How to Disable and Delete User Profiles

ID: Q156826

The information in this article applies to:
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

This article describes how to disable and remove user profiles.


MORE INFORMATION

Note that following the steps in this article will disable and remove user profiles. All users of the Windows-based computer will see the same desktop and menus.

Disabling User Profiles

  1. Restart the computer. At the Windows logon screen, click Cancel.


  2. In Control Panel, double-click Passwords.


  3. On the User Profiles tab, click All users of this PC use the same preferences and desktop, and then click OK.


  4. When you are prompted to restart the computer, do so.


Removing Existing User Profiles

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

  1. Use Registry Editor to remove the appropriate user name keys from the following registry key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\username
    To remove all profiles, remove the ProfileList key.

    When you are done, quit Registry Editor.


  2. Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to remove the appropriate Windows\Profiles\user name folders.

    To remove all profiles, remove the Windows\Profiles folder.


Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kbenv win95 win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: February 20, 1999