Created new account and XP deleted the other

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hi,
I have a bit of a problem. I created a new account in XP Pro with "computer
administrator" permissions. When I tried to log on to the old
account--"Administrator" if it matters, which I think it does--the option for
"Administrator" was gone. When I logged back on to the new account and looked
in "User Accounts" in control panel, Administrator was not listed as an
account. I lost all my settings, cookies,desktop layout, etc. Does anyone
know how to fix this?
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
D
 
When you create a second user account, the built-in Administrator account becomes hidden.

For XP Pro: Press CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at the Welcome Screen, with no other users logged on. You'll get the older logon dialog. Enter Administrator and any password that you have set for that account.

To enable the Administrator account on the new Windows XP logon screen in Windows XP Pro, visit my web site, www.dougknox.com and go to the Windows XP Utilities section. Follow the link for Enable Administrator Account ......

This small VB application will make the registry change necessary for the Administrator account to be available on the Welcome Screen. If you prefer to do it manually, click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList\

Note: There is a space between Windows and NT in the above Key.

Add the Administrator account if necessary and/or change the Administrator value to 1

For XP Home, you can only log into the built in Administrator account in Safe Mode, so the fixes above will be of little use.
 
D said:
Hi,
I have a bit of a problem. I created a new account in XP Pro with "computer
administrator" permissions. When I tried to log on to the old
account--"Administrator" if it matters, which I think it does--the option for
"Administrator" was gone. When I logged back on to the new account and looked
in "User Accounts" in control panel, Administrator was not listed as an
account. I lost all my settings, cookies,desktop layout, etc. Does anyone
know how to fix this?
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
D
Click to expand...


As you've discovered, once any additional administrative user
accounts have been created, the built-in Administrator account will no
longer be displayed on the Welcome Screen. This is a default security
feature. By design, the only way to log into the Administrator account
of WinXP Home is to reboot into Safe Mode. For WinXP Pro, pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL twice at the Welcome Screen will produce the standard login
dialog box.

The built-in Administrator account really was never intended to be
used for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to
rename the account, set a strong password on it, and use it only to
create another account for regular use, reserving the Administrator
account as a "back door" in case something corrupts your regular account(s).

A wiser course of action would be to create another user account
for your daily use (as you've done), and copy desired the files and
settings from the Administrator account to this newly created user profile.

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrum Russell
 
Back
Top