Microsoft KB Archive/313877

= User Data Is Missing After You Delete a User Account =

Article ID: 313877

Article Last Modified on 8/6/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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This article was previously published under Q313877



SYMPTOMS
After you delete a user account by using the User Accounts tool in Control Panel, data and settings for the user account that you deleted may be missing even if you clicked Keep Files when you deleted the user account. Data that may be missing includes e-mail messages, Address Book contacts, Internet favorites, and other data or settings that are associated with the user account that you deleted.



CAUSE
This issue occurs because the Keep Files option saves only the contents of the user's desktop and My Documents folders.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, restore the missing data and settings from a backup or re-create them. To back up all the files and settings for a user account before deleting the account, use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. For additional information about using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

306187 HOW TO: Use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard with a Wizard Disk



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
When you choose to delete a user account in the User Accounts tool in Control Panel, you receive the following prompt:

Do you want to keep  files?

Before you delete  account, Windows can automatically save the contents of   desktop and My Documents folder to a new folder called   on your desktop. However, Windows cannot save  e-mail messages, Internet favorites, and other settings.

Keywords: kbenv kbprb KB313877

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