Admin Password Doesn't Work

[Caitlin]

I have my computer set so that you have to enter a password "upon resume"
after a screen saver. I know that it is the Admin Password that is used. For
some reason, the real password works to login, but so does just hitting the
enter key and leaving the password blank! (It does not work if you put in the
wrong password, fyi; just a blank password.) I have the latest Windows
updates (I checked today), and use Windows XP. Does anybody know how to fix
this? It would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JS]

If you mean the account named 'Administrator' has this problem
and this is the only account that has Admin privileges then....

Create a new account/user name and give it Admin privileges
(The new account is as just in case way to logon if there is a problem)

Now logon to the account that has the problem you described and
change the password from what it currently is to something different.

Next log off and then log back on, you should not have the problem
of a password or no password letting you in.

JS

 

[Caitlin]

Okay, so I created a new account, and I think this just created more chaos in
the problem. When I created the new account "Caitlin2" (my original account
is simply "Caitlin"), it made me choose an account type -- administrator or
limited; but it didn't really give me the choice of "limited" because it said
that one account had to be the Administrator... so apparently it's ignoring
that my first account is an admin...

But there must be something up with my first account since it's doing this.
I always knew that there was something weird going on with it every since
Adelphia tried unsuccessfully to hook up internet to my computer (we ended up
using a different service). It stopped going to the welcome screen after the
screen saver to enter the password... and my user account had less "control"
we could call it. I couldn't even change my picture. I have since fixed the
picture problem (don't remember how), but my original account ("Caitlin")
only gives me the following choices to change about my account:
-password
-picture
-set up account to use .NET Passport

I can't change the account type or delete it... Meaning I now have 2 admins,
but I can't delete Caitlin2 because I suppose Caitlin is not recognized as an
admin nor can I change the account type of Caitlin.

As for the password problem, it seems that the Welcome screen that pops up
when there are more than one user works to fix that! However, I would like to
delete my second, unnecessary and unwanted account "Caitlin2". I think I
would be able to do this if I could "change" the user type of it, although it
is already listed as an admin.

Does anybody have any tips or ideas on how to make my strangely-acting
original account an admin for real? Thanks in advance!

 

[JS]

It's best to forget the original account and use your new account 'Caitlin2'
Read the article below, this should get rid of the bugs.
(Start by following the instructions below the paragraph titled: 'Moving to
a new user profile')
http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2004/12/15/get-it-done-recover-a-damaged-windows-xp-user-profile/

Below are some Microsoft Knowledge Based articles just in case you
experience
one of the problems listed below:
Access is Denied Error Message XP Pro: (should work with Media Center)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/810881

Shared folder access:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/sdperms.htm

Also read this MS KB article about how to take ownership of files.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

Understanding and Applying NTFS Permission in Windows XP Professional
http://www.winxpsolution.com/ApplyingNTFSXPPro.aspx

Once you are satisfied that "Caitlin2" has no problems,
delete the "Caitlin" account, but give it some time don't rush to delete it.

JS

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks a lot! That article was very helpful. I was about to start the huge
task of personalizing a new user account since I restarted my computer and
the original account disappeared... but using system restore to restore it to
about a week ago got rid of the new account, and brought back my old one.
I'll stick with my old account for now, but in the future I'll know what to
do. Thanks!

 

[JS]

You're welcome.

JS

Thanks a lot! That article was very helpful. I was about to start the huge
task of personalizing a new user account since I restarted my computer and
the original account disappeared... but using system restore to restore it
to
about a week ago got rid of the new account, and brought back my old one.
I'll stick with my old account for now, but in the future I'll know what
to
do. Thanks!