Administrator log in

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Ben

That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So you have
4 accounts which are:
Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest

The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to see
this to make sure that it was available.

Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to Control
Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account control
on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user account
control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.

If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using my
previous directions and try that
net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it is
entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.

If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing Enter after
each command.

net user benn

net user ben

net user administrator

Post back with the results.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie,

Results as requested.

C:\Windows\system32>net user

User accounts for \\BEN1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator ASPNET Ben
Benn Guest
The command completed successfully.

I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called Benn. This
is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a standard
user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It also wont
let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator. The
guest
account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont let me
turn
it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.

Ben

Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type the
following command.

net user

Press Enter.

Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click Edit/Select
All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen. Paste
the
results back here in a reply.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie,

I did as you said and got the following message:
The syntax of this command is:

NET USER
[username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username {password : * } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]

and then it returns to the

C:\Windows\system32>




:

Ben

Sorry for the delay.

OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up as
administrator and then do the following.

In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.

net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

You should see a message, "The command completed successsfully."

Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now see the
built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and make the
changes you need. You should create at least one administrator account
or
change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator account in
Control
Panel/User Accounts.

Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps above,
but
this time use the following command to disable the built-in
administrator
account.

net user administrator /active:no
--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Hi Ronnie
First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is appreciated.

I did as you said and I got a black box with C:\windows\system32>
with
a
flashing cursor at the end.

:

Hi Ben

I have been trying to recreate what you are seeing. I did some
testing
and
here's what I found.

I had one administrator account on the test system with Vista Home
Premium
installed. This was the only account on the system. I demoted this
account
to a Standard User and checked to make sure that it was indeed a
standard
account without administrator privileges. I then booted into Safe
Mode
and
at the Welcome screen, the built-in administrator account appeared
as
an
available account. I logged into this account without a password.
This
is
the way that Vista was designed to work, but apparently, not what
you
are
seeing.

A question.

What happens when you are logged on and you try to elevate a
program
with
administrator privileges?

You can check this by going to Start and type cmd.exe in the
search
box.
In Programs, right click cmd.exe and select Run As Administrator.
What
should happen is that you get a UAC prompt to select an
administrator
account to use for the elevation. What do you see?



--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,
Ive rebooted in safe mode but there remains no Administrator log
in
only
the
usual standard users. I went to Control panel>user
accounts>manage
another
account and it will only let me change the pictures nothing else.
When
I
try
to create a new account it says I cant because the name contains
^'|.><*
even
though it doesnt.
Even though its in safe mode it seems to be behaving exactly as
it
does
normally.

Brick in hand-close to smashing!!!!!

:

Ben

You need to boot to Safe Mode. When you go to Safe Mode, you can
only
log-in
with an Administrator account. If there are no other
administrator
accounts
left, Vista is designed to log you on with the Built-in
Administrator
account. This account does not have a password, by default.

Reboot the computer and start tapping the F8 key while it
restarts.
You
will
eventually see a black screen with several menu options, use the
Arrow
Keys
to select Safe Mode and press the Enter Key.

Once in Safe Mode, you can either create a new Administrator
account
change
one of the Standard User accounts to Administrator.

I'm not sure what may have happened to your original
administrator
account
when you performed the upgrade?

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


I purchased a pc with Vista basic pre-installed. I set up 2
user
accounts
and
an Administrator account as directed. The 2 user accounts were
for
myself
and
my wife and the Administartor account was there for when I
needed
it
(as
per
Windows advice). Everything was good and I decided to upgrade
to
Premium
using the Windows Anytime upgrade disc after puchasing the
licence
on-line.
The upgrade completed and my machine re-booted but the welcome
screen
only
showed the log in for the two user accounts. The administrator
log
in
has
disapeared.
When I go control panel>user accounts>manage another account
it
shows
the
2
user accounts and the administrator account. I just need a
method
of
logging
in to that administator account so I can give the
administrator
control
to
one of the other accounts.
This is getting very frustrating as I cant even clean
re-install
from
the
upgrade disc because I dont have the right privilages - no
control
over
my
own pc after spending 90 quid on an upgrade..
Any help gratefully recieved

:

Ben

That article simply describes the built-in Administrator
account
in
Vista.
This is an account that is hidden, by default and should not
be
used
except
in cases of an emergency. If for some reason all other
administrator
accounts get deleted, this account will still be available
when
you
log
into
Safe Mode.

Can you describe the problem you are having?

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ive found a technical page on the Microsoft web site that
explains
my
problem
(see link below) but it doesnt tell me how to put it right
simply
so
someone
with very little computer knowledge can do it - any help
gratefully
recieved.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926183/en-us

 

[Guest]

Ronnie
UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on but when
you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words it wont
let me turn it on.

I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the same
results as shown before.

Below are the results of the net user commands:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
User name Benn
Full Name Benn
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
User name Ben
Full Name Julie
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password expires Never
Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
User name Administrator
Full Name
Comment Built-in account for administering the
computer/dom
ain
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active No
Account expires Never

Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password expires Never
Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password required Yes
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Administrators
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>

Ben

That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So you have
4 accounts which are:
Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest

The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to see
this to make sure that it was available.

Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to Control
Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account control
on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user account
control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.

If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using my
previous directions and try that
net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it is
entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.

If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing Enter after
each command.

net user benn

net user ben

net user administrator

Post back with the results.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie,

Results as requested.

C:\Windows\system32>net user

User accounts for \\BEN1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator ASPNET Ben
Benn Guest
The command completed successfully.

I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called Benn. This
is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a standard
user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It also wont
let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator. The
guest
account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont let me
turn
it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.

Ben

Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type the
following command.

net user

Press Enter.

Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click Edit/Select
All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen. Paste
the
results back here in a reply.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,

I did as you said and got the following message:
The syntax of this command is:

NET USER
[username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username {password : * } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]

and then it returns to the

C:\Windows\system32>




:

Ben

Sorry for the delay.

OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up as
administrator and then do the following.

In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.

net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

You should see a message, "The command completed successsfully."

Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now see the
built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and make the
changes you need. You should create at least one administrator account
or
change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator account in
Control
Panel/User Accounts.

Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps above,
but
this time use the following command to disable the built-in
administrator
account.

net user administrator /active:no
--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Hi Ronnie
First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is appreciated.

I did as you said and I got a black box with C:\windows\system32>
with
a
flashing cursor at the end.

:

Hi Ben

I have been trying to recreate what you are seeing. I did some
testing
and
here's what I found.

I had one administrator account on the test system with Vista Home
Premium
installed. This was the only account on the system. I demoted this
account
to a Standard User and checked to make sure that it was indeed a
standard
account without administrator privileges. I then booted into Safe
Mode
and
at the Welcome screen, the built-in administrator account appeared
as
an
available account. I logged into this account without a password.
This
is
the way that Vista was designed to work, but apparently, not what
you
are
seeing.

A question.

What happens when you are logged on and you try to elevate a
program
with
administrator privileges?

You can check this by going to Start and type cmd.exe in the
search
box.
In Programs, right click cmd.exe and select Run As Administrator.
What
should happen is that you get a UAC prompt to select an
administrator
account to use for the elevation. What do you see?



--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,
Ive rebooted in safe mode but there remains no Administrator log
in
only
the
usual standard users. I went to Control panel>user
accounts>manage
another
account and it will only let me change the pictures nothing else.
When
I
try
to create a new account it says I cant because the name contains
^'|.><*
even
though it doesnt.
Even though its in safe mode it seems to be behaving exactly as
it
does
normally.

Brick in hand-close to smashing!!!!!

:

Ben

You need to boot to Safe Mode. When you go to Safe Mode, you can
only
log-in
with an Administrator account. If there are no other
administrator
accounts
left, Vista is designed to log you on with the Built-in
Administrator
account. This account does not have a password, by default.

Reboot the computer and start tapping the F8 key while it
restarts.
You
will
eventually see a black screen with several menu options, use the
Arrow
Keys
to select Safe Mode and press the Enter Key.

Once in Safe Mode, you can either create a new Administrator
account
change
one of the Standard User accounts to Administrator.

I'm not sure what may have happened to your original
administrator
account
when you performed the upgrade?

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


I purchased a pc with Vista basic pre-installed. I set up 2
user
accounts
and
an Administrator account as directed. The 2 user accounts were
for
myself
and
my wife and the Administartor account was there for when I
needed
it
(as
per
Windows advice). Everything was good and I decided to upgrade
to
Premium
using the Windows Anytime upgrade disc after puchasing the
licence
on-line.
The upgrade completed and my machine re-booted but the welcome
screen
only
showed the log in for the two user accounts. The administrator
log
in
has

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Ben

One more question. At what point was UAC turned off, was this before or
after the upgrade?

This has me stumped because if there are no administrator accounts
available, except the built-in admin account, booting into safe mode should
make the buit-in administrator account available for log on. This is the
built-in safety net for Vista.

The results of the commands you ran shows that this account is indeed on the
system, but not available, this is the built-in admin account. If UAC was
turned on, you should be getting a UAC elevation prompt, but since it's
turned off, and you only have a standard user account to work with,
everything that needs admin privileges will just silently fail. You can
disable UAC with a standard account, but you cannot re-enable it with a
standard account?

Stand by, I'm going to escalate this problem.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie
UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on but
when
you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words it wont
let me turn it on.

I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the same
results as shown before.

Below are the results of the net user commands:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
User name Benn
Full Name Benn
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
User name Ben
Full Name Julie
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password expires Never
Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
User name Administrator
Full Name
Comment Built-in account for administering the
computer/dom
ain
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active No
Account expires Never

Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password expires Never
Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password required Yes
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Administrators
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>

Ben

That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So you
have
4 accounts which are:
Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest

The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to see
this to make sure that it was available.

Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to Control
Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account
control
on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user
account
control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.

If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using my
previous directions and try that
net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it is
entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.

If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing Enter
after
each command.

net user benn

net user ben

net user administrator

Post back with the results.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie,

Results as requested.

C:\Windows\system32>net user

User accounts for \\BEN1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator ASPNET Ben
Benn Guest
The command completed successfully.

I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called Benn.
This
is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a
standard
user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It also
wont
let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator. The
guest
account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont let
me
turn
it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.

:

Ben

Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type the
following command.

net user

Press Enter.

Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click
Edit/Select
All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen.
Paste
the
results back here in a reply.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,

I did as you said and got the following message:
The syntax of this command is:

NET USER
[username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username {password : * } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]

and then it returns to the

C:\Windows\system32>




:

Ben

Sorry for the delay.

OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up as
administrator and then do the following.

In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.

net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

You should see a message, "The command completed successsfully."

Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now see
the
built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and make
the
changes you need. You should create at least one administrator
account
or
change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator account in
Control
Panel/User Accounts.

Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps
above,
but
this time use the following command to disable the built-in
administrator
account.

net user administrator /active:no
--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Hi Ronnie
First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is
appreciated.

I did as you said and I got a black box with C:\windows\system32>
with
a
flashing cursor at the end.

:

Hi Ben

I have been trying to recreate what you are seeing. I did some
testing
and
here's what I found.

I had one administrator account on the test system with Vista
Home
Premium
installed. This was the only account on the system. I demoted
this
account
to a Standard User and checked to make sure that it was indeed a
standard
account without administrator privileges. I then booted into
Safe
Mode
and
at the Welcome screen, the built-in administrator account
appeared
as
an
available account. I logged into this account without a
password.
This
is
the way that Vista was designed to work, but apparently, not
what
you
are
seeing.

A question.

What happens when you are logged on and you try to elevate a
program
with
administrator privileges?

You can check this by going to Start and type cmd.exe in the
search
box.
In Programs, right click cmd.exe and select Run As
Administrator.
What
should happen is that you get a UAC prompt to select an
administrator
account to use for the elevation. What do you see?



--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,
Ive rebooted in safe mode but there remains no Administrator
log
in
only
the
usual standard users. I went to Control panel>user
accounts>manage
another
account and it will only let me change the pictures nothing
else.
When
I
try
to create a new account it says I cant because the name
contains
^'|.><*
even
though it doesnt.
Even though its in safe mode it seems to be behaving exactly
as
it
does
normally.

Brick in hand-close to smashing!!!!!

 

[Guest]

Hi Ronnie

I disabled UAC after the upgrade when I was trying to get the log in icon
back (blindly trying anything). At that time it also let me change the name
of the administrator (shown on control panel) but now it will not let me
change anything - not even the administrators account picture or anything on
any of the other accounts even the one Im logged into.

Ben

One more question. At what point was UAC turned off, was this before or
after the upgrade?

This has me stumped because if there are no administrator accounts
available, except the built-in admin account, booting into safe mode should
make the buit-in administrator account available for log on. This is the
built-in safety net for Vista.

The results of the commands you ran shows that this account is indeed on the
system, but not available, this is the built-in admin account. If UAC was
turned on, you should be getting a UAC elevation prompt, but since it's
turned off, and you only have a standard user account to work with,
everything that needs admin privileges will just silently fail. You can
disable UAC with a standard account, but you cannot re-enable it with a
standard account?

Stand by, I'm going to escalate this problem.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie
UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on but
when
you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words it wont
let me turn it on.

I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the same
results as shown before.

Below are the results of the net user commands:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
User name Benn
Full Name Benn
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
User name Ben
Full Name Julie
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password expires Never
Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
User name Administrator
Full Name
Comment Built-in account for administering the
computer/dom
ain
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active No
Account expires Never

Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password expires Never
Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password required Yes
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Administrators
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>

Ben

That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So you
have
4 accounts which are:
Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest

The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to see
this to make sure that it was available.

Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to Control
Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account
control
on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user
account
control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.

If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using my
previous directions and try that
net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it is
entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.

If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing Enter
after
each command.

net user benn

net user ben

net user administrator

Post back with the results.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,

Results as requested.

C:\Windows\system32>net user

User accounts for \\BEN1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator ASPNET Ben
Benn Guest
The command completed successfully.

I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called Benn.
This
is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a
standard
user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It also
wont
let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator. The
guest
account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont let
me
turn
it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.

:

Ben

Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type the
following command.

net user

Press Enter.

Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click
Edit/Select
All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen.
Paste
the
results back here in a reply.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,

I did as you said and got the following message:
The syntax of this command is:

NET USER
[username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username {password : * } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]

and then it returns to the

C:\Windows\system32>




:

Ben

Sorry for the delay.

OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up as
administrator and then do the following.

In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.

net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

You should see a message, "The command completed successsfully."

Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now see
the
built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and make
the
changes you need. You should create at least one administrator
account
or
change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator account in
Control
Panel/User Accounts.

Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps
above,
but
this time use the following command to disable the built-in
administrator
account.

net user administrator /active:no
--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Hi Ronnie
First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is
appreciated.

I did as you said and I got a black box with C:\windows\system32>
with
a
flashing cursor at the end.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your help anyway Ronnie

Ben

One more question. At what point was UAC turned off, was this before or
after the upgrade?

This has me stumped because if there are no administrator accounts
available, except the built-in admin account, booting into safe mode should
make the buit-in administrator account available for log on. This is the
built-in safety net for Vista.

The results of the commands you ran shows that this account is indeed on the
system, but not available, this is the built-in admin account. If UAC was
turned on, you should be getting a UAC elevation prompt, but since it's
turned off, and you only have a standard user account to work with,
everything that needs admin privileges will just silently fail. You can
disable UAC with a standard account, but you cannot re-enable it with a
standard account?

Stand by, I'm going to escalate this problem.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Ronnie
UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on but
when
you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words it wont
let me turn it on.

I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the same
results as shown before.

Below are the results of the net user commands:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
User name Benn
Full Name Benn
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
User name Ben
Full Name Julie
Comment
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active Yes
Account expires Never

Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password expires Never
Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
Password required No
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Users
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
User name Administrator
Full Name
Comment Built-in account for administering the
computer/dom
ain
User's comment
Country code 000 (System Default)
Account active No
Account expires Never

Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password expires Never
Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
Password required Yes
User may change password Yes

Workstations allowed All
Logon script
User profile
Home directory
Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16

Logon hours allowed All

Local Group Memberships *Administrators
Global Group memberships *None
The command completed successfully.


C:\Windows\system32>

Ben

That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So you
have
4 accounts which are:
Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest

The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to see
this to make sure that it was available.

Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to Control
Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account
control
on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user
account
control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.

If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using my
previous directions and try that
net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it is
entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.

If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing Enter
after
each command.

net user benn

net user ben

net user administrator

Post back with the results.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,

Results as requested.

C:\Windows\system32>net user

User accounts for \\BEN1

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator ASPNET Ben
Benn Guest
The command completed successfully.

I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called Benn.
This
is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a
standard
user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It also
wont
let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator. The
guest
account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont let
me
turn
it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.

:

Ben

Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type the
following command.

net user

Press Enter.

Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click
Edit/Select
All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen.
Paste
the
results back here in a reply.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Ronnie,

I did as you said and got the following message:
The syntax of this command is:

NET USER
[username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username {password : * } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]

and then it returns to the

C:\Windows\system32>




:

Ben

Sorry for the delay.

OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up as
administrator and then do the following.

In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.

net user administrator /active:yes

Press Enter.

You should see a message, "The command completed successsfully."

Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now see
the
built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and make
the
changes you need. You should create at least one administrator
account
or
change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator account in
Control
Panel/User Accounts.

Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps
above,
but
this time use the following command to disable the built-in
administrator
account.

net user administrator /active:no
--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User


Hi Ronnie
First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is
appreciated.

I did as you said and I got a black box with C:\windows\system32>
with
a
flashing cursor at the end.

 

[Carl G]

Hi All
I always get that ASP.NET acount installed when I install my ATI video
drivers. As it installs Netframework.
I just delete the acount and the files. Have never had it create a problem
for what I do.
I don't know what I or any regular User would use it for.
It don't seam to hurt anything by deleteing it.

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Ronnie,
What about the ASPNET account?
If that is truely an administrator account that would block the
"Administrator" account from showing up in Safe Mode.
If that ASPNET account is an administrator account we may be blocked. That
account doesn't show as a logon account so it's displayed on the logon
screen. If it's an administrator account it does however count as a local
admin account for for Safe Mode so the disabled local administrator would
not show.
Ben,
run net user aspnet and report back the output.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: "Ronnie Vernon MVP" <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>
|>Subject: Re: Administrator log in
|>Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 12:04:46 -0700
|>Lines: 392
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|> format=flowed;
|> charset="Utf-8";
|> reply-type=original
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Priority: 3
|>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6000.16386
|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6000.16386
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-PostID: {7EB0778B-4C1C-4050-B3A5-F2D8FD398E0A}
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ThreadID: B21AA14C-683B-44FC-8369-DEE6A9F86FD0
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ParentID: FCB11BF5-1C80-4224-A75D-271FD6E1706A
|>Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords:2072
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl 127.0.0.1
|>X-Tomcat-NG:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>
|>Ben
|>
|>One more question. At what point was UAC turned off, was this before or
|>after the upgrade?
|>
|>This has me stumped because if there are no administrator accounts
|>available, except the built-in admin account, booting into safe mode
should
|>make the buit-in administrator account available for log on. This is the
|>built-in safety net for Vista.
|>
|>The results of the commands you ran shows that this account is indeed on
the
|>system, but not available, this is the built-in admin account. If UAC was
|>turned on, you should be getting a UAC elevation prompt, but since it's
|>turned off, and you only have a standard user account to work with,
|>everything that needs admin privileges will just silently fail. You can
|>disable UAC with a standard account, but you cannot re-enable it with a
|>standard account?
|>
|>Stand by, I'm going to escalate this problem.
|>
|>--
|>
|>Ronnie Vernon
|>Microsoft MVP
|>Windows Shell/User
|>
|>
|>|>> Ronnie
|>> UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on but
|>> when
|>> you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words it
wont
|>> let me turn it on.
|>>
|>> I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the same
|>> results as shown before.
|>>
|>> Below are the results of the net user commands:
|>>
|>> Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
|>> Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
|>> User name Benn
|>> Full Name Benn
|>> Comment
|>> User's comment
|>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> Account active Yes
|>> Account expires Never
|>>
|>> Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
|>> Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
|>> Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
|>> Password required No
|>> User may change password Yes
|>>
|>> Workstations allowed All
|>> Logon script
|>> User profile
|>> Home directory
|>> Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14
|>>
|>> Logon hours allowed All
|>>
|>> Local Group Memberships *Users
|>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> The command completed successfully.
|>>
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
|>> User name Ben
|>> Full Name Julie
|>> Comment
|>> User's comment
|>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> Account active Yes
|>> Account expires Never
|>>
|>> Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
|>> Password expires Never
|>> Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
|>> Password required No
|>> User may change password Yes
|>>
|>> Workstations allowed All
|>> Logon script
|>> User profile
|>> Home directory
|>> Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02
|>>
|>> Logon hours allowed All
|>>
|>> Local Group Memberships *Users
|>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> The command completed successfully.
|>>
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
|>> User name Administrator
|>> Full Name
|>> Comment Built-in account for administering the
|>> computer/dom
|>> ain
|>> User's comment
|>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> Account active No
|>> Account expires Never
|>>
|>> Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
|>> Password expires Never
|>> Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
|>> Password required Yes
|>> User may change password Yes
|>>
|>> Workstations allowed All
|>> Logon script
|>> User profile
|>> Home directory
|>> Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16
|>>
|>> Logon hours allowed All
|>>
|>> Local Group Memberships *Administrators
|>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> The command completed successfully.
|>>
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>
|>>
|>> "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>
|>>> Ben
|>>>
|>>> That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So you
|>>> have
|>>> 4 accounts which are:
|>>> Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest
|>>>
|>>> The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to
see
|>>> this to make sure that it was available.
|>>>
|>>> Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to Control
|>>> Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account
|>>> control
|>>> on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user
|>>> account
|>>> control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.
|>>>
|>>> If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using my
|>>> previous directions and try that
|>>> net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it
is
|>>> entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.
|>>>
|>>> If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing Enter
|>>> after
|>>> each command.
|>>>
|>>> net user benn
|>>>
|>>> net user ben
|>>>
|>>> net user administrator
|>>>
|>>> Post back with the results.
|>>>
|>>> --
|>>>
|>>> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> Microsoft MVP
|>>> Windows Shell/User
|>>>
|>>>
|>>> |>>> > Ronnie,
|>>> >
|>>> > Results as requested.
|>>> >
|>>> > C:\Windows\system32>net user
|>>> >
|>>> > User accounts for \\BEN1
|>>> >
|>>> >
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
|>>> > Administrator ASPNET Ben
|>>> > Benn Guest
|>>> > The command completed successfully.
|>>> >
|>>> > I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called
Benn.
|>>> > This
|>>> > is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a
|>>> > standard
|>>> > user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It
also
|>>> > wont
|>>> > let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator. The
|>>> > guest
|>>> > account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont
let
|>>> > me
|>>> > turn
|>>> > it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.
|>>> >
|>>> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>> >
|>>> >> Ben
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type
the
|>>> >> following command.
|>>> >>
|>>> >> net user
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Press Enter.
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click
|>>> >> Edit/Select
|>>> >> All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen.
|>>> >> Paste
|>>> >> the
|>>> >> results back here in a reply.
|>>> >>
|>>> >> --
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> >> Microsoft MVP
|>>> >> Windows Shell/User
|>>> >>
|>>> >>
|>>> >> |>>> >> > Ronnie,
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > I did as you said and got the following message:
|>>> >> > The syntax of this command is:
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > NET USER
|>>> >> > [username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
|>>> >> > username {password : * } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
|>>> >> > username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
|>>> >> > username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > and then it returns to the
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > C:\Windows\system32>
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >> Ben
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Sorry for the delay.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up as
|>>> >> >> administrator and then do the following.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> net user administrator /active:yes
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Press Enter.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> You should see a message, "The command completed successsfully."
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now
see
|>>> >> >> the
|>>> >> >> built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and
make
|>>> >> >> the
|>>> >> >> changes you need. You should create at least one administrator
|>>> >> >> account
|>>> >> >> or
|>>> >> >> change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator account
in
|>>> >> >> Control
|>>> >> >> Panel/User Accounts.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps
|>>> >> >> above,
|>>> >> >> but
|>>> >> >> this time use the following command to disable the built-in
|>>> >> >> administrator
|>>> >> >> account.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> net user administrator /active:no
|>>> >> >> --
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> >> >> Microsoft MVP
|>>> >> >> Windows Shell/User
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> |>>> >> >> > Hi Ronnie
|>>> >> >> > First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is
|>>> >> >> > appreciated.
|>>> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> > I did as you said and I got a black box with
C:\windows\system32>
|>>> >> >> > with
|>>> >> >> > a
|>>> >> >> > flashing cursor at the end.
|>>> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> >> Hi Ben
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> I have been trying to recreate what you are seeing. I did some
|>>> >> >> >> testing
|>>> >> >> >> and
|>>> >> >> >> here's what I found.
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> I had one administrator account on the test system with Vista
|>>> >> >> >> Home
|>>> >> >> >> Premium
|>>> >> >> >> installed. This was the only account on the system. I demoted
|>>> >> >> >> this
|>>> >> >> >> account
|>>> >> >> >> to a Standard User and checked to make sure that it was
indeed a
|>>> >> >> >> standard
|>>> >> >> >> account without administrator privileges. I then booted into
|>>> >> >> >> Safe
|>>> >> >> >> Mode
|>>> >> >> >> and
|>>> >> >> >> at the Welcome screen, the built-in administrator account
|>>> >> >> >> appeared
|>>> >> >> >> as
|>>> >> >> >> an
|>>> >> >> >> available account. I logged into this account without a
|>>> >> >> >> password.
|>>> >> >> >> This
|>>> >> >> >> is
|>>> >> >> >> the way that Vista was designed to work, but apparently, not
|>>> >> >> >> what
|>>> >> >> >> you
|>>> >> >> >> are
|>>> >> >> >> seeing.
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> A question.
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> What happens when you are logged on and you try to elevate a
|>>> >> >> >> program
|>>> >> >> >> with
|>>> >> >> >> administrator privileges?
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> You can check this by going to Start and type cmd.exe in
the
|>>> >> >> >> search
|>>> >> >> >> box.
|>>> >> >> >> In Programs, right click cmd.exe and select Run As
|>>> >> >> >> Administrator.
|>>> >> >> >> What
|>>> >> >> >> should happen is that you get a UAC prompt to select an
|>>> >> >> >> administrator
|>>> >> >> >> account to use for the elevation. What do you see?
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> --
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> >> >> >> Microsoft MVP
|>>> >> >> >> Windows Shell/User
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> |>>> >> >> >> > Ronnie,
|>>> >> >> >> > Ive rebooted in safe mode but there remains no
Administrator
|>>> >> >> >> > log
|>>> >> >> >> > in
|>>> >> >> >> > only
|>>> >> >> >> > the
|>>> >> >> >> > usual standard users. I went to Control panel>user
|>>> >> >> >> > accounts>manage
|>>> >> >> >> > another
|>>> >> >> >> > account and it will only let me change the pictures nothing
|>>> >> >> >> > else.
|>>> >> >> >> > When
|>>> >> >> >> > I
|>>> >> >> >> > try
|>>> >> >> >> > to create a new account it says I cant because the name
|>>> >> >> >> > contains
|>>> >> >> >> > ^'|.><*
|>>> >> >> >> > even
|>>> >> >> >> > though it doesnt.
|>>> >> >> >> > Even though its in safe mode it seems to be behaving
exactly
|>>> >> >> >> > as
|>>> >> >> >> > it
|>>> >> >> >> > does
|>>> >> >> >> > normally.
|>>> >> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> >> > Brick in hand-close to smashing!!!!!
|>
|>
|>

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Hi Darrell

I have always been under the impression that the ASP NET account was a
special account that could only be used for ASP.NET development work. I
remember someone stating that it was configured as a "fixed" (?) account
with a randomly generated password that could only be read by the ASP.NET
development software?

In XP, after this account was created by installing the Net Framework we
always recommended that it just be deleted if the user did not intend to be
doing any development work.

I hope you're right and that it is an administrator account. This may be
what is causing several users in these groups who are experiencing the same
type of problem when trying to recover from problems caused by not having
access to an admin account.

--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Hello Ronnie,
What about the ASPNET account?
If that is truely an administrator account that would block the
"Administrator" account from showing up in Safe Mode.
If that ASPNET account is an administrator account we may be blocked.
That
account doesn't show as a logon account so it's displayed on the logon
screen. If it's an administrator account it does however count as a local
admin account for for Safe Mode so the disabled local administrator would
not show.
Ben,
run net user aspnet and report back the output.
Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: "Ronnie Vernon MVP" <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>
|>Subject: Re: Administrator log in
|>Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 12:04:46 -0700
|>Lines: 392
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|> format=flowed;
|> charset="Utf-8";
|> reply-type=original
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Priority: 3
|>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6000.16386
|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6000.16386
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-PostID: {7EB0778B-4C1C-4050-B3A5-F2D8FD398E0A}
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ThreadID: B21AA14C-683B-44FC-8369-DEE6A9F86FD0
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ParentID: FCB11BF5-1C80-4224-A75D-271FD6E1706A
|>Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords:2072
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl 127.0.0.1
|>X-Tomcat-NG:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>
|>Ben
|>
|>One more question. At what point was UAC turned off, was this before or
|>after the upgrade?
|>
|>This has me stumped because if there are no administrator accounts
|>available, except the built-in admin account, booting into safe mode
should
|>make the buit-in administrator account available for log on. This is the
|>built-in safety net for Vista.
|>
|>The results of the commands you ran shows that this account is indeed on
the
|>system, but not available, this is the built-in admin account. If UAC
was
|>turned on, you should be getting a UAC elevation prompt, but since it's
|>turned off, and you only have a standard user account to work with,
|>everything that needs admin privileges will just silently fail. You can
|>disable UAC with a standard account, but you cannot re-enable it with a
|>standard account?
|>
|>Stand by, I'm going to escalate this problem.
|>
|>--
|>
|>Ronnie Vernon
|>Microsoft MVP
|>Windows Shell/User
|>
|>
|>|>> Ronnie
|>> UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on but
|>> when
|>> you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words it
wont
|>> let me turn it on.
|>>
|>> I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the same
|>> results as shown before.
|>>
|>> Below are the results of the net user commands:
|>>
|>> Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
|>> Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
|>> User name Benn
|>> Full Name Benn
|>> Comment
|>> User's comment
|>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> Account active Yes
|>> Account expires Never
|>>
|>> Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
|>> Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
|>> Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
|>> Password required No
|>> User may change password Yes
|>>
|>> Workstations allowed All
|>> Logon script
|>> User profile
|>> Home directory
|>> Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14
|>>
|>> Logon hours allowed All
|>>
|>> Local Group Memberships *Users
|>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> The command completed successfully.
|>>
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
|>> User name Ben
|>> Full Name Julie
|>> Comment
|>> User's comment
|>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> Account active Yes
|>> Account expires Never
|>>
|>> Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
|>> Password expires Never
|>> Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
|>> Password required No
|>> User may change password Yes
|>>
|>> Workstations allowed All
|>> Logon script
|>> User profile
|>> Home directory
|>> Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02
|>>
|>> Logon hours allowed All
|>>
|>> Local Group Memberships *Users
|>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> The command completed successfully.
|>>
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
|>> User name Administrator
|>> Full Name
|>> Comment Built-in account for administering the
|>> computer/dom
|>> ain
|>> User's comment
|>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> Account active No
|>> Account expires Never
|>>
|>> Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
|>> Password expires Never
|>> Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
|>> Password required Yes
|>> User may change password Yes
|>>
|>> Workstations allowed All
|>> Logon script
|>> User profile
|>> Home directory
|>> Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16
|>>
|>> Logon hours allowed All
|>>
|>> Local Group Memberships *Administrators
|>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> The command completed successfully.
|>>
|>>
|>> C:\Windows\system32>
|>>
|>> "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>
|>>> Ben
|>>>
|>>> That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So
you
|>>> have
|>>> 4 accounts which are:
|>>> Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest
|>>>
|>>> The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted to
see
|>>> this to make sure that it was available.
|>>>
|>>> Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to
Control
|>>> Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account
|>>> control
|>>> on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user
|>>> account
|>>> control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.
|>>>
|>>> If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode, using
my
|>>> previous directions and try that
|>>> net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that it
is
|>>> entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.
|>>>
|>>> If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing
Enter
|>>> after
|>>> each command.
|>>>
|>>> net user benn
|>>>
|>>> net user ben
|>>>
|>>> net user administrator
|>>>
|>>> Post back with the results.
|>>>
|>>> --
|>>>
|>>> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> Microsoft MVP
|>>> Windows Shell/User
|>>>
|>>>
|>>> |>>> > Ronnie,
|>>> >
|>>> > Results as requested.
|>>> >
|>>> > C:\Windows\system32>net user
|>>> >
|>>> > User accounts for \\BEN1
|>>> >
|>>> >
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
|>>> > Administrator ASPNET Ben
|>>> > Benn Guest
|>>> > The command completed successfully.
|>>> >
|>>> > I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called
Benn.
|>>> > This
|>>> > is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a
|>>> > standard
|>>> > user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It
also
|>>> > wont
|>>> > let me change anything without being logged on as an admistrator.
The
|>>> > guest
|>>> > account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont
let
|>>> > me
|>>> > turn
|>>> > it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.
|>>> >
|>>> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>> >
|>>> >> Ben
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator. type
the
|>>> >> following command.
|>>> >>
|>>> >> net user
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Press Enter.
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click
|>>> >> Edit/Select
|>>> >> All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the screen.
|>>> >> Paste
|>>> >> the
|>>> >> results back here in a reply.
|>>> >>
|>>> >> --
|>>> >>
|>>> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> >> Microsoft MVP
|>>> >> Windows Shell/User
|>>> >>
|>>> >>
|>>> >> |>>> >> > Ronnie,
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > I did as you said and got the following message:
|>>> >> > The syntax of this command is:
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > NET USER
|>>> >> > [username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
|>>> >> > username {password : * } /ADD [options]
[/DOMAIN]
|>>> >> > username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
|>>> >> > username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > and then it returns to the
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > C:\Windows\system32>
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>> >> >
|>>> >> >> Ben
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Sorry for the delay.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window up
as
|>>> >> >> administrator and then do the following.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> net user administrator /active:yes
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Press Enter.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> You should see a message, "The command completed
successsfully."
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now
see
|>>> >> >> the
|>>> >> >> built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and
make
|>>> >> >> the
|>>> >> >> changes you need. You should create at least one administrator
|>>> >> >> account
|>>> >> >> or
|>>> >> >> change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator
account
in
|>>> >> >> Control
|>>> >> >> Panel/User Accounts.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the steps
|>>> >> >> above,
|>>> >> >> but
|>>> >> >> this time use the following command to disable the built-in
|>>> >> >> administrator
|>>> >> >> account.
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> net user administrator /active:no
|>>> >> >> --
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> >> >> Microsoft MVP
|>>> >> >> Windows Shell/User
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >>
|>>> >> >> |>>> >> >> > Hi Ronnie
|>>> >> >> > First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is
|>>> >> >> > appreciated.
|>>> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> > I did as you said and I got a black box with
C:\windows\system32>
|>>> >> >> > with
|>>> >> >> > a
|>>> >> >> > flashing cursor at the end.
|>>> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>>> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> >> Hi Ben
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> I have been trying to recreate what you are seeing. I did
some
|>>> >> >> >> testing
|>>> >> >> >> and
|>>> >> >> >> here's what I found.
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> I had one administrator account on the test system with
Vista
|>>> >> >> >> Home
|>>> >> >> >> Premium
|>>> >> >> >> installed. This was the only account on the system. I
demoted
|>>> >> >> >> this
|>>> >> >> >> account
|>>> >> >> >> to a Standard User and checked to make sure that it was
indeed a
|>>> >> >> >> standard
|>>> >> >> >> account without administrator privileges. I then booted into
|>>> >> >> >> Safe
|>>> >> >> >> Mode
|>>> >> >> >> and
|>>> >> >> >> at the Welcome screen, the built-in administrator account
|>>> >> >> >> appeared
|>>> >> >> >> as
|>>> >> >> >> an
|>>> >> >> >> available account. I logged into this account without a
|>>> >> >> >> password.
|>>> >> >> >> This
|>>> >> >> >> is
|>>> >> >> >> the way that Vista was designed to work, but apparently, not
|>>> >> >> >> what
|>>> >> >> >> you
|>>> >> >> >> are
|>>> >> >> >> seeing.
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> A question.
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> What happens when you are logged on and you try to elevate a
|>>> >> >> >> program
|>>> >> >> >> with
|>>> >> >> >> administrator privileges?
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> You can check this by going to Start and type cmd.exe in
the
|>>> >> >> >> search
|>>> >> >> >> box.
|>>> >> >> >> In Programs, right click cmd.exe and select Run As
|>>> >> >> >> Administrator.
|>>> >> >> >> What
|>>> >> >> >> should happen is that you get a UAC prompt to select an
|>>> >> >> >> administrator
|>>> >> >> >> account to use for the elevation. What do you see?
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> --
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>>> >> >> >> Microsoft MVP
|>>> >> >> >> Windows Shell/User
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >>
|>>> >> >> >> |>>> >> >> >> > Ronnie,
|>>> >> >> >> > Ive rebooted in safe mode but there remains no
Administrator
|>>> >> >> >> > log
|>>> >> >> >> > in
|>>> >> >> >> > only
|>>> >> >> >> > the
|>>> >> >> >> > usual standard users. I went to Control panel>user
|>>> >> >> >> > accounts>manage
|>>> >> >> >> > another
|>>> >> >> >> > account and it will only let me change the pictures
nothing
|>>> >> >> >> > else.
|>>> >> >> >> > When
|>>> >> >> >> > I
|>>> >> >> >> > try
|>>> >> >> >> > to create a new account it says I cant because the name
|>>> >> >> >> > contains
|>>> >> >> >> > ^'|.><*
|>>> >> >> >> > even
|>>> >> >> >> > though it doesnt.
|>>> >> >> >> > Even though its in safe mode it seems to be behaving
exactly
|>>> >> >> >> > as
|>>> >> >> >> > it
|>>> >> >> >> > does
|>>> >> >> >> > normally.
|>>> >> >> >> >
|>>> >> >> >> > Brick in hand-close to smashing!!!!!
|>
|>
|>

 

[Jane C]

Ronnie, I've just checked on mine, and the ASP.NET account is listed as a
Standard User account. Somebody else did report having problems after
making the ASP.NET account an Administrator account, in the belief that he
could use that for Admin duties - not a wise decision considering that the
password is unknown for that account.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Hi Jane

This account being created when you install the .net framework has always
been a pita. There is a huge number of messages in the XP newsgroup archives
where people are just asking "where did this account come from, I didn't
create it?

Thanks for this information, I was hoping that it would turn out to be an
admin account. This could have solved a lot of problems.

I am hoping that Darrell will be able to escalate this problem at Microsoft.
There are several other users who are having similar problems. They have all
been tweaking their user accounts, for whatever reasons and are now
effectively locked out of their systems because the built-in admin account
is not showing up in Safe Mode even when they no longer have any other admin
account on the system. This is supposed to be the "safety net" that is built
into Vista. So they only have standard user accounts to work with.

One user even changed his last admin account to a standard user, which
should not even be possible. On every Vista system that I have seen, that
option is always unavailable if you only have one admin account left?

Ain't this fun. <g>

 

[Jane C]

Hi Ronnie,

From the User Accounts in Control Panel, you can't demote your Admin account
to a Standard User if there are no other Admin acounts (I did a check to see
if it was possible and it's not), but unfortunately, you can via gpedit or
the registry. And we know how some folk just love to fiddle and tweak in
the registry :-( At least those with Home Editions can't use gpedit to get
themselves into trouble <g>.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Hi Jane

I have been testing this problem on a VPC for some time and just am not able
to re-create what is being reported here. Every time I manage to demote or
delete all admin accounts, I can still boot to safe mode and the disabled
admin account is available for log on?

Check my thread in the private Vista group, maybe we can generate some
interest there.

 

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

Hello Ronnie,
I was looking at a prior post where the asp.net account was alluded to be
changed to an administrator account:

I bought my computer with Vista Business intalled. I've been using the
administrator profile (as my profile) up until yesterday when I switched it
to a "user". I assigned the ASP.NET profile as administrator and did not
assign a password. When I restarted my PC, now there is no way for me to
access the administrator rights since it requires me to input a password. Is
there a default password for this, since I did not assign one in th first
place? Now there is no way for me to change the settings of my PC.

Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
|>From: "Ronnie Vernon MVP" <[email protected]>
|>References: <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
|>In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>
|>Subject: Re: Administrator log in
|>Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2007 19:36:44 -0700
|>Lines: 512
|>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>Content-Type: text/plain;
|> format=flowed;
|> charset="Windows-1252";
|> reply-type=original
|>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>X-Priority: 3
|>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
|>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6000.16386
|>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6000.16386
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-PostID: {060E21AC-D4A5-4396-B913-840F0D45A380}
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ThreadID: B21AA14C-683B-44FC-8369-DEE6A9F86FD0
|>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ParentID: 6607E492-7DF0-4EAA-B7FE-3027F49A59E1
|>Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords:2165
|>NNTP-Posting-Host: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl 127.0.0.1
|>X-Tomcat-NG:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>
|>Hi Darrell
|>
|>I have always been under the impression that the ASP NET account was a
|>special account that could only be used for ASP.NET development work. I
|>remember someone stating that it was configured as a "fixed" (?) account
|>with a randomly generated password that could only be read by the ASP.NET
|>development software?
|>
|>In XP, after this account was created by installing the Net Framework we
|>always recommended that it just be deleted if the user did not intend to
be
|>doing any development work.
|>
|>I hope you're right and that it is an administrator account. This may be
|>what is causing several users in these groups who are experiencing the
same
|>type of problem when trying to recover from problems caused by not having
|>access to an admin account.
|>
|>--
|>
|>Ronnie Vernon
|>Microsoft MVP
|>Windows Shell/User
|>
|>
|>|>> Hello Ronnie,
|>> What about the ASPNET account?
|>> If that is truely an administrator account that would block the
|>> "Administrator" account from showing up in Safe Mode.
|>> If that ASPNET account is an administrator account we may be blocked.
|>> That
|>> account doesn't show as a logon account so it's displayed on the logon
|>> screen. If it's an administrator account it does however count as a
local
|>> admin account for for Safe Mode so the disabled local administrator
would
|>> not show.
|>> Ben,
|>> run net user aspnet and report back the output.
|>> Thanks,
|>> Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
|>>
|>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
|>> --------------------
|>> |>From: "Ronnie Vernon MVP" <[email protected]>
|>> |>References: <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> <[email protected]>
|>> |>In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>
|>> |>Subject: Re: Administrator log in
|>> |>Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 12:04:46 -0700
|>> |>Lines: 392
|>> |>Message-ID: <[email protected]>
|>> |>MIME-Version: 1.0
|>> |>Content-Type: text/plain;
|>> |> format=flowed;
|>> |> charset="Utf-8";
|>> |> reply-type=original
|>> |>Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
|>> |>X-Priority: 3
|>> |>X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
|>> |>X-Newsreader: Microsoft Windows Mail 6.0.6000.16386
|>> |>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.0.6000.16386
|>> |>X-MS-CommunityGroup-PostID: {7EB0778B-4C1C-4050-B3A5-F2D8FD398E0A}
|>> |>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ThreadID: B21AA14C-683B-44FC-8369-DEE6A9F86FD0
|>> |>X-MS-CommunityGroup-ParentID: FCB11BF5-1C80-4224-A75D-271FD6E1706A
|>> |>Newsgroups:
|>> microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>> |>Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>> |>Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
|>> microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords:2072
|>> |>NNTP-Posting-Host: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl 127.0.0.1
|>> |>X-Tomcat-NG:
|>> microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_accounts_passwords
|>> |>
|>> |>Ben
|>> |>
|>> |>One more question. At what point was UAC turned off, was this before
or
|>> |>after the upgrade?
|>> |>
|>> |>This has me stumped because if there are no administrator accounts
|>> |>available, except the built-in admin account, booting into safe mode
|>> should
|>> |>make the buit-in administrator account available for log on. This is
the
|>> |>built-in safety net for Vista.
|>> |>
|>> |>The results of the commands you ran shows that this account is indeed
on
|>> the
|>> |>system, but not available, this is the built-in admin account. If UAC
|>> was
|>> |>turned on, you should be getting a UAC elevation prompt, but since
it's
|>> |>turned off, and you only have a standard user account to work with,
|>> |>everything that needs admin privileges will just silently fail. You
can
|>> |>disable UAC with a standard account, but you cannot re-enable it with
a
|>> |>standard account?
|>> |>
|>> |>Stand by, I'm going to escalate this problem.
|>> |>
|>> |>--
|>> |>
|>> |>Ronnie Vernon
|>> |>Microsoft MVP
|>> |>Windows Shell/User
|>> |>
|>> |>
|>> |>|>> |>> Ronnie
|>> |>> UAC is disabled in all acounts - I can check the box to turn it on
but
|>> |>> when
|>> |>> you return to the page the box is again unchecked - in other words
it
|>> wont
|>> |>> let me turn it on.
|>> |>>
|>> |>> I tried the net user administrator / active:yes again and got the
same
|>> |>> results as shown before.
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Below are the results of the net user commands:
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
|>> |>> Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
|>> |>>
|>> |>> C:\Windows\system32>net user benn
|>> |>> User name Benn
|>> |>> Full Name Benn
|>> |>> Comment
|>> |>> User's comment
|>> |>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> |>> Account active Yes
|>> |>> Account expires Never
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Password last set 19/03/2007 22:37:31
|>> |>> Password expires 30/04/2007 22:37:31
|>> |>> Password changeable 19/03/2007 22:37:31
|>> |>> Password required No
|>> |>> User may change password Yes
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Workstations allowed All
|>> |>> Logon script
|>> |>> User profile
|>> |>> Home directory
|>> |>> Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:14
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Logon hours allowed All
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Local Group Memberships *Users
|>> |>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> |>> The command completed successfully.
|>> |>>
|>> |>>
|>> |>> C:\Windows\system32>net user ben
|>> |>> User name Ben
|>> |>> Full Name Julie
|>> |>> Comment
|>> |>> User's comment
|>> |>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> |>> Account active Yes
|>> |>> Account expires Never
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Password last set 13/03/2007 21:32:16
|>> |>> Password expires Never
|>> |>> Password changeable 13/03/2007 21:32:16
|>> |>> Password required No
|>> |>> User may change password Yes
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Workstations allowed All
|>> |>> Logon script
|>> |>> User profile
|>> |>> Home directory
|>> |>> Last logon 06/04/2007 08:15:02
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Logon hours allowed All
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Local Group Memberships *Users
|>> |>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> |>> The command completed successfully.
|>> |>>
|>> |>>
|>> |>> C:\Windows\system32>net user administrator
|>> |>> User name Administrator
|>> |>> Full Name
|>> |>> Comment Built-in account for administering the
|>> |>> computer/dom
|>> |>> ain
|>> |>> User's comment
|>> |>> Country code 000 (System Default)
|>> |>> Account active No
|>> |>> Account expires Never
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Password last set 26/02/2007 20:43:26
|>> |>> Password expires Never
|>> |>> Password changeable 26/02/2007 20:43:26
|>> |>> Password required Yes
|>> |>> User may change password Yes
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Workstations allowed All
|>> |>> Logon script
|>> |>> User profile
|>> |>> Home directory
|>> |>> Last logon 19/03/2007 19:21:16
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Logon hours allowed All
|>> |>>
|>> |>> Local Group Memberships *Administrators
|>> |>> Global Group memberships *None
|>> |>> The command completed successfully.
|>> |>>
|>> |>>
|>> |>> C:\Windows\system32>
|>> |>>
|>> |>> "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>> |>>
|>> |>>> Ben
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> That command only shows all of the user accounts on the system. So
|>> you
|>> |>>> have
|>> |>>> 4 accounts which are:
|>> |>>> Administrator ASPNET Ben Benn Guest
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> The first account is the built-in Admionistrator account. I wanted
to
|>> see
|>> |>>> this to make sure that it was available.
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> Do you have User Account Control disabled? To check this, go to
|>> Control
|>> |>>> Panel and double click User Accounts. Click the "Turn user account
|>> |>>> control
|>> |>>> on or off" link. There should be a check mark in the box "Use user
|>> |>>> account
|>> |>>> control (UAC) to help protect your comuter" option.
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> If this is OK, open the command prompt in administrator mode,
using
|>> my
|>> |>>> previous directions and try that
|>> |>>> net user administrator /active:yes command again. Make sure that
it
|>> is
|>> |>>> entered exactly as shown including the spaces, slash and colon.
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> If this still does not work, then enter these commands, pressing
|>> Enter
|>> |>>> after
|>> |>>> each command.
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> net user benn
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> net user ben
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> net user administrator
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> Post back with the results.
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> --
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> Ronnie Vernon
|>> |>>> Microsoft MVP
|>> |>>> Windows Shell/User
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>>
|>> |>>> |>> |>>> > Ronnie,
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> > Results as requested.
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> > C:\Windows\system32>net user
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> > User accounts for \\BEN1
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> >
|>>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|>> ---
|>> |>>> > Administrator ASPNET Ben
|>> |>>> > Benn Guest
|>> |>>> > The command completed successfully.
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> > I'm assuming this means the administrator account is one called
|>> Benn.
|>> |>>> > This
|>> |>>> > is the account I use all the time but when I log in it says its a
|>> |>>> > standard
|>> |>>> > user account and when i go to control panel it says the same. It
|>> also
|>> |>>> > wont
|>> |>>> > let me change anything without being logged on as an
admistrator.
|>> The
|>> |>>> > guest
|>> |>>> > account on control panel is shown as being turned off and it wont
|>> let
|>> |>>> > me
|>> |>>> > turn
|>> |>>> > it on. Ben was the admistrator account before I upgraded.
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>> |>>> >
|>> |>>> >> Ben
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> Open the command prompt, as before with Run as administrator.
type
|>> the
|>> |>>> >> following command.
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> net user
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> Press Enter.
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> Click the small icon on the top left of the window and click
|>> |>>> >> Edit/Select
|>> |>>> >> All. Press the Enter Key. This should copy the text on the
screen.
|>> |>>> >> Paste
|>> |>>> >> the
|>> |>>> >> results back here in a reply.
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> --
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>> |>>> >> Microsoft MVP
|>> |>>> >> Windows Shell/User
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >>
|>> |>>> >> |>> |>>> >> > Ronnie,
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> > I did as you said and got the following message:
|>> |>>> >> > The syntax of this command is:
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> > NET USER
|>> |>>> >> > [username [password : * ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
|>> |>>> >> > username {password : * } /ADD [options]
|>> [/DOMAIN]
|>> |>>> >> > username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
|>> |>>> >> > username [/TIMES:{times : ALL}]
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> > and then it returns to the
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> > C:\Windows\system32>
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>> |>>> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >> Ben
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> Sorry for the delay.
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> OK, perform the same procedure to bring the command window
up
|>> as
|>> |>>> >> >> administrator and then do the following.
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> In the command prompt window, copy/paste this command.
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> net user administrator /active:yes
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> Press Enter.
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> You should see a message, "The command completed
|>> successsfully."
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> Reboot the computer and at the Welcome screen, you should now
|>> see
|>> |>>> >> >> the
|>> |>>> >> >> built-in administrator account. Log on with this account and
|>> make
|>> |>>> >> >> the
|>> |>>> >> >> changes you need. You should create at least one
administrator
|>> |>>> >> >> account
|>> |>>> >> >> or
|>> |>>> >> >> change one of your Standard accounts to an administrator
|>> account
|>> in
|>> |>>> >> >> Control
|>> |>>> >> >> Panel/User Accounts.
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> Once all of the changes are made, go back and repeat the
steps
|>> |>>> >> >> above,
|>> |>>> >> >> but
|>> |>>> >> >> this time use the following command to disable the built-in
|>> |>>> >> >> administrator
|>> |>>> >> >> account.
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> net user administrator /active:no
|>> |>>> >> >> --
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>> |>>> >> >> Microsoft MVP
|>> |>>> >> >> Windows Shell/User
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> |>> |>>> >> >> > Hi Ronnie
|>> |>>> >> >> > First of thanks thanks for helping me with this it is
|>> |>>> >> >> > appreciated.
|>> |>>> >> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >> > I did as you said and I got a black box with
|>> C:\windows\system32>
|>> |>>> >> >> > with
|>> |>>> >> >> > a
|>> |>>> >> >> > flashing cursor at the end.
|>> |>>> >> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >> > "Ronnie Vernon MVP" wrote:
|>> |>>> >> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Hi Ben
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> I have been trying to recreate what you are seeing. I did
|>> some
|>> |>>> >> >> >> testing
|>> |>>> >> >> >> and
|>> |>>> >> >> >> here's what I found.
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> I had one administrator account on the test system with
|>> Vista
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Home
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Premium
|>> |>>> >> >> >> installed. This was the only account on the system. I
|>> demoted
|>> |>>> >> >> >> this
|>> |>>> >> >> >> account
|>> |>>> >> >> >> to a Standard User and checked to make sure that it was
|>> indeed a
|>> |>>> >> >> >> standard
|>> |>>> >> >> >> account without administrator privileges. I then booted
into
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Safe
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Mode
|>> |>>> >> >> >> and
|>> |>>> >> >> >> at the Welcome screen, the built-in administrator account
|>> |>>> >> >> >> appeared
|>> |>>> >> >> >> as
|>> |>>> >> >> >> an
|>> |>>> >> >> >> available account. I logged into this account without a
|>> |>>> >> >> >> password.
|>> |>>> >> >> >> This
|>> |>>> >> >> >> is
|>> |>>> >> >> >> the way that Vista was designed to work, but apparently,
not
|>> |>>> >> >> >> what
|>> |>>> >> >> >> you
|>> |>>> >> >> >> are
|>> |>>> >> >> >> seeing.
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> A question.
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> What happens when you are logged on and you try to
elevate a
|>> |>>> >> >> >> program
|>> |>>> >> >> >> with
|>> |>>> >> >> >> administrator privileges?
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> You can check this by going to Start and type cmd.exe
in
|>> the
|>> |>>> >> >> >> search
|>> |>>> >> >> >> box.
|>> |>>> >> >> >> In Programs, right click cmd.exe and select Run As
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Administrator.
|>> |>>> >> >> >> What
|>> |>>> >> >> >> should happen is that you get a UAC prompt to select an
|>> |>>> >> >> >> administrator
|>> |>>> >> >> >> account to use for the elevation. What do you see?
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> --
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Ronnie Vernon
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Microsoft MVP
|>> |>>> >> >> >> Windows Shell/User
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >>
|>> |>>> >> >> >> |>> |>>> >> >> >> > Ronnie,
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > Ive rebooted in safe mode but there remains no
|>> Administrator
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > log
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > in
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > only
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > the
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > usual standard users. I went to Control panel>user
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > accounts>manage
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > another
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > account and it will only let me change the pictures
|>> nothing
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > else.
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > When
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > I
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > try
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > to create a new account it says I cant because the name
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > contains
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > ^'|.><*
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > even
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > though it doesnt.
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > Even though its in safe mode it seems to be behaving
|>> exactly
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > as
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > it
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > does
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > normally.
|>> |>>> >> >> >> >
|>> |>>> >> >> >> > Brick in hand-close to smashing!!!!!
|>> |>
|>> |>
|>> |>
|>>
|>
|>

 

[Guest]

You can get this back in any version of Vista. However, caution is the keyword
here and you should not use the built-in administrator account other than on
a temporary basis.


Go to Start and type cmd

In the programs list, right click on CMD and select Run As Administrator.

In the command prompt window, type the following command.

net user administrator /active:yes

(Note the spaces and colon)

Press Enter.

Log off of your user account and you will see the Administrator account on
the Welcome screen. This account will not have a password associated with
it. The first thing you need to do is go into Control Panel / User Accounts
and create a strong password for this account.
is should work ok

Wayne

 

[Guest]

Thanks Wayne

I did as you sugested but I just get the message 'Access denied'

I'm running out of patience now

 

[newsgroups.comcast.net]

Is there a way to reverse the "net user administrator /active:yes" command
to hide the administrator again?

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

This is simple, just change the "yes" to "no" in the command.

 

[Guest]

Whatever I do I just get 'access denied'

Ronnie, do you know if there's anyway I can reinstall Vista in these
circumstances. I would need to use the anytime disc but I cant just reformat
my hard drive as the licence for the anytime disc is in the digital locker
and to get varification for that I need to be online. I thought I could just
put the disc in and get it to do a clean install but as Im not the
administrator, it wont let me - got any ideas? - bearing in mind the machine
came pre-loaded with Vista basic so I dont have the operating system on disc.

 

[Jerry]

Ronnie,

"no" doesn't work.

Thanks anyway

This is simple, just change the "yes" to "no" in the command.



--

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Jerry

I tested this extensively and it works everytime? You might want to try a
reboot immediately after you run the command. Make sure that you have
another account in the administrators group before you do this, otherwise
you could lock yourself out of the system.