Windows 7: need to understand user accounts

I am new to Windows 7. The tutorials are a step beyond what I want to understand.

My system logs me in automatically, and it says I am adminstrator. However I'm locked out of many folders.

I want to understand how many/what users exist and figure out a way to have good old fashioned full admin access to things by logging in as a real admin. For normal day to day use, logging in as a user will be great (once I have things setup the way I want)

So..
The C \ Users folder confuses me bigtime. Listed there are: All Users (shortcut? but lots of folders there), Default, Default User (locked), Public, and User (locked)

When I go to the control panel \ user accounts, only one shows up, Laryl Adminstrator. (I changed the name, it was just "user") So what are all those user folders I see under C?

Example of why I'm unhappy/confused. Above the folder Computer in the tree is "Laryl" and folders under it.. cookies for example is locked out so how can I manage them if I want? I can't even see them?



I'd like a simple clean setup.. a way to run this pc without being locked out of everything, 2 users (one as mentioned and one for just using the pc like a guest)

help?

Hi Laryl and welcome to the forum.

The default account created when you installed Win 7 is an administator account, albeit a limited one. It is similar to the old Advanced user account. This is part of Win 7's stepped up security. There is a "hidden administrator" that you can activate. It does have more privileges and it bypasses UAC. I have it activated; but I never use use it. I can do anything I need to do in the default admin account. It is a matter of learning Win 7. You do not want to run Win 7 wide open as you did XP. That defeats the very purpse of the added security.

The default user folder is a system folder. You don't need to worry about that one. The All Users folder pertains to those things that can be used/accessed by all user accounts on the system. The Owner folder is you. The Public folder is for things shared over a network.

Thank you. I read several tutorials on how to show the hidden admin user, but when I typed the on command it said no user found. So, I still need to solve that problem.

Understood about not running full like in xp and I agree.. but I still want that option while I'm setting things up. I didn't install the os, my builder did (and he's not local, and so don't want to bug him on learning issues).

So.. if the admin command to turn the hidden account doesn't work.. then what?

Enable the (Hidden) Administrator Account on Windows 7 or Vista - How-To Geek

Quote: "You really shouldn’t use this account for anything other than troubleshooting. In fact, you probably shouldn’t use it at all."

ok.. so, if I don't use it at all, and if I *should* according to others be able to do everything from the regular login.. then as mentioned in the first place I have to learn how to use Windows 7. I'm ok with that but haven't figured out the whole taking ownership thing so I can get to folders that are locked.

I'm afraid I'm likely to make more of a mess than if I could just leave my login as windows meant it to be (probably too late now since I've tried changing ownership.. can I default reset?) and just use the hidden account when I want to. If I change something while logged in like now, won't it do more harm than just allowing me to temporarily be full admin to see what I want to see and then going back to the user normal one? (hope that made sense)

If a folder is locked to you in your default admin account, you do not need access to it. It is a system folder. There is nothing you can do with that folder - except screw up your system (don't ask me how I know this ).

Well ok, the folder in question is Cookies. Is there a new way to handle them?

If you want to delete them, use the browser.

ok fair enough. I'm just so used to file manager and being able to look in folders to see what is where.. this Windows 7 locking me out of things is really confusing.

Guess I will leave well enough alone and hope what I have done trying to get into some of these folders won't hurt anything. If I have a specific problem or question in the future I'll ask here. Thanks for the welcome and help.

As has been said, cookies can be deleted via the browser, but if have need to manage cookies individually (i.e., delete some, keep others):

In the Run box (Start button\Run) type:

C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low


The folder that contains your cookies will open. You can peruse it and delete whatever cookies you don't want on your system.

If it's somehow not obvious, YOUR USER NAME means whatever name you assigned your user account.


James

Edit:

I should add that if you feel you will use that method to 'maintain cookies', you can always create a shortcut to that folder (...\Low) and keep it handy. When you wish to maintain cookies, click (or double click) the shortcut.