Author Topic: Any IT gurus around? Odd problem (Read 3100 times)

Hawkmoon · « **on:** July 06, 2009, 07:41:27 PM »

I recently replaced an aging notebook computer with a new Toshiba Satellite L300. One of the selling points on the deal I got was that it came with Windows XP installed, and Vista as "media." Which means I'm licensed to run XP, and to "upgrade" to Vista if I should ever be so brave/foolish.

The issue I'm having is that I don't much care for the XP screen appearance/theme. I have gone into Control Panel --> Display and set both "Theme" and "Appearance" to "Windows Classic." I have done the same thing on my desktops (two at home, one at work) with zero problems. On the new notebook, however, the change takes root for a short time, and then aboput the third (or so) time I boot up after making the change, it has set itself to look like XP again, and the "Theme" shows up as "Windoes XP (Modified)."

What's going on, and is there a way to force this thing to recognize that it's set to Windows Classic because I bloody well WANT it set to Windows Classic?

Balog · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2009, 08:12:44 PM »

Sounds possessed. I'd call a priest.

Nick1911 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2009, 08:16:43 PM »

From my windows system administration days: We'd first try recreating the user account.

A bit of a pain, but you might give that a try.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2009, 08:20:24 PM »

What Nick said.

Also, is there anything that would keep resetting it, such as profiles?

Chris

AJ Dual · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2009, 09:57:59 PM »

Xp can get wiggy about user profiles. Also take a look for any "Hawkmoon.Something" labeled profiles, and remove those from the properties of My Computer under the Advanced tab.

Also, I've seen similar behavior from many Xp users where it spontaneously resolves itself after a few logins/logouts.

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2009, 11:50:18 PM »

User ... profiles ...

What are these "user profiles" of which you speak? I took the machine out of the box, turned it on, and installed my Office 2003 software. As to user profile, I am whatever Toshiba set the purchaser up to be. Nobody else uses this machine, so there aren't any other profiles.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2009, 12:03:15 AM »

No there are others.

Take a look at C:\Documents and Settings

There is probably an "owner" profile, or "Administrator", and there may be a yourprofile.something "extra" profile that's causing Xp to not save your changes.

You can't nuke Administrator, nor should you want to. But if you see any duplicates of any profiles that are xxxx.yyyy in format, go right-click My Computer, either on your Desktop, or under the Start Menu, choose properties from the pop-out context menu, and you can remove them from the "advanced" tab.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:15:11 AM »

XP is pretty. Leave it alone.

Balog · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:29:23 AM »

XP default looks like Windows for the Moderately Retarded. All brightly colored and soft looking. No wonder fisty loves it so....

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:32:13 AM »

I resent that remark! I'll have you know I don't do anything half-way.

My first computer ran on XP Home, so anything else just looks dated to me. (I didn't get my first one til 2002.)

But I used a Windows 2000 machine for a while, recently. Don't mind that either. 98, on the other hand. Ick.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:32:28 AM »

Love that folder name on your desktop above the User Profiles window, AJ!

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2009, 07:58:29 AM »

Quote from: AJ Dual on July 07, 2009, 12:03:15 AM

No there are others.

Take a look at C:\Documents and Settings

...

There is probably an "owner" profile, or "Administrator", and there may be a yourprofile.something "extra" profile that's causing Xp to not save your changes.

You can't nuke Administrator, nor should you want to. But if you see any duplicates of any profiles that are xxxx.yyyy in format, go right-click My Computer, either on your Desktop, or under the Start Menu, choose properties from the pop-out context menu, and you can remove them from the "advanced" tab.

Right you are. I see:

Administrator
All Users
Default User
Hawkmoon

Not to be facetious, then, but ... who AM I when I use this machine? Am I the Administrator, am I the "Default User," or am I myself? Or is this something that I set somewhere without knowing I set it?

Regolith · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:12:34 AM »

On XP, you're Hawkmoon. You are also the "default user", I believe.

The "Administer" is kind of a hidden account that can only be gotten to in a couple of ways. I think Microsoft set it up that way so that they had an easy way of allowing people who forgot their passwords to get back into their accounts, as all Administers can change passwords of other accounts on the computer without needing to know the existing password.

Unfortunately, it also allows a backdoor onto a password protected computer for people who know about it, as people rarely password protect the administer account.

As a side note, if you are not computer-savvy enough to know this, and you are sharing an apartment or dorm room with someone who is, many shenanigans can occur, as my...I mean some roommates have found to their dismay.

280plus · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:15:03 AM »

Quote

who AM I when I use this machine

Evil Slavemaster?

lee n. field · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:35:03 AM »

Quote

My first computer ran on XP Home,

Infant.

Nick1911 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2009, 09:00:12 AM »

Quote from: Regolith on July 07, 2009, 08:12:34 AM

The "Administer" is kind of a hidden account that can only be gotten to in a couple of ways. I think Microsoft set it up that way so that they had an easy way of allowing people who forgot their passwords to get back into their accounts, as all Administers can change passwords of other accounts on the computer without needing to know the existing password.

Unfortunately, it also allows a backdoor onto a password protected computer for people who know about it, as people rarely password protect the administer account.

Most handy thing ever.

When I was a sysadmin, I'd have people bring their personal laptop to me, saying that they reset the password, and now then can't get into it.
[Ctrl] + [Alt] + [Del][Del] - standard windows pro login screen, "Administrator", no password, and I was in with full system access.

Got some

faces when I'd do that.

Really though, it's only a security flaw when the attacker has physical access. And if they have that, you're hosed. There are a plethora of ways to get into a system to which you have physical access to.

Regolith · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2009, 09:15:24 AM »

Quote from: Nick1911 on July 07, 2009, 09:00:12 AM

Really though, it's only a security flaw when the attacker has physical access. And if they have that, you're hosed. There are a plethora of ways to get into a system to which you have physical access to.

Yeah, but it kind of defeats the purpose of password protecting a user account, as any Joe with an IQ above room temperature and a little bit of knowledge of XP can get into it.

At least if the administrator account is password protected, they have to work at it to get in.

It's kind of the difference between having your guns laying around and having them in a RSC. It isn't going to stop a determined thief, but it will make them work for it and it may deter the dumb ones.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:15:04 PM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on July 07, 2009, 01:32:28 AM

Love that folder name on your desktop above the User Profiles window, AJ!

Did you catch the second one?

lee n. field · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2009, 01:22:03 PM »

Quote

At least if the administrator account is password protected, they have to work at it to get in.

About 95 (plus) percent are not.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 07, 2009, 02:27:34 PM »

Quote

Did you catch the second one?

Yup.

I didn't see the MicroBalrog voyeurism folder, though.

Balog · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2009, 03:05:38 PM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on July 07, 2009, 01:32:28 AM

Love that folder name on your desktop above the User Profiles window, AJ!

Hey, someone has to do it. :)

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2009, 05:46:27 PM »

Who wants to show fistful how to post a picture of his desktop?

Regolith · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2009, 07:47:04 PM »

Quote from: fistful on July 07, 2009, 05:46:27 PM

Who wants to show fistful how to post a picture of his desktop?

On your keyboard is a key that says "Print Screen." Hit that when nothing but your desktop is showing, then go into Paint, and hit "Ctrl+V" or go to the edit menu and select "Paste." You'll then have a screenshot of your desktop. Save it as a .jpeg, then upload it to the picture host of your choice.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2009, 08:04:06 PM »

Oh. I didn't now I had a Paint. Neato.

I forgot that you have to change the color scheme to green. Then you add Personas to Firefox and go with something like Foggy Forest.

See, that's pretty.

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Author Topic: Any IT gurus around? Odd problem (Read 3100 times)