Upgrading and Repairing Microsoft Windows, Second Edition

Chapter 8. Managing Windows

Managing Users

Modern versions of Windows, the branch of the family tree that includes Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista, incorporate the distinct concept of a “user.” Given your username and password, besides applying your preferences for the desktop and applications, Windows can track which of several dozen privileges you should be allowed to exercise, including the right to install new software, change other users’ passwords, access the computer remotely via a network, or—when your disk is formatted appropriately—access any given file. Here are the elements of the Windows environment that are or can be user-specific:

• Your User Profile, a folder in which your personal files are stored, including your [My] Documents folder, ...