Combining User Accts on Vista Home breenan <guest[ at ]unknown-email.com> 12/27/2008 2:33:08 PM Due to using mulitple user names, I have a lot of key data spread all over my 'C' drive (for example archive to pst files in one user, live pst files in another; pictures spread across users; key documments spread across users; and so forth). Am looking for simplest way to collapse all data into one Administrator userid. Also, while I see Admin user and can get into it using explorer for 'C' drive, that user name no longer comes up as a user name via the control panel menu. Other user id's have the administrator privilege. So I guess I need to enable the Administrator, then collapse the contents of the other userids into it. When done I will delete the older userids. Is there any automated way to do this? Thanks. -- breenan

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home Malke <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> 12/27/2008 3:29:48 PM breenan wrote: [Quoted Text] > > Due to using mulitple user names, I have a lot of key data spread all > over my 'C' drive (for example archive to pst files in one user, live > pst files in another; pictures spread across users; key documments > spread across users; and so forth). > > Am looking for simplest way to collapse all data into one Administrator > userid. Also, while I see Admin user and can get into it using explorer > for 'C' drive, that user name no longer comes up as a user name via the > control panel menu. Other user id's have the administrator privilege. > > So I guess I need to enable the Administrator, then collapse the > contents of the other userids into it. When done I will delete the older > userids. You have two issues here - the desire to consolidate data across user accounts and the misunderstanding of the built-in Administrator account. For the first issue - No, there is no way to automatically consolidate data across user accounts. Create a new user account named as you wish. Copy all data into it. After you are sure you have everything, delete the other accounts if so desired. If you want to keep the other user accounts, you could move the data into the Public directory where all user accounts will have access to it. This new user account should be a Standard account in Vista. You should not use an account with administrative privileges for your daily work in Vista. (You actually shouldn't do it in XP either but in the Real World that is impractical.) For the second issue, since the built-in Administrator account is disabled by default in Vista (as it is in Mac OS X and some Linux distros), apparently you enabled it at one time and then correctly (for security) disabled it again. It would be better to leave it disabled and, assuming that at least one of your other user accounts has administrative privileges, create a new administrative account for emergencies. I usually make one called "CompAdmin" or "Tech". This account is only for elevation and emergency purposes and normally will never be logged into. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home "Anne" <anne[ at ]heaven.org> 12/27/2008 11:04:40 PM "Malke" <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:uEm90fDaJHA.4084[ at ]TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... [Quoted Text] > breenan wrote: > >> >> Due to using mulitple user names, I have a lot of key data spread all >> over my 'C' drive (for example archive to pst files in one user, live >> pst files in another; pictures spread across users; key documments >> spread across users; and so forth). >> >> Am looking for simplest way to collapse all data into one Administrator >> userid. Also, while I see Admin user and can get into it using explorer >> for 'C' drive, that user name no longer comes up as a user name via the >> control panel menu. Other user id's have the administrator privilege. >> >> So I guess I need to enable the Administrator, then collapse the >> contents of the other userids into it. When done I will delete the older >> userids. > > You have two issues here - the desire to consolidate data across user > accounts and the misunderstanding of the built-in Administrator account. > > For the first issue - No, there is no way to automatically consolidate > data > across user accounts. Create a new user account named as you wish. Copy > all > data into it. After you are sure you have everything, delete the other > accounts if so desired. If you want to keep the other user accounts, you > could move the data into the Public directory where all user accounts will > have access to it. This new user account should be a Standard account in > Vista. You should not use an account with administrative privileges for > your daily work in Vista. (You actually shouldn't do it in XP either but > in > the Real World that is impractical.) > > For the second issue, since the built-in Administrator account is disabled > by default in Vista (as it is in Mac OS X and some Linux distros), > apparently you enabled it at one time and then correctly (for security) > disabled it again. It would be better to leave it disabled and, assuming > that at least one of your other user accounts has administrative > privileges, create a new administrative account for emergencies. I usually > make one called "CompAdmin" or "Tech". This account is only for elevation > and emergency purposes and normally will never be logged into. > > Malke > -- > MS-MVP > Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! > FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ > When I bought my HP back in May of 2008, I remember choosing a user name and I did. I must have disabled the need to sign in because it has never been necessary. I simply boot and I'm automatically in charge. I just looked under User Accounts in the Control Panel and a picture of a chessman is there with my User name and the word Administrator. From that, I would conclude that I am the Administrator, This box has been working pretty good since new and I'm wondering why using myself as administrator should be disabled. thank you, anne

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home Malke <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> 12/28/2008 12:24:06 AM Anne wrote: [Quoted Text] > > "Malke" <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> wrote in message > news:uEm90fDaJHA.4084[ at ]TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> breenan wrote: >> >>> >>> Due to using mulitple user names, I have a lot of key data spread all >>> over my 'C' drive (for example archive to pst files in one user, live >>> pst files in another; pictures spread across users; key documments >>> spread across users; and so forth). >>> >>> Am looking for simplest way to collapse all data into one Administrator >>> userid. Also, while I see Admin user and can get into it using explorer >>> for 'C' drive, that user name no longer comes up as a user name via the >>> control panel menu. Other user id's have the administrator privilege. >>> >>> So I guess I need to enable the Administrator, then collapse the >>> contents of the other userids into it. When done I will delete the older >>> userids. >> >> You have two issues here - the desire to consolidate data across user >> accounts and the misunderstanding of the built-in Administrator account. >> >> For the first issue - No, there is no way to automatically consolidate >> data >> across user accounts. Create a new user account named as you wish. Copy >> all >> data into it. After you are sure you have everything, delete the other >> accounts if so desired. If you want to keep the other user accounts, you >> could move the data into the Public directory where all user accounts >> will have access to it. This new user account should be a Standard >> account in Vista. You should not use an account with administrative >> privileges for your daily work in Vista. (You actually shouldn't do it in >> XP either but in >> the Real World that is impractical.) >> >> For the second issue, since the built-in Administrator account is >> disabled by default in Vista (as it is in Mac OS X and some Linux >> distros), apparently you enabled it at one time and then correctly (for >> security) disabled it again. It would be better to leave it disabled and, >> assuming that at least one of your other user accounts has administrative >> privileges, create a new administrative account for emergencies. I >> usually make one called "CompAdmin" or "Tech". This account is only for >> elevation and emergency purposes and normally will never be logged into. >> >> Malke >> -- >> MS-MVP >> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! >> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ >> > > When I bought my HP back in May of 2008, I remember choosing a user name > and I did. > > I must have disabled the need to sign in because it has never been > necessary. I simply boot and > I'm automatically in charge. > > I just looked under User Accounts in the Control Panel and a picture of a > chessman is there > with my User name and the word Administrator. > > From that, I would conclude that I am the Administrator, > > This box has been working pretty good since new and I'm wondering why > using myself as > administrator should be disabled. If only one user account with administrative privileges is created, you will automatically be logged onto it. The built-in Administrator account is disabled for security purposes. "Using myself as administrator should be disabled" doesn't make sense to me unless you are really asking why you should run as a Standard user. You want to run as a Standard user because it limits your vulnerability to infection and user accident (inadvertently damaging the operating system by tinkering with global system settings for instance). You absolutely do not want to have only one user account. As you have things configured now, if your sole user account becomes corrupted (not an uncommon occurrence) you will not have an emergency account from which to salvage things. The disabled built-in Administrator can be enabled by booting with a specialized rescue CD, but not all end users are able to manage that. (I have no idea of your Mad Skilz so please don't take this as an insult.) I suggest that you create an emergency user account with administrative privileges that you will not use except for elevation purposes or for said emergency. Call it "CompAdmin" or "Tech" or the like. Log into that account and from there demote your regular user account to Standard for daily work. If you want to go directly to the Desktop and skip the Welcome Screen with the icons of user accounts, you can do this the same way as in XP: Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) - http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home "Anne" <anne[ at ]heaven.org> 12/28/2008 1:51:02 AM "Malke" <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:uQHRZKIaJHA.684[ at ]TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... [Quoted Text] > Anne wrote: > >> >> "Malke" <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> wrote in message >> news:uEm90fDaJHA.4084[ at ]TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>> breenan wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> Due to using mulitple user names, I have a lot of key data spread all >>>> over my 'C' drive (for example archive to pst files in one user, live >>>> pst files in another; pictures spread across users; key documments >>>> spread across users; and so forth). >>>> >>>> Am looking for simplest way to collapse all data into one Administrator >>>> userid. Also, while I see Admin user and can get into it using explorer >>>> for 'C' drive, that user name no longer comes up as a user name via the >>>> control panel menu. Other user id's have the administrator privilege. >>>> >>>> So I guess I need to enable the Administrator, then collapse the >>>> contents of the other userids into it. When done I will delete the >>>> older >>>> userids. >>> >>> You have two issues here - the desire to consolidate data across user >>> accounts and the misunderstanding of the built-in Administrator account. >>> >>> For the first issue - No, there is no way to automatically consolidate >>> data >>> across user accounts. Create a new user account named as you wish. Copy >>> all >>> data into it. After you are sure you have everything, delete the other >>> accounts if so desired. If you want to keep the other user accounts, you >>> could move the data into the Public directory where all user accounts >>> will have access to it. This new user account should be a Standard >>> account in Vista. You should not use an account with administrative >>> privileges for your daily work in Vista. (You actually shouldn't do it >>> in >>> XP either but in >>> the Real World that is impractical.) >>> >>> For the second issue, since the built-in Administrator account is >>> disabled by default in Vista (as it is in Mac OS X and some Linux >>> distros), apparently you enabled it at one time and then correctly (for >>> security) disabled it again. It would be better to leave it disabled >>> and, >>> assuming that at least one of your other user accounts has >>> administrative >>> privileges, create a new administrative account for emergencies. I >>> usually make one called "CompAdmin" or "Tech". This account is only for >>> elevation and emergency purposes and normally will never be logged into. >>> >>> Malke >>> -- >>> MS-MVP >>> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! >>> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ >>> >> >> When I bought my HP back in May of 2008, I remember choosing a user name >> and I did. >> >> I must have disabled the need to sign in because it has never been >> necessary. I simply boot and >> I'm automatically in charge. >> >> I just looked under User Accounts in the Control Panel and a picture of a >> chessman is there >> with my User name and the word Administrator. >> >> From that, I would conclude that I am the Administrator, >> >> This box has been working pretty good since new and I'm wondering why >> using myself as >> administrator should be disabled. > > If only one user account with administrative privileges is created, you > will > automatically be logged onto it. The built-in Administrator account is > disabled for security purposes. "Using myself as administrator should be > disabled" doesn't make sense to me unless you are really asking why you > should run as a Standard user. You want to run as a Standard user because > it limits your vulnerability to infection and user accident (inadvertently > damaging the operating system by tinkering with global system settings for > instance). > > You absolutely do not want to have only one user account. As you have > things > configured now, if your sole user account becomes corrupted (not an > uncommon occurrence) you will not have an emergency account from which to > salvage things. The disabled built-in Administrator can be enabled by > booting with a specialized rescue CD, but not all end users are able to > manage that. (I have no idea of your Mad Skilz so please don't take this > as > an insult.) > > I suggest that you create an emergency user account with administrative > privileges that you will not use except for elevation purposes or for said > emergency. Call it "CompAdmin" or "Tech" or the like. Log into that > account > and from there demote your regular user account to Standard for daily > work. > > If you want to go directly to the Desktop and skip the Welcome Screen with > the icons of user accounts, you can do this the same way as in XP: > > Configure Windows to Automatically Login (MVP Ramesh) - > http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Autologon.htm > > Malke > -- > MS-MVP > Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! > FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ Hi Malke, > You want to run as a Standard user because > it limits your vulnerability to infection and user accident (inadvertently > damaging the operating system by tinkering with global system settings for > instance). Where does the additional vulnerability come in because I'm the administrator? I don't tinker and I don't mess with downloads that might tinker, besides, that's why restore points are made. Nothing changes my registry unless I O.K. it first. I have an up-to-date AVG protection and a SpyBot immunize total of 92880. And, just in case, I have an up-to-date Acronis image and differentials on a separate hard drive. It also seems to me that additional users would only complicate things. Now, considering the above facts and the fact that all has been working well since I bought it, if you still believe that I should create another user Id, I'll really give it some serious consideration because I trust your experience and judgment. I don't mean to sound contrary, it just happens some times. thank you, anne

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home Malke <malke[ at ]invalid.invalid> 12/28/2008 1:45:31 PM Anne wrote: [Quoted Text] > Where does the additional vulnerability come in because I'm the > administrator? There are numerous reasons not to run as Administrator. Here in the Unix/Linux/OS X world, no one *ever* runs as root (our equivalent of Microsoft's "Administrator"). Vista is Microsoft's effort to come in line with the rest of the computing world's actions security-wise. With XP, there were too many software mftrs. whose programs needed to run with administrative privileges and/or write to protected areas of the operating system for it to be practical to run as Standard (leaving aside domain users for now) so most people ran as administrator. Programs designed for Vista understand permissions/restrictions. Since a standard user can't install software without permission (or elevation), "drive-by" installs of malware (such as were extremely common with XP) are limited. I don't say they can never happen, but you've narrowed the risk. Not having root (administrator) enabled and not running as root (administrator) also limits what an outside attacker can do to your system. There are other reasons, but if you want to pursue deep knowledge about operating security then a newsgroup isn't the place. Find whitepapers about Microsoft operating systems on TechNet to start with. Start reading articles at security sites such as http://www.sans.org/. > I don't tinker and I don't mess with downloads that might tinker, > besides, that's why restore points are made. Well, it's not all about you. And System Restore Points will not protect you from any of the above threats. > I have an up-to-date AVG protection and a SpyBot immunize total of 9288 > And, just in case, I have an up-to-date Acronis image and differentials on > a separate > hard drive. And you image every day? Just in case, you know, your single user account gets corrupted and you can't get into it. > It also seems to me that additional users would only complicate things. Complicate things? It is beyond me why end users think having more than one user account will complicate things. This is a very common misconception. I've already told you how to have multiple user accounts and still log in automatically to your Desktop. > Now, considering the above facts and the fact that all has been working > well since I bought it, if you still believe that I should create another > user Id, I'll really > give it some serious consideration because I trust your experience and > judgment. Yes, I think having more than one user account is wise. Yes, I think running as Standard (not root/administrator) is wise. Of course what you choose to do is up to you. It's not my call. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home Bruce Chambers <bchambers[ at ]cable0ne.n3t> 12/28/2008 5:47:11 PM Anne wrote: [Quoted Text] > > > When I bought my HP back in May of 2008, I remember choosing a user name and > I did. > > I must have disabled the need to sign in because it has never been > necessary. I simply boot and > I'm automatically in charge. > > I just looked under User Accounts in the Control Panel and a picture of a > chessman is there > with my User name and the word Administrator. > > From that, I would conclude that I am the Administrator, > > This box has been working pretty good since new and I'm wondering why using > myself as > administrator should be disabled. > > thank you, anne > > > Routinely using a computer with administrative privileges is not without some risk. You will be much more susceptible to some types of malware, particularly adware and spyware. While using a computer with limited privileges isn't the cure-all, silver bullet that some claim it to be, any experienced IT professional will verify that doing so definitely reduces that amount of damage and depth of penetration by the malware. If you do happen to get infected/infested while running as an administrator, the odds are much greater that any malware will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove with formating the hard drive and starting anew. The intruding malware will have had the same (administrative) privileges to all of the files on your hard drive that you do. A technically competent user who is aware of the risks and knows how to take proper precautions can usually safely operate with administrative privileges; I do so myself. But I certainly don't recommend it for the average computer user. Further, the built-in Administrator account was never intended to be used for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to rename the account, set a strong password on it, and use it only to create another account for regular use, reserving the Administrator account as a "back door" in case something corrupts your regular account(s). -- Bruce Chambers Help us help you: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375 They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers. ~ Denis Diderot

Re: Combining User Accts on Vista Home "Anne" <anne[ at ]heaven.org> 12/29/2008 12:25:11 PM "Bruce Chambers" <bchambers[ at ]cable0ne.n3t> wrote in message news:eNyJPRRaJHA.5676[ at ]TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... [Quoted Text] > Anne wrote: >> >> >> When I bought my HP back in May of 2008, I remember choosing a user name >> and I did. >> >> I must have disabled the need to sign in because it has never been >> necessary. I simply boot and >> I'm automatically in charge. >> >> I just looked under User Accounts in the Control Panel and a picture of a >> chessman is there >> with my User name and the word Administrator. >> >> From that, I would conclude that I am the Administrator, >> >> This box has been working pretty good since new and I'm wondering why >> using myself as >> administrator should be disabled. >> >> thank you, anne >> >> >> > > > Routinely using a computer with administrative privileges is not > without some risk. You will be much more susceptible to some types of > malware, particularly adware and spyware. While using a computer with > limited privileges isn't the cure-all, silver bullet that some claim it to > be, any experienced IT professional will verify that doing so definitely > reduces that amount of damage and depth of penetration by the malware. If > you do happen to get infected/infested while running as an administrator, > the odds are much greater that any malware will be extremely difficult, if > not impossible, to remove with formating the hard drive and starting anew. > The intruding malware will have had the same (administrative) privileges > to all of the files on your hard drive that you do. > > A technically competent user who is aware of the risks and knows how > to take proper precautions can usually safely operate with administrative > privileges; I do so myself. But I certainly don't recommend it for the > average computer user. > > Further, the built-in Administrator account was never intended to be > used for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to > rename the account, set a strong password on it, and use it only to create > another account for regular use, reserving the Administrator account as a > "back door" in case something corrupts your regular account(s). > > Thank you both for your input. It is very much appreciated, anne