User account gone missing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gerry
  • Start date Start date
G

Gerry

I foolishly used 'control userpasswords2' on my WinXP Home system to see
what is does. I picked on my son's user user name and tried to make him a
power user, only to be told that this was not possible. Ok, no problem.
However, since then his user id does not appear in list of users on the
Logon screen. Nor does it appear if I rerun 'control userpasswords2'. And
I'm told the account exists if I try to add the account again.

We can login ok by using the 'ctl-alt-del' twice trick, and using his user
id, but is there any way of getting this account showing in the list again?
And I promise not to meddle again.
 
Gerry said:
I foolishly used 'control userpasswords2' on my WinXP Home system to
see what is does. I picked on my son's user user name and tried to
make him a power user, only to be told that this was not possible.
Ok, no problem. However, since then his user id does not appear in
list of users on the Logon screen. Nor does it appear if I rerun
'control userpasswords2'. And I'm told the account exists if I try to
add the account again.

We can login ok by using the 'ctl-alt-del' twice trick, and using his
user id, but is there any way of getting this account showing in the
list again? And I promise not to meddle again.
Click to expand...

If you can CADx2 then you're running Pro, not Home as that applies to Pro
only.
 
Anando said:
Hi Gerry,

You may try this. Download and install TweakUI and under TweakUI, navigate to the 'Logon' section
and if the username corresponding to your son's exists, put a check next to it.

Download TweakUI:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

--

Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp
http://www.mvps.org
Click to expand...


Thanks Anando, but unfortunately the username doesn't show in the list.
Looks like I might have to do a restore?
Miss Perpicacia - 'If you can CADx2 then you're running Pro, not Home as
that applies to Pro only.' ??
?
 
Hi Gerry,

Thank you for posting!

As you still can use your son's account to log on window by pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL twice. Properly, this account was set as special account.

Let us try the below steps:

1. Click Start, point to Run
2. Type REGEDIT and press Enter
3. Locate the below registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
4. Look at the right pane. Can you find your son's account name in the
list? If so, please delete it.

If the above steps do not work, you may create a new User Account for your
son, log on as the new user account and then copy the origional User
Profile to the new one. To copy User Profile, click Start, right click My
Computer, and then choose Properties from the context menu. Click Settings
button in User Profiles section of Advanced tab. Then you will see the
window to copy User Profile.

I hope that the above suggestions are helpful.

Have a nice day!

Thanks & Regards,

Feng Mao [MSFT], MCSE
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
Gerry,

In XP Home, the "Group Membership" should not be altered using Userpasswords2 dialog. It sometimes sets the account type to "Unknown" and this may be the reason the account is missing. Follow David's advice and if that still does not help, assume that the account's group membership is messed-up. Type "net users <username>" at Command Prompt to verify the Group Membership of your son's account.

Workaround: Create a new user account and transfer the data to the new account.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

I foolishly used 'control userpasswords2' on my WinXP Home system to see
what is does. I picked on my son's user user name and tried to make him a
power user, only to be told that this was not possible. Ok, no problem.
However, since then his user id does not appear in list of users on the
Logon screen. Nor does it appear if I rerun 'control userpasswords2'. And
I'm told the account exists if I try to add the account again.

We can login ok by using the 'ctl-alt-del' twice trick, and using his user
id, but is there any way of getting this account showing in the list again?
And I promise not to meddle again.
 
Thanks to everybody for taking the trouble to reply. It is much appreciated.
I will try later to create a new user and copy the old user profile, as
Feng suggested (btw, the user does not appear in the
SpecialAccounts\UserList but the profile at least exists). As Ramesh
indicated the account's group membership is messed-up - Local Group
Memberships shows as empty instead of *Administrators and *Users as per
another user.

I'll also try restoring to an earlier point to see if my meddling can be
undone. Will let you know what happens, but for the moment thanks again.
 
You're welcome Gerry.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

Thanks to everybody for taking the trouble to reply. It is much appreciated.
I will try later to create a new user and copy the old user profile, as
Feng suggested (btw, the user does not appear in the
SpecialAccounts\UserList but the profile at least exists). As Ramesh
indicated the account's group membership is messed-up - Local Group
Memberships shows as empty instead of *Administrators and *Users as per
another user.

I'll also try restoring to an earlier point to see if my meddling can be
undone. Will let you know what happens, but for the moment thanks again.
 
As per Feng's suggestion
"... you may create a new User Account for your son, log on as the new user
account and then copy the origional User Profile to the new one. To copy
User Profile, click Start, right click My Computer, and then choose
Properties from the context menu. Click Settings button in User Profiles
section of advanced tab. Then you will see the window to copy User Profile."
.... I created a new user but when copying the profile I was unsure what to
enter for the 'path to the folder for the copied user profile', even after
selecting Browse (My Computer was highlighted). As this solution would still
leave a 'corrupt' user on the system I chickened out out at this point, I'm
afraid, and resorted to a system restore to some distant point in the past.
And all is now ok.
In future I will try to resist the temptation to fiddle with things I don't
really understand, but it's hard sometimes. Sorry to have wasted your time,
but thanks again for your much valued advice.
 
Hi Gerry,

Thank you for posting back!

I am glad that System Restore has solved the problem and everything looks
good now.

If you have any questions in the future, please don't hesitate to post in
the newsgroup.

Have a nice day!

Thanks & Regards,

Feng Mao [MSFT], MCSE
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
i posted the SAME EXACT question on 7/18 but no one responded - thanks
people >:-(
system restore to previous day was my simple solution.
 
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