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All Users versus "User Name"

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by Christer, 2003/06/07.

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  1. 2003/06/07
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Hi all!

    I remember a thread a while back in which someone asked why some installed applications appear in the Start-menu of All Users and others in the Start-menu of "User Name ".
    At that time, I had never experienced this but now I´ve installed a few more applications on XP.

    I can´t find the thread which prompts me to ask again:

    Why is this and can it be avoided (everything in All Users and the few ones which end up in "User Name" redirected)?

    Sorry for the repetition,
    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  2. 2003/06/07
    holyhandgrenade

    holyhandgrenade Inactive

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    I think it mostly depends on the program that you install, sometimes it will ask if you want to install it for all users, or just the current one. Most progs don't ask at all, and they do whatever they please. I don't think there is a way to force them to do what you want unless it asks you.
     
    holyhandgrenade,
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  4. 2003/06/07
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    That´s how I remember the outcome of the previous discussion but I wasn´t sure.

    Thanks,
    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  5. 2003/06/07
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    Christer - what changes do you want to make? Are you trying to block some users from some apps that now show up in the "all users" section?

    If so, that's an easy fix.
     
    Newt,
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  6. 2003/06/08
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Hi Newt!

    I think that it triggered my sense of law and order ...... :D ......

    All Windows and Office applications, with three exceptions, are in the All Users subfolder. Internet Explorer, Outlook Express and Windows Media Player are in the "User Name" subfolder and I can detect a miniscule logic in that.

    When I installed jv16.PowerTools, RegScrubXP, Spybot, SpywareBlaster and TweakUI, they ended up in the All Users subfolder whereas Ad-aware and XP-AntiSpy ended up in the "User Name" subfolder.

    I honestly don´t have an urge to do something about it, I was only trying to see the logic behind it. (Or rather getting it explained to me ...... ;) ......)

    Regards,
    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2003/06/08
    Christer,
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  7. 2003/06/09
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    Not so much logic as IMO some poorly written install routines.

    A "good" app will have a place early on where you are offered the option of making the app available for all users or only for the logged on user who is installing.

    Others stuff themselves into the all users section without asking your opinion while yet others stuff themselves into the logged on user. I dislike both these behaviors.

    You can change any of this after the fact but
    1) why should you have to
    2) novice users won't know enough to safely do it
     
    Newt,
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  8. 2003/06/10
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    If I recall correctly, that choise hasn´t been presented by any installer so far, and that includes Office XP and Acrobat. Do I have to choose "custom installation" to get the option?

    1) I´m the only user of my PC which in this case makes the question rhetorical.
    2) You´re quite right, some procedures are way over my head. However, it´s nice to know that it can be done but I wouldn´t try right now. Maybe when it would make sense to do it and I know more.
     
    Christer,
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  9. 2003/06/10
    RASelkirk

    RASelkirk Inactive

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    I'm in the same boat! XP has managed to throw about 10,000 totally unnecessary and unwanted folders and files all over my boot drive. I've re-installed 4 x's since my first install in early May. I know a lot of the problems were self-inflicted, but why in h#lls name should a single user at a single computer be forced to have all this sharing/security cr#p shoved up their nose?

    This last install was due to my printer and networking not working correctly. It fixed the printer problems, still in the same boat on the network, and now I can no longer burn a CD, which worked fine before!

    I'm just about to revert to my old 3.1! :eek: :mad:

    Russ

    Oh, today, I managed to consolidate all of my "user account" info from "C:\Documents and Settings" into ONE administrator account. Of course, it won't stay that way for long, as every program I install goes somewhere completely different!
     
    RASelkirk,
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  10. 2003/06/11
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    A clarification, I quote from my previous post:

    There has always been the option to choose a different installation folder but I´ve never seen the option to choose the All Users account to make the application available to everyone or the "User Name" account to make the application private.

    As I mentioned earlier (I think), I´m the only user of my PC so it´s not a problem, just a nuisance.
    I wonder if things are different on computers set up with multiple accounts?

    However, if it was a multi user PC, I´d like to limit the other users ability to install programs and if I, as administrator, install e.g. jv16 PowerTools, I certainly would like to limit it´s use to myself and not have it in the "All Users" account.

    In an earlier thread, Newt indicated that this would be possible to solve but I´ve probably misunderstood the whole All Users / "User Name" account and sharing business.

    My feeble logic says that anyone, including the administrator, who makes an installation of an application, should do that to his own account and then have the ability to choose wether to share it or not.
    During the installation it should be possible to make a decision to share with all and install to All Users or not to share and install to "User Name ".
    If at a later date, there´s a wish to share with User B but not with User C, this would be done the "Newt way ".

    Now I expect everyone to come down on me like a ton of bricks telling me how stupid I am ...... :eek: ......

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  11. 2003/06/11
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    My use of "good app" was probably a poor word choice. ..... No, on second thought, it was a good word choice and IMO there are some major, expensive apps (like MS Office) that should allow for the installer to choose.

    Moving the shortcut from All Users to your own folder should stop the thing from showing up when another user clicks start~programs.

    Preventing other users from being able to run an app or modify a document/spread sheet/etc. is a little more complex but certainly easily done.

    Since you are on a single user system, I won't bother with details on that though. And this is one of those cases where I can say for sure how to do it on XP-pro but am not positive XP-home would work exactly the same.
     
    Newt,
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  12. 2003/06/11
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni

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    Hello Christer and RASeliirk,

    Have never run into any of what you're talking about because when I installed XP, being a single user, set myself up as OWNER, not Admin.

    Obviously, I have admin rights, but I seem to have avoided all the other nonsense.

    Now I can't be 100% certain that this is the reason I've avoided all the hassle, since I won't test the proposition.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
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  13. 2003/06/11
    RASelkirk

    RASelkirk Inactive

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    Charles,

    Just for kicks, look in your "C:\Documents and Settings" folder and see how many subfolders there are? I'm down to (4) as we speak, after deleting a bunch of them!

    Russ
     
    RASelkirk,
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  14. 2003/06/11
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni

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    Hello Russ,

    Good question - was thinking about posting that as well.

    Administrator - sub-folders mostly empty exept for program files and accessories which contain basic windows progs: notepad - media player - remote assistance - command prompt - explorer.

    All users - same pattern

    Default User (hidden folder) - same

    And me, Owner, which is where all my stuff is, cookies, TIF, etc., etc.

    Regards - Charles
     
    Last edited: 2003/06/11
    charlesvar,
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  15. 2003/06/11
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Newt,

    I thought of that possibility but obviously haven´t tried it since I´m a single user. I almost expect it to be put back by XP, though.

    Charles,

    When I installed XP Pro, I didn´t have that option during the installation. If I did, I missed it completely.
    At the beginning of the installation, I was prompted for an administrators password and at the very end, I was prompted to create one or more accounts.

    When and where did You set Yourself up as Owner?
     
    Christer,
    #14
  16. 2003/06/11
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni

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    Hi Christer,

    I installed XP Home in Feb. of 2002. Don't remember the details about it. Kept notes, no mention of the issue, probably because I didn't think anything of it at the time. Keep in mind that XP was new at the time, Oct. 2001 release.

    I formated as FAT32 because I dual boot with WinME. Thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that because my file format is FAT32, I had that option.

    The following is from my manual: XP Inside/OUT which is a Pro manual and does not, at least I can't find it so far, mention OWNER.


    Security. On an NTFS volume, you can restrict access to files and folders using permissions, as described in "Controlling Access with NTFS Permissions." With Windows XP Professional, you can add an extra layer of protection by encrypting files. On a FAT or FAT32 drive, anyone with physical access to your computer can access any files stored on that drive.


    Regards - Charles
     
    Last edited: 2003/06/11
    charlesvar,
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  17. 2003/06/12
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni

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    Last edited: 2003/06/12
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  18. 2003/06/12
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Hi Charles!

    Thanks for the links, the one to the Home Page is now in one of my folders sorted alphabetically ...... :D ...... (if You read that other thread).

    I haven´t had the time to study the new information yet but I have a question that has been in the back of my head for a couple of days now.

    When I installed XP Pro I was prompted for an administrator password, which I typed and confirmed.

    At the very end of the installation process, "configuring XP ", I entered one user name only, my own. I was automatically set up as administrator.

    When I log out I don´t have to type my administartors password to get back in.
    There´s the option, in Controlpanel / User Accounts, to set a password but it can be a different one.

    I don´t understand, are there two different administartor accounts?

    How do I get to the one for which I provided a password?

    Thanks in advance,
    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #17
  19. 2003/06/12
    JSS3rd Lifetime Subscription

    JSS3rd Geek Member

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    If I understand things correctly (and there's certainly no assurance of THAT :)), you have one Administrator account and your personal account, which has admin rights.

    Try booting in Safe mode. That's the ONLY time I see a logon screen with the Administrator account on it.

    Because I am the sole user of my computer, I installed XP Pro without any passwords. In order to simplify C:\Docs & Settings as much as possible, I deleted the Administrator and Default User folders, leaving only the All Users folder and my personal folder. Consequently, if I select the Administrator account when logging on in Safe mode (no password asked for or required), it uses Windows' default settings.
     
    JSS3rd,
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  20. 2003/06/12
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Hi Jim,
    thanks for Your reply!

    What You say makes sense. I read somewhere about a registry hack or something, to get the administrator account to show up in addition to the personal account on the Welcome screen.

    I´ve never had the "opportunity" to boot in Safe Mode but that too would make sense, the "real" administrator is the only one to get in that way.

    Our Documents and Settings folder differ a bit. I have set Windows Explorer to show all files and folders and I don´t have a specific Administrator sub-folder. I´ve got sub-folders for All Users, Default User, Local Service, Network Service and "User Name ".

    I don´t remember who but someone said in a previous discussion that there are several ways to setup XP, a lot of factors have influence. I´m starting to believe that statement ......

    Regards,
    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  21. 2003/06/12
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    To test I shut down and rebooted in Safe Mode. Both the Administrator and the "User Name" accounts were available. I´ve got a good password for the Administrator but "User Name" was wide open, no password.

    I´m getting more and more convinced that I don´t know what I´m doing ...... but I´m trying ...... :eek: ......
     
    Christer,
    #20
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