I managed to get myself into problems by losing all log-in passwords. I was trying to get the system to log-on without the need to enter a password and must have really messed up something.

I tried to clear the CMOS by removing the battery but then couldn't get into the Admin log-on. All of the passwords that could have been used didn't help.

I eventually had to reload XP. The reload offered me a choice of partitions. One was a FAT32 (a very small partition) and an NTFS partition. I selected to reload into the NTFS partition. The reload went fine, but .... now I can't see any of my previously installed programs in the "all programs" selection in the Start menu. I haven't found any method of getting those already installed programs to show up.

I can establish a shortcut to the installed programs in a couple of cases, but this doesn't seem to work with most of the installed programs.

Of course, I can see the programs in Explorer, but how do I regain those programs in the "all programs" selection?

Or have I completely screwed up the system? Can I regain the installed stuff, or am I eventually going to have reformat the whole shebang and start all over?

in c:\ how many windows folders do you see?

My c: drive has only one Windows folder.

Everything looks right in the Start menu and within Explorer. I can easily see all of the installed programs within the Programs folder.

I just can't find any method of getting the files I can see within Explorer to show within the "All Programs" feature in the Start menu.

More info for you.

Exploring I see several users. They are Administrator, All users, and various others.

The PC boots without asking for a user log-on.

Exploring the Administrator folder\Start menu folder\programs folder, I see just the limited number of programs that appear in the Start Menu\All programs selection that I can see at current.

Exploring the All users folder\Start menu folder\programs folder, I see all of the programs that I want displayed in the Start menu\All programs selection.

All other users have the limited number of programs in the \Start menu folder\programs folder.

Does this just mean that the PC is automatically logging in as Administrator or another limited access user. How do I log on as a user with the full access?

You are a pretty good moderator. Your single question has me exploring a whole bunch of possibilities.

I created the original problem trying to get the PC to start up without requiring a log on. I achieved that, but with a user that doesn't have the full access to all programs that I see "all users" should have.

I can't log on as a different user in my current set up. I have only the single user when I try to "switch users", so I can't switch to a different user.

So....I need to create a different user, with the full access I desire. If I create a new user, won't I just create another user with the same limited access that I am now "enjoying"?

I'm going to give it a try.

Poop!! Just as I expected. I only managed to create another limited user.

I guess I still need some help.

hehe...that's alot of research you did there....the administrator SHOULD have access to everything on the system...EVERYTHING...so as the admin y ou should be able to start those programs...

To configure Windows XP to use the classic logon and shutdown screens for every logon session, follow these steps:1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click User Accounts.
3. Click Change the way users log on or off.
4. Clear the Use the Welcome screen check box.
Note If you turn off the Welcome logon screen, you also turn off the Fast User Switching option.


let's do that so you can get a chance to log on as a diff user...(preferably your original user name)..

also...explain what you did that caused this in the first place

I created the original problem trying to get the PC to start up without requiring a password at log on. I'm not entirely sure what I did, but it appears that I managed to delete all the users but one. The one user that I was left with, now named Family (listed as an Administrator account), has very limited access to programs.

Using Explorer I can see several users listed on my c:\ drive under the Documents and Settings folder. I do not see any of those users except Family when I go into User Accounts from the Control Panel. They exist on the c:\ drive but are not accessable in User Accounts.

I have checked out the variations in the various user accounts under the Documents and Settings folder. There is an Administrator account, an All Users account, an All Users.WINDOWS account, and a couple of others, including Family.

These accounts, with the exeption noted below, all have folders for Cookies, Desktop, Documents, Favorites, and Start Menu. The Start Menu folder contains the Programs folder. The Programs folder lists only the limited number of programs that is causing my problem.

All of the accounts are the same, except the All Users account. This account contains all of the usual, except that the Programs folder under Start Menu contains all of the programs that I am trying to access.

How is it that Family doesn't have the access that "all users" are supposed to have? It is confusing.

OK, now the $64 question. (Boy in times of "Who wants to be a Millionaire" that really dates me doesn't it?) Can I copy the Programs folder from All Users\Start Menu and just paste it over the Programs folder in Family\Start Menu?