How can I create a non inherting account?

[bobland]

Trying to find a bug in my wife's system. When I create a new account, it inherits everything in her profile. I tried this on my system and the same happened. I'd like to create a "blank canvas" account to try and either locate the problem or start afresh without re-installing Windows.

One of the problems is I can't install Chrome on her account but can on my account (on her computer).

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Burt

 

[UsernameIssues]

New accounts should have a combination of all of the stuff in the user named "Default" (hidden) and the user named "Public". Can you see if those two folders are there? And do new accounts/profiles get those things?

Edit: This post shows some of the paths that I'm talking about.

 

[bobland]

I can see Default and Public. None of the inherited files and problems are in these 2 folders with the exception of 1 file. As the original admin, am I a proxy default? When I create a new user, the user gets all, or most, of my files and programs.

I found if I create a new user and deleted programs, often, the deletion would be global rather then local. I'm assuming that the programs accessed by the new user are pointed to rather then copied from.

 

[UsernameIssues]

I'm doing my best to understand the terms that you are using, the actions that you are taking and the results that you are seeing. Sorry if the info below is the result of my not understanding you.

I can see Default and Public. None of the inherited files and problems are in these 2 folders with the exception of 1 file....

The only area that will be unique are the files/folders under a person's user profile. In general, everything else is common - including most of the programs that are installed.

...As the original admin, am I a proxy default?...

No. As I understand it, when you install a program, that program can be made available to all computer users or just the person installing it. At least those are the terms used by some people during the installation process. In reality, any user can open the Windows (file) Explorer and start almost any application.

Installation programs have the option to write files to the areas where all users will have easy access - as well as to areas where any new user will get the same easy access.

...When I create a new user, the user gets all, or most, of my files and programs....

Where are "your files" located? When you create a new user, where are you seeing "your files" when logged in as that new user? Can you post a screenshot or at least copy/paste the path to these particular files... or just one such file as an example?

If this new user is an admin, then they can see the contents of most files unless they are encrypted... and even then, other admin users can still see the names of the files (just not their contents) unless you take other actions to hide that too.

...I found if I create a new user and deleted programs, often, the deletion would be global rather then local....

When you say "deleted programs" - I hope that you are saying that you uninstalled the programs. Yes, most programs are common to all users of the computer. Some programs (Like Chrome) are not common. Everything is installed in the user's profile and that installation of chrome will not be easily available to other users.

If by "deleted programs", you mean that you deleted the shortcuts to that program from the desktop and/or the Start Menu - then yes, doing that can impact all users. You need to understand the info in this post before you start changing things like that... but maybe I'm not understanding you.

...I'm assuming that the programs accessed by the new user are pointed to rather then copied from.

Most programs are available to all users. That is why they are installed in the common (global) file area named something like "Program Files". Most start menu items are shortcuts pointing to those files. The same is true for most desktop items.

Read thru this post again and let me know what questions that you have.