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Computer newbies: All my docs, folders, personal desktop icons, favs are gone.
All my docs, folders, personal desktop icons, favs are gone.
by Ernestine - 1/26/08 10:26 PMThe last thing I did before this happened was try to change to automatic logon so that windows would continue to start instead of waiting for me to click enter before it finished loading. I can't tell you the steps I used and I can't find anything that looks like the site that had the directions I followed. (Tried, thinking I could backtrack and undo what I had done.)
When I restarted the computer it came back on looking like a new installation except for programs we d/l'd that would be available for all users. This was my DH's computer and I swapped it for mine a couple weeks ago. Everything was fine untill today.
Hp Media Center M1270N
XP Media Center Edition 2005
IE6
Is it possible that he was using the profile 'HP Administrator' instead of 'Administrator'? I can't find helpful info on 'Hp Administrator' to know if that is a profile one might have started out using?
The logon window that shows when I restart Windows says 'Administrator'. We have never set up separate profiles(not on purpose, anyway) and we've never used passwords. Either of us could always use either computer without having any extra stuff to do.
When I go to Control Panel, User Accounts, click Change the way users log on or off a window opens that says "Client Services for NetWare has disabled the Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching. To restore these features, you must uninstall Client Services for NetWare." I don't know what this does and if I should uninstall it.
Is there a way I can have 'HP Administrator' profile load to see if that is where everythings is? Sure hope they weren't erased somehow.
Hope someone can help me.
Thank you for reading and any tips you know!
Ernestine
PS - Hello to Grif, Pat, Toni, and anyone still here that may remember me. Argonne left this world a year ago yesterday(25th). Just thought you would want to know.
Re: logon troubles
by Kees Bakker
- 1/27/08 3:43 AM
In reply to: All my docs, folders, personal desktop icons, favs are gone. by Ernestine
I'm sure they aren't gone, they just are in another user account.
Apparently, somebody sometimes installed the Netware software. You don't need it, until it's a corporate machine in a Novell Netware network. But I don't think so.Better uninstall it as explained in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315347
Then use Control Panel to make a new user (with administrator capabilities). Then enable the welcome screen (nothing wrong with some protection against intruders) and login as that new user. Then use My Computer or Windows Explorer to look into the Documents and Settings folder for the subfolders of all (other) users. One of those must be the containing the stuff you're looking for.
Now you have the choice to continue with the new account (transfer old stuff) or keep using the old account. It's safe to delete the new one if you're sure you don't need it. But I would advice to keep using the new account, and not trust some defaults you don't even know the details of.
To enable autologon into the account (if you prefer so), use TweakUI from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Hope this helps.
Kees
Kee, thank you....
by Ernestine - 1/27/08 11:30 AM In reply to: Re: logon troubles by Kees Bakker
I did as you suggested and now have my stuff back. I felt like I had fallen onto an alian planet when the computer came on looking like it did!(G)
We had a lot of problems getting this computer to talk to mine so that we could use one network connection(DSL) when we first bought the 2 HP Media Centers. The NetWare probably was d/l'd then. Anyway it is gone now and I am soooo happy to be able to get into the files again.
Thank you again,
Ernestine
southern California
Hi Ernestine, Glad To Hear From You...And..
by Grif Thomas - 1/27/08 10:21 AM
In reply to: All my docs, folders, personal desktop icons, favs are gone. by Ernestine
...I'm sorry about Argonne.. My condolences..
As to the default logon for most HP/Compaqs have you tried logging in with either "Owner" or "User"? If you haven't previously created a password for the default, give either of those a try and leave the password blank.
In addition, to see the various users listed on the computer, try clicking on Start-Run, then type: CONTROL userpasswords2 , then click on OK.. The various users on the computer should be displayed and you can choose from those login profiles to see which one was the original. If necessary, you can also change or create passwords from that locations as well.
Hope this helps.
Grif
Hi Grif, thank you for responding,
by Ernestine - 1/27/08 12:03 PM In reply to: Hi Ernestine, Glad To Hear From You...And.. by Grif Thomas
The profile that has all his and my files is HP Administrator, guess he just clicked one to use when he first started the computer. I followed Kee's info and now I can see my computer world!
In 'User Accounts' there are 4 listed:
User Name...................Group
Administrator...............Debugger Users;Administrators
ASPNET......................Users
HP_Administrator............Administrators
Sue.........................Users; Administrators
(Sue is the one I just created, plan to delete)
What does "Debugger Users" mean?
I just 'Googled' ASPNET and I don't think I need that either? Can be deleted?
Since I am the only person using the computer I really would like to make it automatically logon. I know that doesn't sound good to do for the average person but can't see it being a problem here. The cats can screw it up messing with the KB whether I have it logon/password protected or not.
Thank you for your help,
and thank you for your kind thoughts,
Ernestine
southern California
For autologon ...
by Kees Bakker - 1/27/08 1:52 PM
In reply to: Hi Grif, thank you for responding, by Ernestine
download TweakUI, run the setup (it will appear somewhere in Start>Programs), choose logon, then autologon and fill in the account and password to use.
It could be, however, that it requires a password on the account. But as the logon is automatic afterwards, it's no big deal to assign it once and type it here once. You'll never need it anymore. However: make a note and store it on a safe place. You never know if you need it for some reason.
Administrator is special secret account that's only accessible in Safe Mode and is needed by the recovery console. Don't delete it. There might come a time you badly need the recovery console! Just set the password, if you like (and be sure to make a note of it) or check that it's empty (that's the default). With an empty password everyone who knows the trick will be able to logon as administrator. But, of course, if you've got autologon on, it's even easier to do so for everybody with access to the PC.
Kees
In Addition To Kees' Good Information..
by Grif Thomas - 1/27/08 7:32 PM
In reply to: Hi Grif, thank you for responding, by Ernestine
..the ASPNET user is generally created when you install the "NET Framework" on your computer.. The ASPNET user doesn't really take up much space unless you use so it's best to leave it alone UNLESS you're going to uninstall NET Framework from the computer...
As to the 'Debugger Users', you may have enabled the "Machine Debugger Manager" (mgm.exe) at some time or installed Office 2003 or 2007.. See the link below for more information.:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/891962
Hope this helps.
Grif
Kee and Grif Thank you :-)
by Ernestine - 1/28/08 3:40 AM In reply to: In Addition To Kees' Good Information.. by Grif Thomas
I really appreciate all of the help. I seem to have everything back like it should be.
Grif, thanks for the link on the 'Debugger Users', I was curious what that meant.
I just deleted the 'Sue' profile and won't touch the other three. I delete only when I know for certain it is okay.
Thank you both again,
Ernestine
southern California
advice for secure autologon
by sergiopj2006 - 2/27/08 2:53 AM In reply to: All my docs, folders, personal desktop icons, favs are gone. by ErnestineBy the way you could look at this software -- LogonExpert Autologon http://www.logonexpert.com In contrast to TweakUI it encrypts password.
What's the use ...
by Kees Bakker - 2/27/08 8:12 AM
In reply to: advice for secure autologon by sergiopj2006
of a secure password for autologon? Just turn on the machine and you have access to everything, if it is encrypted or not.
Kees
reply
by sergiopj2006 - 2/27/08 11:31 AM In reply to: What's the use ... by Kees Bakker
Yep, you know your password of course, but others or spyware/mailware etc do not... and if it is not in registry (as plain text) but in external file encrypted by AES, it seems to be "more harder" to obtain it.
Looks grim.
by R. Proffitt - 2/27/08 8:21 AM
In reply to: advice for secure autologon by sergiopj2006
I've had to help people bail out of such systems too many times to say these are worthwhile. But there are a few that will get suckered into this so the business model is safe for many years.
Bob
PS. Given find (free) tools like NTPASSWD
by R. Proffitt - 2/27/08 11:33 AM
In reply to: Looks grim. by R. Proffitt
This password is almost as good as it's system's designers.
Let's remember of the rules about security here. "Physical access."
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