Copy settings from Admin to Limited account

[Deanodarlo]

I want to create some limited accounts for others to surf the internet from my PC.

Thinking this would be simple, I've ran into some surprising problems. When you create a new limited account, the following is an issue:

1) No option is given to copy settings over from your Admin account to the new Limited account, so you have to setup all programs and basic windows preferences again. After reading, it seems to use the default user profile when creating an account.
Seems strange Windows XP home wasn't given a tool to migrate your basic settings to all new users, or the ability to copy your settings to default user, upon account creation. All the advice on the web seems aimed at business and professional admins who have to alter the default profile correctly (not just copying over it using the "Copy to" tool as this creates problems in XP and above. In fact in 7, this has been prevented).

2) You can't change power profiles from a limited account, so have to create an admin account first, alter all your settings, then change it to limited. Creating a limited account straight away (as microsoft tried to stress to everyone was important) just won't cut it if you want your PC to behave in the same way, like shutting down and hybernating.

It was much more long winded than I thought!

I tried using the "Copy to" profile tool under "System properties->Advanced" by initially creating two extra user accounts, logging into both to activate them, then logging into one of them and copying my original Admin account and all its glorious settings over to the new account.

That woked great, apart from the fact it copies things it shouldn't (like GB's of My Docs data), ONLY if the new account remained as Admin! If it was set to limited, wallpaper disappears and many things stop working???

What am I doing wrong? Surely in XP home I can create new limited user accounts with the same settings as the main admin one and not have to setup everything again from scratch, mess around copying icons manually between profiles etc? It seems so user unfriendly!

Can anyone please help?

 

[Cal166]

Have you tried to Enabling the Limited account to an administrator, go in and make all the changes you want and then change it back to Limited afterwards?

 

[Deanodarlo]

Have you tried to Enabling the Limited account to an administrator, go in and make all the changes you want and then change it back to Limited afterwards?

Exactly! Like I said above, that's one of the things you have to do.

What I was looking for was an easy way to copy my main admin account (the one that gets set up as default when you install XP) settings for Windows and all the programs to a limited account.

Unbelievably, it doesn't seem there is an easy way - you have to setup everything again from scratch. The update options, the folder options, certain filetypes, program options.......etc etc.

The methods I've tried listed above all have issues.

Seems the only way is to go the pro admin route and build a default user profile as outlined here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/959753

...so when I create user accounts, they have those default settings.

Anyone know if Windows 7 any more advanced in this regard? All I want to do is create extra limited user accounts with settings from the main admin account carried over, so I don't have to set things up twice in the future.

 

[VirtualLarry]

This seems to be more of a PEBKAC error. Why wouldn't you just create the Admin account, AND a limited user account, when you set up XP, and then customize your limited user account from there. I guess I don't see the problem?

If you've already heavily customized the Admin account, then create a new Admin account, and then demote your customized Admin account to a Limited User account.

 

[Deanodarlo]

VirtualLarry, I don't think you've understood my thread properly, it's not a PEBKAC error but a simple request on how to copy all settings from admin to limited accounts. I have a lot of customized settings in many programs. It takes a long time to setup two accounts. I also set PC's up for quite a few friends and families who don't want others on their admin account.

I can't demote my Admin account, as I'd still have to setup another account again and I'm back to square one.

But I have my answer - it seems you can't carry over settings easily on creation of a limited account. It involves some messing around.

Tried the profile "Copy to" method and the File Settings and Transfer wizard, but they are not without problems which ends up not really saving much time. I could create a default user profile to handle Windows only settings upon install, but that doesn't cover all the programs and stuff I install after that.

Just asked incase there was a simple fool-proof way and I could save time in the future. I'm always on the look out to shorten the time it takes to do tasks, even if it's not a big issue to others. I was surprised it wasn't an easy thing to accomplish, so thought I may be over-looking something. Most people would want the option to carry over software settings to new user accounts on a home PC.

I mean, who likes doing the same thing twice?

Anyway, thanks for some input guys. 🙂

 

[mechBgon]

I can't demote my Admin account, as I'd still have to setup another account again and I'm back to square one.

Actually, yes you can demote your Admin account, after creating a different account just for Admin work. You shouldn't be using all your daily-driver programs from the Admin account anyway, so there's no need to go through all the tweaks and setup.

Bigger picture: the Files & Settings Transfer Wizard ought to get most of it done. What issues are you running into?

Even bigger picture: WinXP has been superceded twice now. It is what it is.