Why so many user folders?

Okay experts here is one for you--under C:\Documents and Settings I have many "user" folders. And I am the only user.
Here is what is there:
Administrator
Administrator.HOME
All Users
All Users.WINDOWS
Default User (this folder has a lighter color)
Default User.WINDOWS (this folder has a lighter color)
Gene (This is the one that I use)
Gene 1
Owner

So why are all these here and is it safe to delete some of them, it appears that some of the files/folders within these folders are duplicated. They are not causing any problem, but I don't like extra files taking up space if they are not needed. If I go to control panel and then user accounts all that shows is "Gene" (administrator) and "guest ".
Thanks for any help--Gene

 

Always being willing to experiment, since I am the only user of my computer, I long ago deleted all account folders in my (XP Pro) Docs & Settings folder except All Users and JSS (my personal folder). The only hidden folders are Local Service and Network Service.

This can be achieved by setting up only one user account, and not creating a password when initially installing XP. Whether it will work with XP Home, I can't say.

Because I am the administrator, I always log into Safe mode using my own account, as it uses my settings. If I click on the Administrator button, it uses system default settings and creates a new Administrator folder in Docs & Settings (which I delete after rebooting normally).

So far, no problems (knock on wood) doing it this way, and it makes for a much cleaner work environment.

Comments invited.

 

Christer--I am using XP Home, and I did do a search before posting and there were several posts on the subject, but all seemed confusing--some said you can delete others said don't do it--etc, etc.
Gene

 

Also did a search. To my understanding, the gist of it was, "the double accounts are the result of a CD "on_top re-install" as opposed to the recovery console "repair install ". Some of the accounts will be active and others will be "dead/orphaned ". You must determine which is which. After doing so, the dead ones can deleted. Some quirky got-cha also seemed to involve the registry and possibly copyNmoving files and folders from one account to another.

This type of install detects account profiles with the same names and has to make new profiles with slightly altered names, since it cannot use names already in use.

Some opted for a clean install. Others decided to live with it rather than risk the loss of data access or have to go through the measures needed to straighten out any registry path/name glitches. They considered it a minor nuisance compared to risk.

Sorry about the synopsis. I didn't pay close enough attention to the specific steps. You can head to google and use the "Group" tab to do a study-up or wait for someone, who has done this, to find out what sort of mine fields to watch out for.

If you decide to jump in with both feet, please be cautious and make sure your backups are current.

If no one, with personal knowledge, offers help soon or you can make no heads or tails of the nfo found on a "search quest ", just give a shout. I will pay closer attention to the specifics and see if I can make sense out of it and offer further help.

 

Christer--
I don't have this:
In Control panel > Administrative tools > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups > Users

(I don't have the Local "Users and Groups" or "Users ")

Any idea why? Also when presented with the "Welcome" screen the only name available to click on is mine "Gene "
Thanks

 

Genestoy,
I think you don't have the other accounts because you are using Home and the rest of us have Pro.

Johanna

 

Hi Christer,

One of the benefits of being retired is that I have the time (and the inclination) to experiment with my system, to see what I can and can't do. If I foul things up, I can always start over at square one (which is the most important reason that I back EVERYthing up on a daily basis).

In Control panel > Administrative tools > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups > Users I show the same five folders, with all but Administrator and JSS (my user folder) disabled.

The only folders in C:\Docs & Settings that Windows will not let you delete are All Users and "Username ". If you open TweakUI > My Computer > Special Folders, you'll find that nearly all of them are assigned to various folders within the "Username" folder, but you can reassign them anywhere you want. For instance, I have "My Documents" re-assigned from C:\Documents and Settings\JSS\My Documents to E:\Documents, and "My Pictures" assigned to E:\Images. Why? Because it allows me to store my data on another partition, separate from the OS.

At one point, I assigned everything except My Documents and My Pictures to the All Users folder and tried to delete the JSS folder. I couldn't do it of course, and one reason is that any time you install a program, the Start menu and Desktop shortcuts go into either All Users or "Username ", and it's an unusual installation that will allow you to decide which one.

I have just Administrator and JSS, and JSS allows me to do anything I could do in Administrator, so far as I can tell.