Can't delete an administrator account

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike L
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike L

I have 2 administrator accounts. I go into the control panal as user 1,
select user 2, and select delete user. I then select delete files and then
delete account. (I also tried it with keep files with the same results)
After a couple minutes, Not Responding appears in the title bar and when I
exit that screen it asks if I want to report the error to MS. When I
reported the error, it did not give me a cause.

Bottom line, is there a way to force a delete of an administrator account?

Thanks

Mike
 
Hi Mike

From a command prompt try the following:

net user X /delete

where X is the name of the account.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


| I have 2 administrator accounts. I go into the control panal as user 1,
| select user 2, and select delete user. I then select delete files and
then
| delete account. (I also tried it with keep files with the same results)
| After a couple minutes, Not Responding appears in the title bar and when I
| exit that screen it asks if I want to report the error to MS. When I
| reported the error, it did not give me a cause.
|
| Bottom line, is there a way to force a delete of an administrator account?
|
| Thanks
|
| Mike
|
|
 
I hope you are not trying to delete the account named "administrator"
as it needs to remain for some software to be
installed/removed/operate properly.
 
You can't delete built in user accounts (e.g. Administrator, Guest, ...),
but you can disable them.

Mike

"Star Fleet Admiral Q"
 
Hi

Yes, good point. I should have pointed that out.

Mike

Don't try and delete the original Administrator Account. You need to keep
that intact.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


"Star Fleet Admiral Q"
| I hope you are not trying to delete the account named "administrator"
| as it needs to remain for some software to be
| installed/removed/operate properly.
|
| --
|
| Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service
| --------------------------------------------------------
| | > I have 2 administrator accounts. I go into the control panal as
| user 1,
| > select user 2, and select delete user. I then select delete files
| and then
| > delete account. (I also tried it with keep files with the same
| results)
| > After a couple minutes, Not Responding appears in the title bar and
| when I
| > exit that screen it asks if I want to report the error to MS. When
| I
| > reported the error, it did not give me a cause.
| >
| > Bottom line, is there a way to force a delete of an administrator
| account?
| >
| > Thanks
| >
| > Mike
| >
| >
|
|
 
Hi Will,

I am trying to point out, that even if you try you can't delete built it
administrator account (using normal procedures)...

*******************************************************
C:\Documents and Settings\mike>net user administrator /delete
System error 1371 has occurred.

Cannot perform this operation on built-in accounts.
*******************************************************

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

Mike
 
Hi

It shouldn't be possible to delete the Administrator Account, but some
people have posted that the Admin. Account has been deleted or has
disappeared. I can't delete it.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


| Hi Will,
|
| I am trying to point out, that even if you try you can't delete built it
| administrator account (using normal procedures)...
|
| *******************************************************
| C:\Documents and Settings\mike>net user administrator /delete
| System error 1371 has occurred.
|
| Cannot perform this operation on built-in accounts.
| *******************************************************
|
| Sorry for any misunderstanding.
|
| Mike
|
| | > Hi
| >
| > Yes, good point. I should have pointed that out.
| >
| > Mike
| >
| > Don't try and delete the original Administrator Account. You need to
keep
| > that intact.
| >
| > --
| >
| > Will Denny
| > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
| > Please reply to the News Groups
| >
| >
| > "Star Fleet Admiral Q"
message
| > | > | I hope you are not trying to delete the account named "administrator"
| > | as it needs to remain for some software to be
| > | installed/removed/operate properly.
| > |
| > | --
| > |
| > | Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service
| > | --------------------------------------------------------
| > | | > | > I have 2 administrator accounts. I go into the control panal as
| > | user 1,
| > | > select user 2, and select delete user. I then select delete files
| > | and then
| > | > delete account. (I also tried it with keep files with the same
| > | results)
| > | > After a couple minutes, Not Responding appears in the title bar and
| > | when I
| > | > exit that screen it asks if I want to report the error to MS. When
| > | I
| > | > reported the error, it did not give me a cause.
| > | >
| > | > Bottom line, is there a way to force a delete of an administrator
| > | account?
| > | >
| > | > Thanks
| > | >
| > | > Mike
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
|
|
 
I am not trying to delete the Administrator or Guest account. It is an
account I created with an administrator role
 
Hi,



I would guess they had in mind some other user account that had
administrator role assigned to it. This can be quite confusing when user use
Welcome Screen and "Administrator" account is not listed. You can also
rename administrator account and create new account with username
"Administrator". This one can be deleted.



Mike
 
Hi

Administrator has more than one meaning - and yes, it can be confusing
sometimes.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


| Hi,
|
|
|
| I would guess they had in mind some other user account that had
| administrator role assigned to it. This can be quite confusing when user
use
| Welcome Screen and "Administrator" account is not listed. You can also
| rename administrator account and create new account with username
| "Administrator". This one can be deleted.
|
|
|
| Mike
|
|
| | > Hi
| >
| > It shouldn't be possible to delete the Administrator Account, but some
| > people have posted that the Admin. Account has been deleted or has
| > disappeared. I can't delete it.
| >
| > --
| >
| > Will Denny
| > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
| > Please reply to the News Groups
| >
| >
| > | > | Hi Will,
| > |
| > | I am trying to point out, that even if you try you can't delete built
it
| > | administrator account (using normal procedures)...
| > |
| > | *******************************************************
| > | C:\Documents and Settings\mike>net user administrator /delete
| > | System error 1371 has occurred.
| > |
| > | Cannot perform this operation on built-in accounts.
| > | *******************************************************
| > |
| > | Sorry for any misunderstanding.
| > |
| > | Mike
| > |
| > | | > | > Hi
| > | >
| > | > Yes, good point. I should have pointed that out.
| > | >
| > | > Mike
| > | >
| > | > Don't try and delete the original Administrator Account. You need
to
| > keep
| > | > that intact.
| > | >
| > | > --
| > | >
| > | > Will Denny
| > | > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
| > | > Please reply to the News Groups
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > "Star Fleet Admiral Q"
| > message
| > | > | > | > | I hope you are not trying to delete the account named
| > "administrator"
| > | > | as it needs to remain for some software to be
| > | > | installed/removed/operate properly.
| > | > |
| > | > | --
| > | > |
| > | > | Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service
| > | > | --------------------------------------------------------
| > | > | | > | > | > I have 2 administrator accounts. I go into the control panal as
| > | > | user 1,
| > | > | > select user 2, and select delete user. I then select delete
files
| > | > | and then
| > | > | > delete account. (I also tried it with keep files with the same
| > | > | results)
| > | > | > After a couple minutes, Not Responding appears in the title bar
| > and
| > | > | when I
| > | > | > exit that screen it asks if I want to report the error to MS.
| > When
| > | > | I
| > | > | > reported the error, it did not give me a cause.
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Bottom line, is there a way to force a delete of an
administrator
| > | > | account?
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Thanks
| > | > | >
| > | > | > Mike
| > | > | >
| > | > | >
| > | > |
| > | > |
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
|
|
 
I am going to backup before I try the net user X/ delete.

Might be a day or so before I try it.

Appreciate the help.

Mike
 
|| || Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 07:03 PM
|| I have 2 administrator accounts. I go into the control panal
|| as user 1, select user 2, and select delete user. I then select
|| delete files and then delete account. (I also tried it with
|| keep files with the same results) After a couple minutes,
|| Not Responding appears in the title bar <SNIP>

| | I am not trying to delete the Administrator or Guest account.
| It is an account I created with an administrator role

Have you tried rebooting in normal mode (an easy way to
release any handles the account my have open).

Then when the OS finishing reloading do not logon using
the account you are trying to delete (to prevent any handles
from being opened). But logon on as another user with
Administrative privileges and then try to delete the
account?

And if that does not work have you tried rebooting in
Safe Mode then following the same steps in the previous
paragraph?

For more information about how to "start the computer in safe
mode" search the Windows XP Professional Help and
Support Center for the words in double-quotes and read the
Suggested Topic by that title.
 
It worked. I don't know what could have been open because I never use that
account.

I was just about to lose patience again and noticed that there was disk
activity after I selected delete account. I went in the other room to watch
TV and when I came back, the account was deleted.

Tank you all for the help.

Mike
 
Just to clarify, many users receive systems with the "Administrator" account
showing. If you purchase XP and install it yourself that account is hidden.
Nonetheless, many users begin using that account. However, as soon as
another account is created, that account again becomes hidden and users then
assume they have lost or otherwise deleted the account when, in fact, it is
simply hidden.
 
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