The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Windows User Accounts
Mmmm... Cocks...
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
TL;DR is bolded
So we've had the same family computer for a little over 10 years. It's been great and I took great care of it. A couple months ago I built my little brother a gaming PC, and it's fantastic. Now recently our family computer took a crap all over itself. I was thinking of replacing some components blah blah but my father said he might just buy a computer, it is almost time.
However I was thinking of just setting up a differant user account for my brothers PC. Now I've never actually done this before but the big concern was HDD space on this computer.
So my main question here is, can I buy a second hard drive and set up windows so that the family account saves to and can only access the new drive?
So we've had the same family computer for a little over 10 years. It's been great and I took great care of it. A couple months ago I built my little brother a gaming PC, and it's fantastic. Now recently our family computer took a crap all over itself. I was thinking of replacing some components blah blah but my father said he might just buy a computer, it is almost time.
However I was thinking of just setting up a differant user account for my brothers PC. Now I've never actually done this before but the big concern was HDD space on this computer.
So my main question here is, can I buy a second hard drive and set up windows so that the family account saves to and can only access the new drive?
Mmmm... Cocks... on
0
Posts
A better solution would be to just buy a big enough hard drive such that you can all live harmoniously. You could even buy an identical one to the one you built your brother, and RAID them for faster speed. Setting permissions on the computer will probably just inconvenience all of you.
PSN: TheScrublet
I've never even used another user account on windows.
Now with iTunes is there any thing I'm going to have to set so that their music isn't shared across the accounts? Or when he opens his he'll only see his music and then on the other account they will only see theirs? I just don't understand how separated accounts are on windows. Will this take lots of tweaking still?
What about all the programs and games installed on his account? Can I pick and choose which show up on their account? I don't want to have to install Spybot and Chrome etc on their account but I don't want his games to show up on theirs, they have no need for them. Or would I not even need those, I mean scanning for spyware on his account would remove things off their account yes? So many little questions, I'm sorry.
Little over my head on this.
Edit: I went ahead and made them an account.
It was interesting, like I had just installed windows. None of the games seem to be there except Steam and WoW. If I get rid of these they'll just not be displayed on their account yes? Just uninstall them normally? My brothers account is the admin FYI. Some programs aren't there however. Firefox showed up but Chrome did not. How do I get that over to their account. Do I need to install it again? Can't seem to understand the rhyme or reason why some programs are there and some aren't.
I know Chrome installs itself to a user-specific folder (I can't remember it right now for some reason... AppData?), so you'd need to install it again. The other programs I'm not too sure on, but I know some installers have options to create shortcuts for only the current user, or for all users; it could just be that the user account doesn't have the shortcuts to the program, but the program is still accessible (just need to manually go ahead and create shortcuts.)
I am pretty sure uninstalling Steam and WoW would actually uninstall them altogether. The accounts aren't that separate. Just delete the shortcuts.
edit: I think
This is true, windows would not/will not create a second installation of every program for every account. Uninstalling something under any account affects the entire system.
The Family account can still launch WoW/Steam via the Start menu, but this will remove the shortcuts from the desktop when the Family account is logged in.
Usually when the user is directed to save files to his/her computer, it will default to a location that is user-specific (e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\username\Desktop or C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents in XP and C:\Users\username\Desktop or C:\Users\username\Documents in Vista) unless the user indicates otherwise. If someone is logged onto the Family account and when asked to save a file chooses to save it to "C:\" then that location may be cached as the default save location the next time he's asked to save a file (this would be application specific).
One snag I hit, I can't seem to make Google Chrome the default browser. It's quite strange. Going through the browser doesn't seem to let me with the option. And when I go to do it in Windows, it's not on the list to make it a default program. Pretty irritating.
Edit: and I can't install iTunes for some reason. It's another admin account though, strange.