User names in Explorer increasing.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frank Martin
  • Start date Start date
F

Frank Martin

I have just reinstalled WindowsXP Pro because of a System32 crash, but this
has left an inconsistancy in the User number & names.

In "My Computer" / Manage there are only two users listed as "Administrator"
and "Frank Martin".

But when I go to Explorer and look under 'Documents and Settings" I get:

(Name/Mb size/No of files)

Administrator(4.58/55)
Administrator.GenBoi3asl (3.19/80)
AllUsers (62.7/1255)
AllUsers.Windows (9.15/284)
DefaultUser (0.645/58)
DefaultUser.Windows (0.488/51)
Frank (135/2621)
FrankMartin (9.91/141)
FrankMartin.General.Boi3asl (154/2654)
FRANKM~1~GEN (5.41/38)

What can be causing this?

I'm not sure where relevant data is and I need the arrangement back to where
it was with three folders:
Administrator,
All Users,
Frank Martin

Please help, Frank
 
I have just reinstalled WindowsXP Pro because of a System32 crash, but this
has left an inconsistancy in the User number & names.

In "My Computer" / Manage there are only two users listed as "Administrator"
and "Frank Martin".

But when I go to Explorer and look under 'Documents and Settings" I get:

(Name/Mb size/No of files)

Administrator(4.58/55)
Administrator.GenBoi3asl (3.19/80)
AllUsers (62.7/1255)
AllUsers.Windows (9.15/284)
DefaultUser (0.645/58)
DefaultUser.Windows (0.488/51)
Frank (135/2621)
FrankMartin (9.91/141)
FrankMartin.General.Boi3asl (154/2654)
FRANKM~1~GEN (5.41/38)

What can be causing this?

I'm not sure where relevant data is and I need the arrangement back to where
it was with three folders:
Administrator,
All Users,
Frank Martin

Please help, Frank
Click to expand...

Folders with this naming convention (useraccount.something) appear for two
reasons that I know of:

- Domain accounts: local account = username folder; user account on a
domain and for a domain connection = username.domain

- Reinstalling Windows to the same folder instead of repairing the Windows
setup: Two folders of the same name cannot exist in the same hierarchy so
Windows adds .whatever after the name of "new" user account.

If this is a home computer that never connects to a domain (a workplace
network, for example), then most likely the folders you are seeing are due
to choices made when reinstalling Windows.

In most cases, the "Frank Martin" folder was for the original user account
(and is no longer in use). Those with the .something after their name are
more recent. Usually the folder with the most recent date is the one your
account is currently using. This can be double checked by doing the
following:

While logged on to your user account, click Start> Run and type in %
%userprofile%
Explorer will open with the focus on the folder for your currently logged
on user.

Once you know which set of folders are being used, you can move data out of
the old folders for safekeeping and delete the old folders. If using NTFS,
it may be necessary to "take ownership" of some files and folders in the
other user folders before working with them.
How To Take Ownership of a File or Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421
 
Sharon F said:
Folders with this naming convention (useraccount.something) appear for two
reasons that I know of:

- Domain accounts: local account = username folder; user account on a
domain and for a domain connection = username.domain

- Reinstalling Windows to the same folder instead of repairing the Windows
setup: Two folders of the same name cannot exist in the same hierarchy so
Windows adds .whatever after the name of "new" user account.

If this is a home computer that never connects to a domain (a workplace
network, for example), then most likely the folders you are seeing are due
to choices made when reinstalling Windows.

In most cases, the "Frank Martin" folder was for the original user account
(and is no longer in use). Those with the .something after their name are
more recent. Usually the folder with the most recent date is the one your
account is currently using. This can be double checked by doing the
following:

While logged on to your user account, click Start> Run and type in %
%userprofile%
Explorer will open with the focus on the folder for your currently logged
on user.

Once you know which set of folders are being used, you can move data out
of
the old folders for safekeeping and delete the old folders. If using NTFS,
it may be necessary to "take ownership" of some files and folders in the
other user folders before working with them.
How To Take Ownership of a File or Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421
Click to expand...

Many thanks for this. I will get started.
 
Many thanks for this. I will get started.
Click to expand...

You're welcome, Frank. I notice that my previous post had an extra %. The
variable for finding the current user's folder is simply
%userprofile%
 
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