File permissions for individual user folders, program install errors

linmix said:

Thanks for taking the time to help me get this right.

I've just renamed my existing user account and then created a new one with the old name. Windows appeared to complain the name was in use already, but then decided to make the account anyway. Should I be worried....
The new account appears to be working just fine.
backing up and preparing to uninstall as per your instructions

Did I say to backup stuff?
What usernames are listed in logon menu?
What folders are in c:\users? Old and new user account should be listed there.

You did make a adminstrator account not a standard user account??

Don't copy to new account:

• Files in c:\users\<oldusername>
• folder appdata
• folder tracing

Did you change anyting in old account like this?

• Internet explorer favorites
• Open windows explorer. In left to control you see Favorites (desktop, downloads, recent locations). You changes that?
• Check folder c:\users\oldname\downloads and c:\users\oldname\savedgames. Any relevant stuff there you wanna keep?

Copy only the stuff I told you! And of course My documents, My videos, desktop and so on.
Do all shortcuts/files on desktop work (chekc the ones you copied)
Only copy the contents from the folder not the folder itself!
Don't copy appdata!!

Initiate the copy when logged on as new user!! It can popup a message you need admininstrative rights... you acknowledge that.

Which folders/files are not copyable?

If you copy a file/folder it's just like you create it. You become the owner, permissions are set as it should. So DON'T move but copy

linmix said:

So it's the copy vs move thing that may have gone wrong in my case (earlier, not now) and the fact that I need to initiate it from the new account.

What about the external drive I use for backup? I'm on a laptop and don't have enough space to have duplicates so I will need to backup most of my audio and video files on an external USB drive. How do I take possession of those?

I'll get started and let you know how it works out.

A none system disk has read/write/excute permissions for "everyone" by default. If you don't set any permissions after creating file..... it inherits the permissions from folder above. For short.... you can read/write anyting on external drive.

File owner will be the person who actually does the copy command.

Move (only possible on same partition) is just a pointer by saying that file belongs to another folder. Owner and permissions stay the same. But most permissions are like "same as folder above". in that case it is of course inhereted as well... but from another folder.

Normally you set permissions on folders and not on files. files in that folder inherit the permissions from folder.

You also could have done move. For explame from old my documents folder to new one.
Then richt click new my documents folder->properties->security->advanced.

There you can click "change permissions". See screenhot
tab owner->change. See screenshot.

Of course you have to press OK. (Sorry... screenshots in Dutch)