New Computer with MicroSoft Software Questions

1. I am a bit confused whether the themes install and you cannot access, or if they simply don't get installed. If they don't get installed at all, I would uninstall the applciation using Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. Restart the computer, then begin the installation again. There should be an option to customize or modify advanced features during the setup. In those advanced features there ought to be an option to perform a "Full" install.

2. Once you have both accounts setup, and are able to login with both, the easiest way to do this is to copy the windows profile over. To do this, you'll first need to restart computer to close an open files shared between profiles (since it's Windows XP). Then login with a 3rd account with administrative rights to the machine (say Administrator). Go into system properties by right-clicking on my computer and going to properties. In system properties, go to the Advanced tab, and click on the settings button under user profiles. Highlight your profile, then click "Copy To". Click the browse button and browse to the location of the other profile, it'll probably be c:\documents and settings\%family_username%. Highlight the folder with the username whose profile you wish to overwrite, and click OK. Then under permitted to use, click Change, and enter that user's username. Now hit OK, and once the files are copied over, the profiles will be identical except for permissions (as that's based on the account iteself).

This site has some screenshots for question # 2:

http://www.petri.co.il/copy_user_profiles_in_windows_xp.htm

1.  The message under Outlook options are that there are no themes/stationary installed. I'd rather do a repair install than uninstall Outlook with all the configurations I've made and then have to redo them.  For a package this complex, that's rarely simply.  Is it possible that they're not part of the purchase?  I get this confusing "tree" of options.  have you seen it?

2.  I take it that I'll need to create a third account with full admin rights, correct?  Can I then delete this account? I'm assuming so.

1. I see. Yes I'm familiar with the tree, and I would say right-click on the root of the tree, and select install all to hard drive, but I just came across the following article which may address some of this:

http://www.slipstick.com/OUTLOOK/ol2007/standalone.htm

Is Outlook standalone, or do you also have word 2007 installed.

2. Correct, you may create a new account and remove it later. However Windows XP has a build in account called administrator which ought to do the job, unless you demoted that account from admin status, or unless that's the account which you use for yourself. If you're not sure what the password is for Administrator, you can go to computer managment, right-click on that user and reset the password.

You can get to computer managment by right-clicking on my computer, going to manage. Then you can go to users and groups --> users.

1.  Dell installed M/S Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, the Student version.  I had to install Outlook separately, but it was cheaper than the Prof version.  See attachment.

2.  I see the admin account, but it doesn't appear on the log on screen, so how do I log on as that admin?  I can't find any place to see or reset the password, either.  (My other 2 accounts have no p/w.)  It doesn't appear under the User Accounts, only under System Properties.  And no, I haven't messed with that Admin account.  I get dire warnings about resetting the admin p/w; are we sure it has one?  Still, it's not on the log on screen, so I can't test that.  I found some information. I'll try and see.
Stationary-Missing.Doc

My Win XP book says, "If you're using Windows XP Professional, you can log on as Administrator. If the Welcome screen is enabled, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete twice to display the Log On To Windows dialog box. (If the Welcome screen is disabled, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete one time as you would to log on with any other account.) Type Administrator in the User Name box, and enter the password you created for the Administrator account during setup."  Doing this just brought up the task manager. My Welcomes Screen is enabled.  Why did it fail?

It's me again.  :)

I managed to get to admin logon after rebooting and copy my profile over correctly, but the updated one does not look like the original.  I did set the privileges lower on the new one, but still, the system tray, programs in the start menu, wallpaper, activated toolbars, etc. are all not the same.  Would it help to give the new user admin access, copy, and then reduce it back down?  I expected an exact duplicate Sorry this is so much of a diary...

If I decide to skip the Welcome Menu (and Ctrl/Alt/Del) and just boot straight up, how do I do that?  These dual accounts may not give me what I want.....

1.  Ok.  the chat goes on.  I canceled the Welcome Menu.  The copy just didn't duplicate.  Not sure why.  Any ideas?

2.  The slipstick article is good, but all my Office components are current.  Elsewhere on the same web page: "To replace Stationery and themes, create Outlook templates. Either save them in your My Documents folder for easy access or copy them to a folder in Outlook."  This seems like it could be useful, but I have no idea how to create templates.  What is slipstick saying that the problem is?  Or the fix?

>>The copy just didn't duplicate.  Not sure why.  Any ideas?
If done properly, the profiles should be identical. Perhaps you did not choose the correct folder to copy to. You may also do a manual file copy of the profiles by browsing to c:\Documents and Settings. Before copying anything, make sure the following:

1. you're logged in as that 3rd admin after a reboot
2. make sure that hidden files/folder are visible - in folder options (see attached)
3. make sure protected system files are visible - in folder options too (see attached)

You will see all windows profiles in seperate folders in c:\Documents and Settings. I would recommend backing up your profile before doing anything by copying that folder to the desktop. When you're ready, select all files/folders in your profile, and overwrite any/all files in the destination profile.

Another (more extreme) way would be to remove the second profile completely in system properties. Login as an administrator, and browse to c:\Documents and Settings, then proceed with the procedure above to overwrite the profile for "Default User". All new profiles use the "Default User" profile as a template.

BTW, are you using XP pro, or home?

>>If I decide to skip the Welcome Menu (and Ctrl/Alt/Del) and just boot straight up
The easiest way would be a small registry tweak. Here are some instructions from Microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315231


The slipstick article is saying that certain features such as themes are missing when only Outlook 2007 is installed. You mentioned that you have word/excel/ppt, but this is a different version. So I cannot say for sure, but perhaps this behaviour is by design. I would check what your current email editor is set to in Outlook. To check that in outlook, see the following site:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HP052428491033.aspx

>>This seems like it could be useful, but I have no idea how to create templates.
This would only be usefule once you installed and began using themes. To create a template you would need to go to 'save as' in a new mail message, and choose to save it as a template.
temp.JPG

Feliksd:

1.  I'm using XP Pro.  I was able to skip all log on's via settings that MicroSoft has conveniently spread all over the place. There's a place to skip the alt/control/del and a separate one to skip the Welcome menu. Thanks for the help, anyway. I've got sandboxie and I'm thinking that will help keep my family from, uh, bringing in junk via browsing.

2.  Dell installed the latest versions of Word/Excel/PP for me as part of the M/S Office student suite. I added the latest Outlook they sent me because it wasn't included in the suite.  All are version 2007.  Outlook installed perfectly in every other way.

I'll check my email editor when I get home today.  My view is already configured to show all.  (That's one of the first things I do; I can't stand not being able to see all my files.)  I'll try to save a "template" today too.  It's all still odd.

Nowhere in Outlook does it reference Word, but nothing seems amiss.  I see no reference to it at all.

Nevermind about the default editor. A Microsoft article just told me that Word is automatically the default.

I looked into it a bit further online, and my understanding of the situation is that if you do not have Outlook and Word 2007 installed from the same Office package, you won't have themes.

>>A Microsoft article just told me that Word is automatically the default.
... For the 2007 Suite.

Thanks Feliksd.  Can you send me the reference for that?  Is there no way to install them?

Unfortunatley I could not find an official reference, but many different forums seem to state this.

>>Is there no way to install them?
I dont want to tell you to go purchase something that may not work out, but perhaps installing Microsoft Word 2007 which is same office edition as your Outlook.

All my Office products are current = 2007, including Word.  Nothing surprises me from M/S, but it still seems weird.

Feliksd:
I found this in slipstick today under "Missing Features".  I do have all the M/S components, but didn't install them as one unit.  I'm guessing I suffer the same unannounced fate:
"Themes - Found on the Options tab in the compose message window and in Tools, Options, Mail Format, Stationery and Fonts, is disabled. Page Color is the only theme feature available..."

http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/ol2007/standalone.htm 

It wasn't a solution exactly, but I don't think there is one.  Feliksd, thanks for your patience.  If you find a workaround so that I can activate stationary/themes in Outlook, please let me know.