SP2 file structures differ on similar PC's ?

Concerning home-built machines on my home cable network, one pc has a recurring cookies, history, temp and temp internet folders, while the other pc's do not. Other minor differences also exist.( "application data" folders)
I'm the administrator on all machines and most settings are the same. I have no mischievious little users, only my wife and myself, and we use the same logon on all machines. All machines use netscape7.2 for webmail, firefox to browse, IE6 as last resort. All files are NOT hidden.
The problem pc, we'll call "pc#1 "=old celeron@700, windows ME new, then format + clean XP installed, followed by sp1 later, and sp2 recently.
Other typical pc's, we'll call "pc#2 "=P-II@800 and up, XP new, sp2 installed recently.

(typical)pc#2 all have the following folders:

C:\doc's&set's\name\cookies

C:\windows\temp\istmpo
C:\windows\temp\cookies
C:\windows\temp\history
C:\windows\temp\temp' internet files

pc#1 has the following folders:

C:\doc's&set's\allusers\application data

C:\doc's&set's\defaultuser\application data
C:\doc's&set's\defaultuser\cookies
C:\doc's&set's\defaultuser\history
C:\doc's&set's\defaultuser\temp
C:\doc's&set's\defaultuser\temp' internet files

C:\doc's&set's\name\application data
C:\doc's&set's\name\cookies
C:\doc's&set's\name\localsettings\history
C:\doc's&set's\name\localsettings\temp
C:\doc's&set's\name\localsettings\temp' internet files

C:\doc's&set's\localservice\application data
C:\doc's&set's\localservice\cookies
C:\doc's&set's\localservice\localsettings\application data
C:\doc's&set's\localservice\localsettings\history
C:\doc's&set's\localservice\localsettings\temp
C:\doc's&set's\localservice\localsettings\temp' internet files

C:\doc's&set's\networkservice\application data
C:\doc's&set's\networkservice\cookies
C:\doc's&set's\networkservice\localsettings\application data
C:\doc's&set's\networkservice\localsettings\history
C:\doc's&set's\networkservice\localsettings\temp
C:\doc's&set's\networkservice\localsettings\temp' internet files

C:\windows\cookies
C:\windows\history
C:\windows\temp' internet files


Note all the duplicated folders on pc#1, while pc#2 have only 1 instance of each, except cookies (1 under my name and 1 under C:\windows\temp).
Also note on pc#2 the lack of "allusers ", "defaultuser ", "localservice ", and "networkservice ".
These folders are mostly empty, except desktop.ini's and index.dat's.
I was able to delete "defaultuser" folder, by first renaming all the ini's and dat's but the rest are "in use "....I don't think they are, but I'm not sure.
I can't figure out what I did differently between the machines, except for different XP cd's with different key#'s directly from MS....all SP's also on CD's directly from MS....none were downloaded.
I can't seem to find any info on the MS site.
I don't know why this machine is like this, the others are not.
Anybody else seen a machine with mess like this?
How can I clean it up, without "format c "?

 

It it possible that you have one machine to show hidden folders and system files and the other not to?
Open your C drive and go to Tools>Folder Options> View tab.
See if "Show hidden files and folders" is selected.
Also see if "Hide protected operating system files" is selected.
Compare machines.

 

Thankyou for making me realize that I'm losing my mind........
I must have set all the other machines to hide folders and forgot.
DUH!
I'll take the stupid award for today> LOL

 

Just so you know that you will not be allowed to keep it. We pass that award around very freely.