WinXP Multi-User account Gripe

T

trajik78

Gawd
Joined
Oct 11, 2004
Messages
747
just ma little gripe i have with WinXP and muliple users...

i notice that when install an application or game under my user account (both user accounts on my machine are admin btw) it will install desktop shortcuts for both user accounts...which isn't entirely bad, the bad part is if the desktop shortcuts are deleted from the other user account they get deleted from my desktop as well.

like WTF, it doesn't make sense. Did M$ not have the foresight to understand that I may want it yet let the other user delete it from their desktop?

any fix for this?
 
That shouldn't be happening that way, and doesn't on my two systems at home. Each user account has it's own desktop folder, and the icons are separate. Are you sure the icons were just deleted, and the software wasn't actually uninstalled?
 
the actual application wasn't uninstalled.

when i installed the app (limewire, or a game demo), it places a desktop shortcut on both user accounts desktops. but when you delete one of the shortcuts in a user account, it'll remove it from the other accounts desktop as well...
 
It definitely shouldn't be doing that. My fiancee's computer at home has an admin account for me, and one for her. She likes having all her shortcust on the desktop (noob!) and I don't. I can delete any and all shortcuts on my desktop, and it has nothing to do with her desktop. Her damn Sims 2 games put shortcuts all over the desktop, but when I remove them from my account, they remain for hers.
 
it doesn't happen if i manually make the shortcut and place it on the desktop. only if the app installer does it.
 
Placement of shortcuts is entirely dependent on the software applications install routine. I have seen software that installs the shortcut for just the logged in user and I have seen software install shortcut in the "all users" folder.

More than likely the OPs problem is a result of the icon being setup in the "all users" folder rather than the individual logged in user.

Just to note, this is *NOT* a Microsoft issue, but one of the individual software vendor's install routine.
 
SJConsultant said:
Placement of shortcuts is entirely dependent on the software applications install routine. I have seen software that installs the shortcut for just the logged in user and I have seen software install shortcut in the "all users" folder.

More than likely the OPs problem is a result of the icon being setup in the "all users" folder rather than the individual logged in user.

Just to note, this is *NOT* a Microsoft issue, but one of the individual software vendor's install routine.
Click to expand...
That's a good point. The all users folder would have one individual shortcut file, so deleting it would delete it from everyone's view. Ah yes, poorly written software.
 
so the app installer puts the shortcut in the "all users" desktop folder? that'd do it wouldn't it! gotta say, not a big fan of that method. having shortcuts poping up and disapearing as ppl use their accounts...
 
For some reason I recall that if you password protect one of the accts it'll stuff it into the users desktop directory rather then all users. and the problem goes away..
 
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