windows xp log on troubles

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partimeadmin

I am running Windows XP Pro. The computer had a password but no user name to
log on at start up. I set up another account with a user name and password
and gave it full administrator rights. Now I cannot log on to the original
user no matter what I try. I can still see the original account in users. It
was the original administrator of the computer. Log on is local. The computer
is part of a workgroup and a peer-to-peer network. Please tell me how to be
able to log onto the original user. Thanks!
 
partimeadmin said:
I am running Windows XP Pro. The computer had a password but no
user name to log on at start up. I set up another account with a
user name and password and gave it full administrator rights. Now I
cannot log on to the original user no matter what I try. I can
still see the original account in users. It was the original
administrator of the computer. Log on is local. The computer is
part of a workgroup and a peer-to-peer network. Please tell me how
to be able to log onto the original user. Thanks!
Click to expand...

CTRL_ALT_DEL twice at the welcoem logon screen.
"Administrator" as the username (assuming that was the username.)
Leave the password blank (as you said it had no password.)
 
Shenan Stanley said:
CTRL_ALT_DEL twice at the welcoem logon screen.
"Administrator" as the username (assuming that was the username.)
Leave the password blank (as you said it had no password.)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way



.
Click to expand...
 
Shenan Stanley said:
CTRL_ALT_DEL twice at the welcoem logon screen.
"Administrator" as the username (assuming that was the username.)
Leave the password blank (as you said it had no password.)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way


Ok that sounds like the solution. It had a password but no administrator name. How do I name the administrator so I dont have to press ctrl alt delete everytime I logon with that account? Its critical to keep that account's files the same. Thanks for your help!
.
Click to expand...
 
partimeadmin said:
I am running Windows XP Pro. The computer had a password but no
user name to log on at start up. I set up another account with a
user name and password and gave it full administrator rights. Now I
cannot log on to the original user no matter what I try. I can
still see the original account in users. It was the original
administrator of the computer. Log on is local. The computer is
part of a workgroup and a peer-to-peer network. Please tell me how
to be able to log onto the original user. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Shenan said:
CTRL_ALT_DEL twice at the welcome logon screen.
"Administrator" as the username (assuming that was the username.)
Leave the password blank (as you said it had no password.)
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...

Perhaps I missed something in your response...

Did you say, "."?

Can you expand on that?
 
Ok that sounds like the solution.
It had a password but no administrator name.
How do I name the administrator so I dont have
to press ctrl alt delete everytime I logon with that
account? Its critical to keep that account's files
the same. Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

What happened is expected.

You should *not* be using the built-in administrator account for daily
activities (you shouldn't be using *any* administrative level account for
daily activities if you want to be as secure as possible in this manner.)

When you finally created another account other than the built-in account,
the administrator account would no longer be shown on the welcome screen and
if you only had that account this whole time (with no password) - suddenly
you would have to actually choose an account fromt he welcome screen (if
that is your chosen method of logging in) instead of it just automatically
logging in (because it could - only one account and no password - it's a
no-brainer.)

So here is what happened as I see it.

You had a single account - the built-in "administrator" account - named, by
default, "administrator". You never assigned a password to said account.
Because it was the sole usable account and had no password, when you turned
on your computer, Windows XP would just boot straight in without pausing to
ask you anything.

If you had installed the .NET Framework anytime - that may have stopped and
you had to click on a user account at a welcome screen - but still no
password.

When you created another account - it would have (by default) hidden the
'administrator' account from the welcome screen. For your 'protection' - as
that account is usually treated as a maintenance or just-in-case account.

You can add it back to the Welcome screen as a selection - just
download/install and utilize TweakUI from Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx
(
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...a6-b352-839afb2a2679/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe )

Use it to change what users are shown on the welcome screen.

All user accounts have names.

You can get to that account's files (if your other account has
administrative rights) through the following directory: C:\Documents and
Settings\<username> <-- or most likely in this case: C:\Documents and
Settings\administrator. Look under the "Desktop" and "Administrator's
Documents" or "My Documents" fodlers found there.
 
Yes that computer was running on the default administrator account. It did
have a password but the user name was administrator. I used the ctrl *alt*
delete to log back onto that account. Now I realize the error of my ways. I
setup another acount with user name and password on that computer. Now I know
what a security risk running a computer like this poses. How could I transfer
that user account to a new account? After I do that should I disable the
default administrator account? Thanks again.
 
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