How to reset OOTBE user settings...?
OOTBE=out of the box experience.
Here's the problem. I have a user in Windows 2000. It's the administrator user, but renamed to xxxyyy. If that matters.
The problem is that, this user experienced a virus/malware that I've since cleaned out of the system, the reason it was brought in. Now, the aftermath of the things is that now:
1. Drag and drop from a folder to the desktop, for example, does not work. Or anywhere, really.
2. Double click to open a folder works, but attempting to then open a file does not. You must use the menu, "File, Open", and that works fine.
3. Opening the control panel works, but some of the icons will not. Same issue as number 2, really.
4. It appears that if it's a folder, it will open, if it's a program, text file, etc, it will not, via double click.
And in all cases of 2-4, the following window pops up:
Security Alert
Opening a file from this location may not be safe and is not allowed with your current security settings.
You can also get the window by right clicking instead of double clicking.
Now, one would think this might be computer wide, but nosir. I made a new administrative user named abc, logged into it, and the problems are NOT present. At all. It works just fine.
So I said to myself "Self! Make another user, and clone the broken one! Myabe that will prove something..." Which I did, created the user, then using the "User Profiles" under the My Computer properties, copied the contents of the broken one into the new user 'gobbledy'.
That new user now exhibits the same problem. The abc one does not still. This proves it's a settings per user issue, and not the system, I believe.
I've been through all the settings I can find, but I've obvously not found the right one. It's day three, and I'm tired. Google is no help either, and Microsoft doesn't seem to have any awareness in it's knowledge base. I turn to you fine people for help, I know you can do it!
Is there a way to compare the settings involved that are giving me the problem, or a way to "tell" the user "reset all settings to OOTBE?"
Thank you in advance.
houtex
Here's the problem. I have a user in Windows 2000. It's the administrator user, but renamed to xxxyyy. If that matters.
The problem is that, this user experienced a virus/malware that I've since cleaned out of the system, the reason it was brought in. Now, the aftermath of the things is that now:
1. Drag and drop from a folder to the desktop, for example, does not work. Or anywhere, really.
2. Double click to open a folder works, but attempting to then open a file does not. You must use the menu, "File, Open", and that works fine.
3. Opening the control panel works, but some of the icons will not. Same issue as number 2, really.
4. It appears that if it's a folder, it will open, if it's a program, text file, etc, it will not, via double click.
And in all cases of 2-4, the following window pops up:
Security Alert
Opening a file from this location may not be safe and is not allowed with your current security settings.
You can also get the window by right clicking instead of double clicking.
Now, one would think this might be computer wide, but nosir. I made a new administrative user named abc, logged into it, and the problems are NOT present. At all. It works just fine.
So I said to myself "Self! Make another user, and clone the broken one! Myabe that will prove something..." Which I did, created the user, then using the "User Profiles" under the My Computer properties, copied the contents of the broken one into the new user 'gobbledy'.
That new user now exhibits the same problem. The abc one does not still. This proves it's a settings per user issue, and not the system, I believe.
I've been through all the settings I can find, but I've obvously not found the right one. It's day three, and I'm tired. Google is no help either, and Microsoft doesn't seem to have any awareness in it's knowledge base. I turn to you fine people for help, I know you can do it!
Is there a way to compare the settings involved that are giving me the problem, or a way to "tell" the user "reset all settings to OOTBE?"
Thank you in advance.
houtex
0
Comments
I want to preserve the user, but get rid of the problem, ya see...
Really, I profess ignorance. Please be gentle...
houtex
Copy only the documents and settings that you NEED - like Application data/microsoft/microsoft office if the client uses MS office or outlook for email, or identities if they use ms outlook express for email, mozilla, etc.
It'll be tedious, but if you copy over the most important settings first, and use the process of elimination, you'll eventually find the file that's causing the problems.
My hunch is something like NTUSER.dat or something.
This is why XP is SO much easier to admin than 2000.. Repair install, baby!