Sorry, this is a long one.

I've tanked my in-laws computer by creating a guest
account. Now when the logon screen pops up, it defaults
to "guest" and will not recognize the administrator user
name or password.

At Dell's recommendation, I re-installed the OS. No
change.

In the help search I tried several different things.
Tried #298252 to go in and change passwords, but there
was no "Local Users and Groups" listed in the console
root. Console Root folder was empty.

Went into #300433 but I don't feel at all comfortable
messing with the registry. Especially when the
instructions end with "DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!" Plus
it said that the instructions were for XP Proffesional.
Don't know if it would make a difference. I'm using XP
Home Edition.

It did say at the end of most of the admin help I looked
at that this is an acknowledged Microsoft problem
(disappearing admin accounts).

I can't do a system restore or open the administrators
folder because I don't have the privileges to do so.

The administrators folder is still there on the drive
in "Documents and settings."

I also have several wierd errors since doing the OS
reinstall. But those are for another post.

Can anyone help?

Please keep in mind that thought I thrown around some
nice jargon here, my knowledge of all things techie falls
somewhere between minor hobbyist and dolt.

Please speak slowly and use small words. ;-)

Thanking you in advance.

kelly

If you get a response please let me know. I'm in the same boat.

I am in the same boat too! I just reloaded the entire
operating system and no changes. I can't get into Outlook
Express, Microsoft outlook, nor can I download Norton
updates, I get messages that say I do not have
permission. My Administrative Rights have changed.

One thing that might help for you is to right click the
local settings folder and mark the "show hidden files"
area.

Maureen
>-----Original Message-----
>Sorry, this is a long one.
>
>I've tanked my in-laws computer by creating a guest
>account. Now when the logon screen pops up, it defaults
>to "guest" and will not recognize the administrator user
>name or password.
>
>At Dell's recommendation, I re-installed the OS. No
>change.
>
>In the help search I tried several different things.
>Tried #298252 to go in and change passwords, but there
>was no "Local Users and Groups" listed in the console
>root. Console Root folder was empty.
>
>Went into #300433 but I don't feel at all comfortable
>messing with the registry. Especially when the
>instructions end with "DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!" Plus
>it said that the instructions were for XP Proffesional.
>Don't know if it would make a difference. I'm using XP
>Home Edition.
>
>It did say at the end of most of the admin help I looked
>at that this is an acknowledged Microsoft problem
>(disappearing admin accounts).
>
>I can't do a system restore or open the administrators
>folder because I don't have the privileges to do so.
>
>The administrators folder is still there on the drive
>in "Documents and settings."
>
>I also have several wierd errors since doing the OS
>reinstall. But those are for another post.
>
>Can anyone help?
>
>Please keep in mind that thought I thrown around some
>nice jargon here, my knowledge of all things techie falls
>somewhere between minor hobbyist and dolt.
>
>Please speak slowly and use small words. ;-)
>
>Thanking you in advance.
>
>kelly
>
>
>
>
>.
>

I hope you solved your problem! Just an FYI: I had to
completely reload the OS again (for a second time in 2
days) and my mother-in-law lost *everything* off of her
hard drive. Bummer.

But she's up and running.

My solution came from Dell. The support guy spent *4
hours* on the phone with me. Dell rocks. Microsoft
*rots*

Best fo luck!

Kelly


>-----Original Message-----
>I am in the same boat too! I just reloaded the entire
>operating system and no changes. I can't get into
Outlook
>Express, Microsoft outlook, nor can I download Norton
>updates, I get messages that say I do not have
>permission. My Administrative Rights have changed.
>
>One thing that might help for you is to right click the
>local settings folder and mark the "show hidden files"
>area.
>
>Maureen
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Sorry, this is a long one.
>>
>>I've tanked my in-laws computer by creating a guest
>>account. Now when the logon screen pops up, it
defaults
>>to "guest" and will not recognize the administrator
user
>>name or password.
>>
>>At Dell's recommendation, I re-installed the OS. No
>>change.
>>
>>In the help search I tried several different things.
>>Tried #298252 to go in and change passwords, but there
>>was no "Local Users and Groups" listed in the console
>>root. Console Root folder was empty.
>>
>>Went into #300433 but I don't feel at all comfortable
>>messing with the registry. Especially when the
>>instructions end with "DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!" Plus
>>it said that the instructions were for XP
Proffesional.
>>Don't know if it would make a difference. I'm using XP
>>Home Edition.
>>
>>It did say at the end of most of the admin help I
looked
>>at that this is an acknowledged Microsoft problem
>>(disappearing admin accounts).
>>
>>I can't do a system restore or open the administrators
>>folder because I don't have the privileges to do so.
>>
>>The administrators folder is still there on the drive
>>in "Documents and settings."
>>
>>I also have several wierd errors since doing the OS
>>reinstall. But those are for another post.
>>
>>Can anyone help?
>>
>>Please keep in mind that thought I thrown around some
>>nice jargon here, my knowledge of all things techie
falls
>>somewhere between minor hobbyist and dolt.
>>
>>Please speak slowly and use small words. ;-)
>>
>>Thanking you in advance.
>>
>>kelly
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>