Windows 7 How do I manage software in another account?

[Matthew Bishop]

Hi.

I just created another Windows account for a family member. When I logged onto it, I see that all my programs is already installed there. The programs have no data on them, but I would like to know how to remove them from her account without deleting it from my account. I don't want to try deleting it, because I don't want the risk of my programs being uninstalled.

I would appreciate it if someone could help me.


Mat

 

[Trouble]

It can be a difficult concept to wrap your head around but doable if you're patient.
First you need to understand that there are two separate profiles that are often involved when you install software.
The first one is called "All Users" and the other is called "Default User".
Very often when you install programs, unless they provide a device for installing only for the current user through the advanced custom setup options, then their elements are added to the "All Users" profile and subsequently passed along to the "Default User" profile. The "Default User" profile is what serves as the basis for any "new user" you may add in the future, so.....

When the program is installed it produces things like desktop shortcuts, start menu elements, perhaps even some jump list items, etc., etc.,
Generally it is safe, when logged on as that new user, to remove these elements from that profile, although sometimes it seems, at least in my experience that some of these items are inextricably linked between profiles and you may have to add them back to your profile (desktop shortcuts, start menu items, etc.,) if you find that removing them from her profile results in them disappearing from yours.

There may necessarily be some trial and error experimenting involved, hence my earliest comment regarding patience.
You cannot uninstall or delete the program itself from either profile, as doing so removes it from your computer. Only the pointers can be altered to achieve what I suspect you are looking to accomplish.

Good luck, keep us posted and welcome to the forum.

 

[Matthew Bishop]

Thanks for the advice. What I ended up doing was moving all the icons into a hidden away folder, but that moved all my shortcuts away as well. So I just created new shortcuts on my desktop and viola. Problem solved.

 

[Trouble]

Good to hear that you've managed to find a solution that works for you.
Thanks for posting back and updating your thread with that information.