Windows 10: File Explorer shows Unknown User Accounts

Windows 10 Home 64-bit v1909 build 18363.657 OS which was upgraded from Windows 8.1 on 20th Aug 2019 and had updates and upgrades so it is up-to-date: -

When I look at the "C:\Users" folder I see the following users which are not in use on my PC. Also see picture: -



a) "Admin"
b) "Administrator"
c) "Guest"
d) "Public"

User "Visitor" and the two redacted accounts shown are the only accounts in-use. It is possible that it was me that created a), b) and c) (then deleted them) but I do not remember creating account d).

Q1- Can I delete users a, b, c and d in File Explorer?
Q2 - If it is OK to delete them is there a special way to do it?

:)

 

Unknown User Account created after upgrading to windows 10. It comes back if I delete it.

Original Title: Unknown User Account

Hello,

Since I upgraded to Windows 10 I am seeing an account that I did NOT create. So I deleted it by going into Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > User Accounts > Manage Accounts then I click on the unknown user account and delete it. That said.... It
comes back. I have also followed the below suggestions from other posts and still does not seem to work.

Let’s try simple steps and check if the user account is detecting and try removing it.

• 
  Press Windows key + R, type netplwiz and press Enter.
  
• 
  Check if the user account is appearing on the list.
  
  
• Click on user account and click on Remove. (If user account appear on the list).

Please advise.

Thank you

 

Unknown user

<Okänd kontakt> is just Swedish for <Unknown contact>

When an unknown account is listed in permissions it's usually due to the file or folder having had permissions for a user account on this PC that has since been deleted. Or, if the drive is an external drive that is used by several machines, an account that exists on another PC.

Either way, as the unknown user doesn't exist on this PC then having it listed in permissions doesn't grant access to any account that actually exists.

 

Unknown User Account

Hi Brink, thanks for stepping in *Wink

"Account Unknown" is from a user account that had previously accessed the item, and the account is no longer currently available. For example, the account was deleted, or accessed by a user from another computer/network."

As far as I know there hasn't been another Account on my machine, nor accessed from other computers or network.
Because I'm the only user. Could it not due to a major update of Windows? Some other folks allude to that on other forums...

Whatever the cause I'll try your method now and see how far I get...
I'll keep you posted *Wink