Creating New Users in Windows XP

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StoneCold Skywarp
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Creating New Users in Windows XP

Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

Whenever I create a new user for my PC (whether or not I create it as an Admin account, or user account) I can't seem to change the display settings from 640x480. When I go to display properties it appears that there aren't any drivers loaded for my monitor and the option to update them is blanked out.

Anyone any ideas?
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Civ
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Post by Civ »

Which version of Windows XP are you running? Professional or Home? The reason I'm asking is due to this website:

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/wi ... me_pro.asp

In particular from that page is this portion describing what Professional has that Home does not. So, this may have something to do with your problem:
Networking features
The following networking features are not included in Home Edition:
The user interface for IPSecurity (IPSec)
SNMP
Simple TCP/IP services
SAP Agent
Client Service for NetWare
Network Monitor
Multiple Roaming feature
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

XP Pro
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Civ
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Post by Civ »

Let's see. What kind of monitor do you have?

I'm assuming you can change your resolution from your main account; however, I could be making a bad assumption. Is this the case?

When you try to change the resolution from your other user account in Display Settings, is that little sliding bar there active or is it "faded out" and you can't grab it with your mouse?

When was the last time you updated your version of Windows? I just created a user account on my Windows XP and it allowed the other user to change the resolution.

Here's something else I found while searching around for possible solutions to your dilemma. This a tech forum where a person had what looks to be a similar problem to yours.

http://www.tech-forums.net/computer/topic/592.html

Someone on that forum pointed the person to this website.

http://perso.orange.fr/sto41/en/My%20To ... ttings.htm

I don't know if this will help or not.

EDIT: I just changed the resolution and kept it in the user account from my usual 1280x1024 to 800x600. I then logged onto my main account and now, my main account has the 800x600 resolution. So it looks like I have a similar problem.
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

I have the EXACT opposite problem. That being that I want both desktops to be the same resolution, but when I create a new one it's forced to 640x480 in 4 colours (notice the u kiddies) and I can't change it.

Using Windows help it suggests installing the drivers, however I've no option anywhere allowing me to do just that.
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Civ
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Post by Civ »

Oh, I see. I was misunderstanding the problem. After looking through all of these websites trying to get different resolutions for different accounts, I kept reading that it was a registry default for all users to have the same resolution settings. Since your problem is the exact opposite, have you checked your registry? Maybe a registry cleaner would fix this problem?

EDIT: So far, I haven't found anything on monitor drivers but I'll keep looking.
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Post by Denyer »

Hmm... new admin users should be able to install drivers.

You could have a root around in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ and see if anything's explicitly disabled, but AFAIK what you're doing should work.

http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/multires.shtm

^ Worth a shot?
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

registry all seems fine and dandy.

As I mentioned earlier, no matter what type I set the new user as, it won't allow me to install drivers at all. The boxes are non-clickable.

All this because I want my g/f to (finally) have her own desktop/login :(
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Post by Denyer »

Hide the porn instead?

Have you tried updating the video driver (and possibly Direct X)? Could be an incompatibility there -- in fact, would say that's most likely. IIRC you can't specify a monitor if a non-generic video card isn't installed, which may be what the system thinks has happened.

edit:

Did Multires manage anything at all?
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StoneCold Skywarp
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

just updated the gfx card, monitor driver & everything 'windows troubleshoot' suggested. All to no avail.

Gonna try multires now.

EDIT: Did **** all
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Post by Denyer »

Copy your settings over directly into the default account, perhaps?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319974
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

I'll have a look into that. Thanks both :)
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Civ
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Post by Civ »

I talked to the IT guy at my job the other day and he said the problem might be that your new users accounts aren't in the same folder ("local users") as your admin account. He mentioned to try going into your main admin account and seeing if this is so. It might be a quick fix but then again...

If that doesn't work, I can go back and ask them again with updated info.
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

I'm not gonna even pretend to understand this...

Seeing this topic reminded me to try the stuff that Den hunted out for me, I logged off as 'me' and logged in as the 'new user' to find the resolution was 1024x768 at 32 colours.

Don't ask me how, but now it's working fine!

Thanks Civ & Den for your help.
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