Systems Management

My name is Dustin, I am running XP Pro. I use one computer to handle my personal and

business life, and i am the only person using the machine. After I installed XP on my

machine I soon relized the benifits of creating multiple user accounts so to have a desktop

work envirment to handle multiple facites of my life. I created a user account called

PERSONAL, here my financial and personal documents are stored so not to get mixed up

with my work stuff. My BUSINESS account is were, you guesed it, I have my biz applications

and docs. My SYSTEM account were I install software and run computer maintnance and

performance utilities, my ENTERTAINMENT account for my music and movies, and finally a

DESIGN account for my web design and photography projects. With the benifits come

downfalls!

The problem is every time I log into an account I have applications that automatically run.

Applications load and run in my systray like McAfee Virus scan and Firewall, Printer and

Graphics Card resourses along with others depending which account I log onto. I need for

these applications to not bog down my system resourses. It would me nice if they only had

to run once, instaed of multiple times im my PROCCESSES. When I have all my accounts

open there are five of the same applications running. My Virus scan has to download

updates to each account seperatly. My Firewall asks me to verify subscription all the time, I

guess it thinks I have it installed on multiple computers illegally. Is there away to correct

this whole big problem?

Another problem I am having is with having to configure windows settings and application

settings independantly. I would like the same desktop, same power off options same sound

scheme same pretty much everything. If I confure Photoshop to be the way I want, I only

want to do it once! I dont want to have to log onto each account and open photoshop to

configure all the settings manually, again. I want to be able to view, write and send email

through MS Outlook no matter which account im logged into. I want to be able to sync my

pocket pc in any account. When I change a programs settings I want the change to be

system wide, and be able to make these changes anywhere. Anotherwords I dont whant to

have to log onto a special account to make changes. I would like it if all my start menues, all

my favorites and links menues were all the same. Whan I use WMPlayer i would like to

share the same play lists and star ratings. WOW. Am I Crazy? Is all this to much to ask. I

am going crazy trying to manage all these settinings.

Using the Windows Explorer I find Documents and Settings. I see all my accounts here plus

administrator, All Users, Defualt User and User. Defualt user and user i dont understand.

Ive read that you can save a profile to defualt user so that when you create a new account, it

uses those predifined settings. What is User for? I think that Application Data Folder is

where the each unique accounts, system and application settings are stored. Is there a way

to create an account that uses all the same settings? Is that what User is for? Can I use

folder sync software to sync all my settings? Can I use a group Policy? Is there a site to

learn more about group policys in laymans terms. Does anybody know of any books or

websites that I should look at? Is there any software that could patch this problem? Does

anybody else have this problem? Can anyone help? e help?