When you create a new account, what determines the desktop icons that show up?

I realize this an odd question, but I havn't been able to figure it out.

I recently found my old laptop and was trying to recall if I had used firefox on my account (I probably wouldnt have used it if there was no shortcut on the desktop) but the account was deleted.

So what exactly determines what programs etc that actually get a shortcut on the desktop? I made a new user account just to see, and it seemed like a random assortment of some of the programs from the admin account had desktop icons, but not all. Some were in the start menu, some were not there.

So, how does windows determine what gets desktop icons when a new user account is created?

when you install a program and it asks "install for everyone or install for only me" that determines who gets a icon on the desktop

What I've done in the past was to copy my normal account folder of desktop shortcuts over into admin's desktop.  If one wants to copy AppData folders from one account onto another account, do so after a full OS image or two have been made.

when you install a program and it asks "install for everyone or install for only me" that determines who gets a icon on the desktop

I just tried downloading firefox on my pc running windows 10. I did not receive that "install for everyone or install just for me" despite having another account on the computer. Yet the other account and the one I just created both got the desktop icon.

What versions of windows does this question appear on? The above op was referring to xp, would I have gotten it on xp? Is there a file I can check to see if it was for everyone or just me?

EDIT: I tried this on an account running Vista, firefox was on the admin account desktop, I made a new account and it is nowhere to be found.

Edited by kurtgillis12, 14 May 2016 - 02:32 AM.

The new account is not found even after a restart?

So what exactly determines what programs etc that actually get a shortcut on the desktop? I made a new user account just to see, and it seemed like a random assortment of some of the programs from the admin account had desktop icons, but not all. Some were in the start menu, some were not there.

So, how does windows determine what gets desktop icons when a new user account is created?

I am assuming Windows came pre-installed on the computer?  In that case, the manufacturer is the one who creates a default user profile which determines how a new user account is configured.  That configuration includes which icons appear on the user's desktop.

 

 

when you install a program and it asks "install for everyone or install for only me" that determines who gets a icon on the desktop

I just tried downloading firefox on my pc running windows 10. I did not receive that "install for everyone or install just for me" despite having another account on the computer. Yet the other account and the one I just created both got the desktop icon.

Not all programs give you a choice.  Firefox will not give you that choice but, say, SoftMaker FreeOffice 2016 (the office suite that I use) will give you that choice.

So what exactly determines what programs etc that actually get a shortcut on the desktop? I made a new user account just to see, and it seemed like a random assortment of some of the programs from the admin account had desktop icons, but not all. Some were in the start menu, some were not there.
So, how does windows determine what gets desktop icons when a new user account is created?

I am assuming Windows came pre-installed on the computer?  In that case, the manufacturer is the one who creates a default user profile which determines how a new user account is configured.  That configuration includes which icons appear on the user's desktop.
.
 

when you install a program and it asks "install for everyone or install for only me" that determines who gets a icon on the desktop

I just tried downloading firefox on my pc running windows 10. I did not receive that "install for everyone or install just for me" despite having another account on the computer. Yet the other account and the one I just created both got the desktop icon.

Not all programs give you a choice.  Firefox will not give you that choice but, say, SoftMaker FreeOffice 2016 (the office suite that I use) will give you that choice.

Regarding the first quote:

more programs than just what was there by default show up on the new account, so it couldnt have been predetermined


Regarding second quote:

Did firefox ever give that choice? If not, what is the default for when I install it? Like I said before, I had firefox running on admin for both windows 10 and vista, windows 10 received firefox upon a new account and vista did not.

There must be some option or file for ff that shows me if it was for just me or everyone when I downlowded it.

Edited by kurtgillis12, 14 May 2016 - 01:24 PM.

The new account is not found even after a restart?

I meant that firefox did not show up on the new vista account, but it did on the windows 10 account.

Ultimately, I'm trying to figure out if I had firefox on my account that was deleted on xp. But the tests that I am trying with windows 10 and vista are giving me different results, so its nrot really helping.

Is there any way of knowin weather the firefox on my xp was installed "only for me" or for "everyone"? Like an option or file or something that would indicate one or the other?

kurtgillis12, it depends on what you mean by "firefox did not show up on the new vista account".  Do you mean that a desktop shortcut wasn't created?  Whenever you install Firefox, it installs for all users on that machine.  Whether or not a desktop shortcut appears for a new user is irrelevant.  If there is no desktop shortcut then all you have to do is create one.

There is a geek way to find out which shortcuts are universal and which ones are single-user, one shortcut at a time -- use your favorite search utility, type in the exact name of the shortcut, and see what directory or directories said shortcut appears in.

AFAIK, there is no such thing as universal and single-user shortcuts.  Also, finding the directory where a shortcut exists is just that - its location - nothing more, nothing less.

AFAIK, there is no such thing as universal and single-user shortcuts.  Also, finding the directory where a shortcut exists is just that - its location - nothing more, nothing less.

Well, not exactly.  Thread Starter's asking a way to find out:

-- which programs installed themselves into just one user account, and

-- which programs installed themselves into most if not all users accounts

I was simply give thread starter a "backdoor" [not the only] way of finding out.

 

In fact, my geek way is the way I use to find out: just where did a particular program install itself?

[Some programs do not have an obvious directory or obvious name:  MSE is one of those.

If cannot find the program, find the most likely shortcut, click properties, find the installed directory.

Edited by RolandJS, 14 May 2016 - 05:52 PM.

kurtgillis12, it depends on what you mean by "firefox did not show up on the new vista account".  Do you mean that a desktop shortcut wasn't created?  Whenever you install Firefox, it installs for all users on that machine.  Whether or not a desktop shortcut appears for a new user is irrelevant.  If there is no desktop shortcut then all you have to do is create one.

Well it is installed on the new account, atleast the mozilla firefox folders are there. (No profile folders though) But this doesnt really solve anything. I'm trying to figure out why sometimes firefox gets a desktop shortcut and other instances it does not when a new account is created

AFAIK, there is no such thing as universal and single-user shortcuts.  Also, finding the directory where a shortcut exists is just that - its location - nothing more, nothing less.

Well, not exactly.  Thread Starter's asking a way to find out:
-- which programs installed themselves into just one user account, and
-- which programs installed themselves into most if not all users accounts
I was simply give thread starter a "backdoor" [not the only] way of finding out.
 
In fact, my geek way is the way I use to find out: just where did a particular program install itself?
[Some programs do not have an obvious directory or obvious name:  MSE is one of those.
If cannot find the program, find the most likely shortcut, click properties, find the installed directory.

Would this or any method you know (perhaps there is something in a pref file?) That will tell me if a shortcut was made when a new account was created?

I surrender...