By default, for security purposes, the built-in Administrator account
disappears from the Welcome screen when other users are created and thus
becomes a hidden account. This account is only meant to be used in the
event your other accounts become corrupt or otherwise inaccessible.
On XP Home Edition, once the account is hidden, the only way to log in to it
is by going into Safe Mode and on XP Pro by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice
at the Welcome screen.
For normal administrative purposes you should create a separate
Administrator account.
That said, MVP Doug Knox has a utility at his website that can add the
account back to the Welcome screen. The information below, courtesy of Doug
Knox MVP:
Visit
www.dougknox.com and go to the Windows XP section.
Follow the link for Enable Administrator Account ......
This small VB Script 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
