Richnep said:
Actually I do understand the All users concept. A users desktop is a
combination of what is in the all users\desktop folder and whatever
is placed in the xuser\desktop folder.
Here is the exact problem I had:
Actually - you tell a story that points to you not understanding the concept
of the all users desktop.
Let me show you how.
logged in as user1 I installed AOL messenger and Norton AV . These 2
programs put shortcuts in the all users\desktop folder to open each
respective program. So now each user has these shortcuts on their
desktop.
As you *just said*, it, "... put shortcuts in the all users\desktop folder
...." -> it did NOT copy the shortcut to each individual users' desktop
foilder.
They SEE the shortcut on their desktop - but in reality, if you were to open
My Computer and go into C:\Documents and
Settings\<theirusername>\Desktop --> the shortcuts would not be there. Just
because they see it on their desktop does not mean it is in their desktop
folder.
The shortcuts are actually in the folder C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Desktop. It is visible on the desktop of each logged on user - but is
not actually located in each of the user's desktop folders.
While logged in as user1 I deleted the Norton shortcut from
the desktop of user1. Normally only the shortcut that was located on
user1's desktop would go into the recycle bin of user1. Instead
windows deleted the icon not only from user1 desktop but also
deleted it from the all users\desktop folder.
No. You deleted the ONLY copy of the shortcut. It was stored in ONE place
only. That place was C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop. When you
deleted it - it removed it from there - meaning it was now not visible
ANYWHERE. You could have proven this to yourself before deleting it by
actually visiting "user1"'s desktop folder located at C:\Documents and
Settings\user1\Desktop through Windows Explorer or My Computer. Going there
would have shown you no such file existed on user1's desktop - but in the
All User's desktop.
I logged in as user2. While logged in as user2 I deleted the AOL
messenger shortcut on the desktop. Normally only the shortcut
located on user2's desktop would go to user2 recycle bin. Instead
windows deleted the shortcut not only from user2's desktop but also
from the all users\desktop folder.
No. You deleted the ONLY copy of the shortcut. It was stored in ONE place
only. That place was C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop. When you
deleted it - it removed it from there - meaning it was now not visible
ANYWHERE. You could have proven this to yourself before deleting it by
actually visiting "user2"'s desktop folder located at C:\Documents and
Settings\user2\Desktop through Windows Explorer or My Computer. Going there
would have shown you no such file existed on user2's desktop - but in the
All User's desktop.
This is where my problem is. Shortcuts that are on userx's desktop
folder (Meaning c:\documents and settings\userx\desktop) when
deleted, should be the only one deleted. AT no time did I navigate
to c:\documents and settings\all users\desktop. If I place a
shortcut on userx desktop it only appears on userx's desktop which
is normal behavior.
Okay. The story you told above and the description here, "... Shortcuts
that are on userx's desktop folder (Meaning c:\documents and
settings\userx\desktop) when deleted, should be the only one deleted ..."
are two different things. Above you clearly stated the installed
applications (AOL and Norton) put shortcuts in the "All Users" desktop
folder. Yes. That is EXACTLY what it would do. Here you are saying
(correctly) that if you have a shortcut just on userx's desktop and delete
it - it should be the only one deleted. Yep. Probably works too. Try
it...
1) Log on as User1.
2) Create a shortcut on User1's desktop.
Do this by right-clicking on the desktop (in a non-populated area) and
selecting "New" --> "Shortcut" and browsing to "My Computer" --> "Local Disk
(C
" --> "Documents and Settings" , clicking "OK", clicking "Next" and
clicking "Finish".
3) Log off.
4) Log on as User2.
5) Create the exact same shortcut (notice - you do *not* see User1's
shortcut.)
6) Log off.
7) Log on as User1.
You'll notice at this point you have a shortcut on your desktop called
"Documents and Settings". You have a similar shortcut (exact name, pointing
to the exact same place) on User2's desktop. That's all they have in common
though. User1 does not see User2's shorcut and vice-versa. If you were to
delete the shortcut off User1's desktop, user2 would remain unaffected and
vice-versa.
Now - use the shortcut to open the actual Documents and Settings folder. In
there you should see the usernames of all the users onthe computer and a few
you may not recognize/use. Ignore those. What you are interested in is
going under the "All Users" folder and then the "Desktop" folder. You'll
notice that the "Documents and Settings" shortcut is not there. Meaning if
you have a User3, User4, User5, so on... None of them can see the "Documents
and Settings" shortcut - nor will any of them be effected if you delete it
off User1 or User2's desktops.
Now that you are in the "All Users" desktop folder - right-click there and
create a new text file. Name it "AllUsersSeeThis.txt". You will *see it*
suddenly appear on User1's desktop.
If you log off as User1 and log on as User2 at this point, you will notice
User2 can see that text file as well. SEE it is the key. It is not in
either user's desktop folder - which is the only thing that makes it
uniquely theirs. If ANY user deletes the "AllUsersSeeThis.txt" file right
now - it is GONE from the ALL USERS desktop folder and thus - no users see
it anymore. Exactly what you described in your story originally.
AOL and Norton both put their shortcuts only in the "All Users" desktop
folder. Every user that logs in can see it. Not every user may be able to
delete it, but every one of them sees it on their desktop screen like it was
their own personal copy. It *is not*. It is in one location. Not two, not
three, not one for each user on the machine - one place. C:\Documents and
Settings\All Users\Desktop. No where else. Delete it from the desktop (any
desktop you can see) and it *will* delete it from the All Users' desktop
folder - thus removing it from the visible desktop of everyone who logs on
(as well as from the machine.) You do not have to ever visit the actual all
users desktop folder to do that. The visible desktop of any user with the
rights to delete files from the all users' desktop can delete said shortcut
for everyone that logs in (and will, if they delete it from their visible
desktop.)
No one ever said you navigated anywhere. You don't have to. If you have
the rights to delete it and it was in the "All Users" desktop folder
(although you *see* it on the actual desktop when logged in) and you delete
it from your visible desktop what you have actually done - by proxy - is
delete it from the "All Users" desktop folder. No one has that icon any
longer.
You have to manually copy anything you want on certain users desktops to
those users desktop folders if you don't want it visible on all users
desktops.
