administrator acct problem

[Rob J]

For the most part, windows seems to be working fine...except for that my
norton utilities says I do not have sufficient priviledges to modify a
setting. Which would be fine other than this raises the issue that before
then I considered a non-issue. I set-up this home computer and have
adminstrator priviledges...on the log-in screen, once upon a time, there was
an option for "administrator" log-in along with the other accts. That
option no longer exists. However, in control panel, it also is not showing
as a user, but there is an administrator user under documents and settings.

I was having trouble getting some items to work when I initially upgraded
from Win98 SE, so I ended up doing a complete install...ever since, the
administrator acct has disappeared from the log-in screen, and from the user
acct option under control panel. However, if I try to add an acct. called
"administrator", I get the error that that acct already exists.
Any suggestions on what I can do to correct user acct problems. The last
thing I want to have to do is do a complete new reinstall, unless that is
the only option. The last time I did that, I expected to have all the user
accts wiped out, but they were still present under documents and
settings...apparently a complete install is not really a "complete"
installation, ie. it doesn't completely reinstall all aspects of the
operating system or at least not user accts. I suspect this is where the
administrator user got screwed up.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

The default administrator account is hidden once user accounts with the same
level priviledges are created. This is normal and is by design. To access
the default administrator account:

In WinXP Pro, hit ctrl+alt+delete twice at the logon screen and type it in.

In WinXP Home, you must restart and enter Safe mode by hitting F8 at
startup. The administrator logon will be one of the options.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Rock]

For the most part, windows seems to be working fine...except for that my
norton utilities says I do not have sufficient priviledges to modify a
setting. Which would be fine other than this raises the issue that before
then I considered a non-issue. I set-up this home computer and have
adminstrator priviledges...on the log-in screen, once upon a time, there was
an option for "administrator" log-in along with the other accts. That
option no longer exists. However, in control panel, it also is not showing
as a user, but there is an administrator user under documents and settings.

I was having trouble getting some items to work when I initially upgraded
from Win98 SE, so I ended up doing a complete install...ever since, the
administrator acct has disappeared from the log-in screen, and from the user
acct option under control panel. However, if I try to add an acct. called
"administrator", I get the error that that acct already exists.
Any suggestions on what I can do to correct user acct problems. The last
thing I want to have to do is do a complete new reinstall, unless that is
the only option. The last time I did that, I expected to have all the user
accts wiped out, but they were still present under documents and
settings...apparently a complete install is not really a "complete"
installation, ie. it doesn't completely reinstall all aspects of the
operating system or at least not user accts. I suspect this is where the
administrator user got screwed up.

What you are seeing is normal behavior. Once another account is created
the built in Administrator account is hidden. To login to it, if XP
Pro, at the welcome screen do ctrl-alt-del twice to bring up the login
box. Type in administrator and the password. For XP Home you'll need
to boot into safe mode and the administrator account should show up on
the welcome screen. To boot into safe mode restart the computer and
after the BIOS screen disappears repeatedly tap the F8 key until you get
the safe mode menu.

 

[Rock]

For the most part, windows seems to be working fine...except for that my
norton utilities says I do not have sufficient priviledges to modify a
setting. Which would be fine other than this raises the issue that before
then I considered a non-issue. I set-up this home computer and have
adminstrator priviledges...on the log-in screen, once upon a time, there was
an option for "administrator" log-in along with the other accts. That
option no longer exists. However, in control panel, it also is not showing
as a user, but there is an administrator user under documents and settings.

I was having trouble getting some items to work when I initially upgraded
from Win98 SE, so I ended up doing a complete install...ever since, the
administrator acct has disappeared from the log-in screen, and from the user
acct option under control panel. However, if I try to add an acct. called
"administrator", I get the error that that acct already exists.
Any suggestions on what I can do to correct user acct problems. The last
thing I want to have to do is do a complete new reinstall, unless that is
the only option. The last time I did that, I expected to have all the user
accts wiped out, but they were still present under documents and
settings...apparently a complete install is not really a "complete"
installation, ie. it doesn't completely reinstall all aspects of the
operating system or at least not user accts. I suspect this is where the
administrator user got screwed up.

Additionally you can enable the administrator account on the welcome
screen in normal mode with this edit from Kelly's site:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Line 5
Enable/Disable Administrator on Welcome Screen

See the top of the page for info on running the edit.

 

[Guest]

I have a related questions.

Does the login change when you have a network access available and you are
going back and forth between regular computer use and network computer use.

I ask because I had to reinstall XP Pro. I have not configured the network
and I am getting the general login. Will that change when I configure the
network.

Also I was playiing around and now the login / logout have the words at the
top of the window describing what is going on. How do I stop that?

Thanks