computer cleanup

[sipapu]

I see a considerable amount of files on my XP installation that I would like to clean up. For one there are seven users listed; see attachment "users." I can understand the "administrator" and perhaps one more but I am the sole user of the computer (Guess I consider myself the Administrator) and would dearly love to scratch all but one, the Administrator. It isn't just the room they take up but more the files that are repeated in each one. Is this possible?

Then there are many program folders that I will never use, for example: MSsoap, Word frontpage, MSN Gaming zone, Net meeting, OnLine service, Outlook express, Windows NT, and Xerox. Every time I try deleting them they come up with "cannot be deleted." Is this a fact or can I safely bypass this notice somehow?

[shadowpr]

you might want to try going to add/remove programs and going through the section where it says something like windows programs. i think you can get rid of somethings that way.

as for users, you should be able to log on as admin, then go to the user part in control panel and delete the ones you don't need or want.

[sipapu]

Thanks for the fast response: Went to Add/Remove and none of the files were there under any category. Then went to User accounts and only the Administrator plus one other were listed there. So there is really nothing there of the others that can be changed in any way. I did read in Windows help files that these extra users can be deleted file by file and be removed in that way. It also stated that those that cannot be removed can be moved to the administrators, or some other, users account. I was able to delete Mandell Mandell down to a few folders but these could not be move them as I kept getting a notice of their being in use or part of the system . The end result here was that my whole computer went crazy and I could not even open my mail plus many other problems. I then went to "recover" and bless it, I was able to repair all by picking up an earlier backup. I am begining to believe that perhaps I should let well enough alone.

[357mag]

Yeah there was a time when I also felt like really going through Windows and deleting all unnecesary files and folders, duplicate files, etc. But you're going to have to go through so much it's not worth it. And the performance gains you will be gaining will be minimal anyway. Now when I load XP, I get everything set to where I want, only install the software I want, and then defrag the hard drive twice, then make a ghost image of the main drive and store it on my second drive. I'd recommend this approach to anyone.

[sipapu]

Went to control panel and it just shows two there; the administrator and "Other." I guess I will leave well enough alone as long as the computer is behaving and the statement that it really doesn't take away too much of my 30 GByte storage. Do want to thank you for your efforts on my behalf.