Help needed to find Adminstrator account

  • Thread starter Thread starter GaryDave
  • Start date Start date
G

GaryDave

After a hard drive meltdown, I got a new XP computer and imported all
the files and settings from my backup disk. After hours of work,
everything is configured properly: email, desktop, file system, the
works. But now the account that I configured is gone! It was
Administrator, and now the only account that is visible is Owner. How
can I either:
1) Log on as Adminstrator to access all my settings and data
2) Transfer all my settings and data to the Owner account.

Thanks for your help. It's frustrating to have all that work
disappear, and still know that it's in there.

Gary
 
Hi Gary,

Once a user account is created (that of "owner"), the administrator account
becomes hidden. To access the default administrator account:

In WinXP Pro, hit ctrl+alt+delete twice at the logon screen and type it in.

In WinXP Home, you must restart and enter Safe mode by hitting F8 at
startup. The administrator logon will be one of the options.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Rick -

Yes, the Safe Mode worked, since I'm using XP Home. It's a bit
frustrating to have the account that has all the files, icons,
shortcuts, email account, etc. that I set up only available in that
limited way. Is there any way to transfer all those files and settings
to a more accessible account? Or do I need to start all over again
importing the files, the email, the preferences, to another account?

Gary
 
GaryDave said:
Rick -

Yes, the Safe Mode worked, since I'm using XP Home. It's a bit
frustrating to have the account that has all the files, icons,
shortcuts, email account, etc. that I set up only available in that
limited way. Is there any way to transfer all those files and
settings
to a more accessible account? Or do I need to start all over again
importing the files, the email, the preferences, to another account?

Gary
Click to expand...

You don't need to start all over. Since you have only the two accounts,
Administrator and Owner, create a third user account - call it "Rick".
You can copy all your stuff over to "Rick" and use "Rick" as your
regular account or you can use "Rick" as a temporary account and use
"Owner". It doesn't matter.

Here is how to copy the user account settings to the new one. You'll
need to log into the new account once before you can copy anything to
it.

Copy a User Account -
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=811151

Lockergnome article about copying user account -
http://tinyurl.com/74atm

Malke
 
GaryDave said:
Rick -

Yes, the Safe Mode worked, since I'm using XP Home. It's a bit
frustrating to have the account that has all the files, icons,
shortcuts, email account, etc. that I set up only available in that
limited way. Is there any way to transfer all those files and
settings
to a more accessible account? Or do I need to start all over again
importing the files, the email, the preferences, to another account?

Gary
Click to expand...

Forgive the double-post - I realized I was referring to the new user
account as "Rick" and of course I should have said "Gary". ;-)

Malke
 
Thanks! I will followup on your links to create the account that I
want. And I'm sure other people will find this string useful, since
the Disappearing Administrator problem is a built-in issue for anyone
staring up with XP.

Gary
 
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