What to do with all the stupid and unnecessary "other/guest" user accounts and directories?
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From: thanatoid on 16 Dec 2009 23:36 Hello, Is it possible to move all the directories from All Users to Administrator or vice versa and change the re;evant/necessary shortcuts? It is driving me INSANE to have to check in two different places every time I want to make a change to the start menu. (Not to mention the set-up it totally illogical - at least to a non-MS employee.) Any thoughts/suggestions on this and related themes would be greatly appreciated. I am new to XP and while I am beginning to get used to it, the redundancy of 5 (or more) copies of the identical file (were it only *one* file - it seems there are HUNDREDS) in different places and the unnecessary presence of other user accounts on machine which only one person in the world ever touches is driving me nuts. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. t.
From: Tim Meddick on 17 Dec 2009 03:31 If you only ever use one profile (i.e. Administrator) you can make a change to the registry that will make the "Start Menu" within that users' "home" folder the only one that the system uses. (e.g. "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu") The changes would be as follows : [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders] "Common Start Menu"="%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu" "Common Startup"="%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders] "Common Start Menu"="%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu" "Common Startup"="%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" ....All the above values would normally have the values: %ALLUSERSPROFILE% as part of them - by changing this to: %USERPROFILE% you change the focus to the current users profile and make the Start Menu in the "All Users" folder redundant. P.S. I have also included a reg-file attachment (if you are using a news-reader capable of "seeing" attachments) that will make these changes. Another way of implementing these changes would be to copy and paste each of the following four commands into a Command Prompt ("DOS-box") and press [ENTER] after each... reg ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Common Start Menu" /d "%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu" /f reg ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Common Startup" /d "%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" /f reg ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" /v "Common Start Menu" /d "%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu" /f reg ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" /v "Common Startup" /d "%USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" /f (The above [4] commands should all be one-liners but may not appear so due to line-wrap. Please ensure that each command begins with 'reg' and ends with '/f') *Note - Please exercise care when editing the registry, always create a backup and / or create a 'System Restore' point first. == Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) "thanatoid" <waiting(a)the.exit.invalid> wrote in message news:Xns9CE3E601F3CEBthanexit(a)188.40.43.245... > Hello, > > Is it possible to move all the directories from All Users to > Administrator or vice versa and change the re;evant/necessary > shortcuts? It is driving me INSANE to have to check in two > different places every time I want to make a change to the start > menu. (Not to mention the set-up it totally illogical - at least > to a non-MS employee.) > > Any thoughts/suggestions on this and related themes would be > greatly appreciated. I am new to XP and while I am beginning to > get used to it, the redundancy of 5 (or more) copies of the > identical file (were it only *one* file - it seems there are > HUNDREDS) in different places and the unnecessary presence of > other user accounts on machine which only one person in the > world ever touches is driving me nuts. > > Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. > > t.
From: thanatoid on 18 Dec 2009 00:36 Leonard Grey <l.grey(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in news:Oakl0vtfKHA.2260(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl: > > Whether or not you think it's "stupid and unnecessary" is > irrelevent -- that's how Windows XP was designed. If you > try to break Windows, you will suffer the consequences. Well, I suppose we have all known MS is only good at making money, and even Apple is running a (significantly) prettied-up version of a 35-year old OS, so it would seem there IS NO HOPE. > If you are driven INSANE by something as miniscule as the > user account structure in an operating system, you really > need to get out more. Since you seem to be the kind of person that likes the expression, I will use it: "That ship has sailed." I have little to do in my life aside from sitting in front of idiot box #2. Sad but true. > --- > Leonard Grey > Errare humanum est Too bad humanum includes MS.
From: thanatoid on 18 Dec 2009 00:36 "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote in news:#gWL$OvfKHA.1536(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl: > If you only ever use one profile (i.e. Administrator) you > can make a change to the registry that will make the "Start > Menu" within that users' "home" folder the only one that > the system uses. This sounds promising, I will try it. <SNIP> > I have also included a reg-file attachment (if you are > using a news-reader capable of "seeing" attachments) that > will make these changes. I use XNews and I did not even know you CAN include "attachments" with non-binary posts. If you could post them or post links to them, I would be MOST grateful. I have no binaries access now, I'm on eternal- september. UPDATE: I just checked the DL dir where I saved you post, and there IS a "SingleStartMenu.reg" file there. HOW it got there I don't know. You learn something new about XNews (AND Total Commander) almost every day. > Another way of implementing these changes would be to copy > and paste each of the following four commands into a > Command Prompt ("DOS-box") and press [ENTER] after each... Will try them... <SNIP> > (The above [4] commands should all be one-liners but may > not appear so due to line-wrap. Please ensure that each > command begins with 'reg' and ends with '/f') > > *Note - Please exercise care when editing the registry, > always create a backup and / or create a 'System Restore' > point first. I'll make a registry backup. "System Restores" have never sounded very reliable - and I have read many SR-related horror posts. I very much appreciate your help. Sounds like specific stuff that may help me solve some of the annoyances.
From: Tim Meddick on 18 Dec 2009 16:42
Sorry, you can also download my reg file from : http://www.4shared.com/file/176172591/d9f0067a/SingleStartMenu.html This Reg-file will make changes to the registry to use the current user's "Start Menu" ONLY and therefore make the "Start Menu" in the "All Users" folder redundant. Please Note that this will make active the Start Menu (as and when you use this reg file) for the CURRENT USER and will then apply to ALL OTHER USER PROFILES *Note - Please exercise care when editing the registry, always create a backup and / or create a 'System Restore' point first. == Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-) "thanatoid" <waiting(a)the.exit.invalid> wrote in message news:Xns9CE4F0426723Cthanexit(a)188.40.43.245... > "Tim Meddick" <timmeddick(a)gawab.com> wrote in > news:#gWL$OvfKHA.1536(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl: > >> If you only ever use one profile (i.e. Administrator) you >> can make a change to the registry that will make the "Start >> Menu" within that users' "home" folder the only one that >> the system uses. > > This sounds promising, I will try it. > > <SNIP> > >> I have also included a reg-file attachment (if you are >> using a news-reader capable of "seeing" attachments) that >> will make these changes. > > I use XNews and I did not even know you CAN include > "attachments" with non-binary posts. > If you could post them or post links to them, I would be MOST > grateful. I have no binaries access now, I'm on eternal- > september. > > UPDATE: I just checked the DL dir where I saved you post, and > there IS a "SingleStartMenu.reg" file there. HOW it got there I > don't know. You learn something new about XNews (AND Total > Commander) almost every day. > >> Another way of implementing these changes would be to copy >> and paste each of the following four commands into a >> Command Prompt ("DOS-box") and press [ENTER] after each... > > Will try them... > > <SNIP> > >> (The above [4] commands should all be one-liners but may >> not appear so due to line-wrap. Please ensure that each >> command begins with 'reg' and ends with '/f') >> >> *Note - Please exercise care when editing the registry, >> always create a backup and / or create a 'System Restore' >> point first. > > I'll make a registry backup. "System Restores" have never > sounded very reliable - and I have read many SR-related horror > posts. > > I very much appreciate your help. Sounds like specific stuff > that may help me solve some of the annoyances. |