C:\Documents and Settings in XP Home

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hi

My PC used to show three folders in C:>Documents and Settings -
Administrator, All Users and Owner. Recently, I installed and used a trial
programme that caused my Desktop settings to completely change.

The easiest solution to rectify the problem was to use the System Restore
facility in Windows XP Home Edition, which I did, and which successfully
restored my PC to its previous state. After doing so, however, I noticed
that an additional folder appeared in C:\Documents and Settings called
Owner.ERIC containing a number of folders. I did change my Logon from "Eric"
and old password to "Owner" and a new password.

Can anyone explain what this additional folder is and is this normal when
System Restore is used?

EGA2006
 
Hi Wes

Thanks for the link but my situation doesn't really fit that scenario.

Even with me as sole user I would expect there to be at least three folders
in Documants and Settings - Administrator, All Users and Owner(me) although I
am both Administrator and Owner with a single Log-in/Password.

It is this fourth one that appeared after the System restore that puzzles me
- it contains stuff that isn't in any of the other three either.

Perhaps it is best left alone?
 
Owner was created by whoever you bought your machine from. Normally when
creating an account one uses their own name. When a PC builder creates an
acccount on a machine for sale, they do not know the user's name, so they
create an account named Owner.

Owner.Eric was probably created when you had a problem.

If you lose Full Control permissions to your profile folder, in the
%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings folder, Windows 2000 and Windows XP
will create a new one the next time you log on. The new profile is named:

UserName - if the older profile was deleted.

UserName.ComputerName - if the old profile exists.

UserName.ComputerName = Owner.Eric

Is your Computer Name Eric?

To see the Computer Name, right-click My Computer and then click Properties.
The System Properties dialog box appears. Clcik the Computer Name tab, the
name is listed under; Full computer name.

Default Local Disk Folders.

Folder Name: Documents and Settings
Contents: Account information for each user who is granted access on the
computer. Each user account is represented by a subfolder assigned the
user name. Folders under each user account folder include My Documents,
Desktop, and Start Menu.

These include:

Documents and Settings\Administrator
Documents and Settings\All Users
Documents and Settings\Default User
Documents and Settings\LocalService
Documents and Settings\NetworkService
Documents and Settings\You

Some of the above are Hidden folders.
These are System folders and shouldn't be deleted.

Administrator is for the Administrator account.

All Users is used for many things. Your Desktop and Start Menu, for
example, display what is in All Users *and* what is in your Desktop and
Start Menu folders.

Default User is used when creating new accounts.

The LocalService and NetworkService accounts perform things like synchronize
the time, etc.

<quote>
Microsoft Windows XP includes the following three built-in local accounts
used as the logon accounts for various system services:

The Local System account is a predefined local account that can start a
service and provide the security context for that service. The actual name
of the account is NT AUTHORITY\System.

The Local Service account is a special built-in account that has reduced
privileges similar to an authenticated local user account. The actual name
of the account is NT AUTHORITY\LocalService.

The Network Service account is a special built-in account that has reduced
privileges similar to an authenticated user account. The actual name of the
account is NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService.
<quote>
from...
The Services and Service Accounts Security Planning Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/topics/serversecurity/serviceaccount/default.mspx

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Wes

Yes, my Computer name is Eric and yes the PC was built for me by a system
builder which accounts for the User Name "Owner" and which I use.

And yes, if I show hidden and system files I have those you mentioned plus
the Owner.Eric created on the date I used the System Restore.

I take it that I should leave these as they are and assume that because the
folders and files in the new Owner.Eric are different to the others they are
required to enable me to continue with my "proper" desktop/user settings.

EGA2006
 
Who are you logging on as now?

Start | Run | Type: %userprofile% | Click OK

%userprofile% will open to C:\Documents and Settings\who ever is logged on

If there is something that need or want in Owner or Owner.Eric whichever you
are not logging on as, you can access that and move it to the other account.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi

I am logged in as Owner.

As far as I can tell all my programmes etc work as normal. Although some of
the folders and files in Owner.Eric are different could they exist elsewhere
in "Owner"?
 
Just depends on if you have anything in Documents and Settings\Owneer.Eric
that you'd like to move.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi

I have since deleted the "extra" folder and everything seems to work OK so I
am quite relieved.

I did set a restore point before doing so just in case!
 
Glad to hear it. Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Back
Top