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Removing user profiles

I recently installed windows XP over an existing installation. Now my "C:\Document and Settings" folder has the following sub-directories:
- All Users
- All Users.WINDOWS
- Default User
- Default User.WINDOWS
- Eric
- Eric.Perso
- Eric~1~PER

I would like to make some cleanup here, but I'm unsure which of these directories I can remove safely or not. Obviously "Eric.Perso" is where all my current application data etc is now stored, but for the other folders I am unsure.

Can someone please explain me if and how the others sub-directories can be removed safely ?
Thanks

Harisha M G

Hi Eric98,

It is not advisable to delete those folders.

- All Users -- Don't delete; It contains info that are common to all.
- All Users.WINDOWS -- Same as above
- Default User -- If someone is allowed directly to the system (without logon), his data are stored here.
- Default User.WINDOWS -- Same as above
- Eric -- Your data
- Eric.Perso -- The account with which you are logged now.
- Eric~1~PER -- Temporary account. (Cannot delete)

For cleanup you can use the Windows Cleanup Wizard....

Bye
---
Harish

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sirbounty

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Harisha M G

>> Not really sure of the Eric~1~PER

Temporary files/directories by M$ use ~ in names :)

sirbounty

What you think would be a reason for a profile to be created temporarily?

Harisha M G

Certainly I don't know. But sure, it is temporary profile. Who knows th M$ trick :-/

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ckratsch

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sramesh2k

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Eric98

ASKER

Thanks for this excellent feedback so far. Before I proceed to delete I want to double-check with you

1) When I open explorer it opens up in the Eric.Perso profile, and this seems indeed to be the one I'm always using

2) I like the idea of using delprof.exe rather than manual operations to delete the unused profiles. But when I launch it it opens a dos-windows and the following message is displayed:
Delete inactive profiles on \\PERSO? (Yes/No)
Given that Eric.Perso is the profile I do *not* want to delete I'm not sure that I should answer yes here ?

3) About the ".Windows", how can I know if that is the name of my workgroup ? I looked at the above registry key and have the following values:
AllUsersProfile = AllUsers.Windows
DefaultUserProfile = DeflautUser.Windows
Does this confirm that the folder with .Windows are from the current install and that the others can be deleted ?

So to summarize I should be able to delete AllUsers, DefaultUser and Eric (manually or with the tool) . Is that correct ?

Thanks again

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sramesh2k

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sirbounty

Start->Run->%userprofile% will also bring you to your current profile folder.
Delprof can be used with a /D switch to indciate the number of days of inactivity:

delprof /d:365

Start->Run->Sysdm.cpl from the computer name tab you can see your workgroup info..

Eric98

ASKER

Thanks for all your help, I have tested and it works :-)