duplicated because each user is meant to have access to some same stuff - it is how some things are shared, or not. eg, if you click Me\Desktop you will see a list of the icons which appear on your desktop such as Age of Empires or Chicken Shoot, if you click Dad\Desktop you will see some diffrent icons listed, like Lawn Bowls or Things to do with Wood...
Under Application Data for each user you would have program folders - these contain files and settings for each user. And so it goes. Don't play too blindly with these.. or a lot of the others, llike Local Settings...

[Outlaw63]

Gerbel thanx for your help with this. You can see i have no idea. I take your point re the directory layout. So, from what you're saying the duplicated folders have to be there. I have a huge list called "clients" in c drive. Now this is also in my folder. I didnt want it it twice, but guess it has to be. I deleted 'dad' as user but he's still coming up at log on? do you know why?

[Outlaw63]

is ok, found it