getting to old accounts

[Loretta]

I have two old accounts in my Winxp Home Documents and settings. These two
accounts do not appear in the User Accounts list in the conotrol panel. They
also will not let me access them in Windows Explorer. Does any one know how
to rectify this problem. I need to get at the my documents and then to
permently delete them.
Thanks LA

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have two old accounts in my Winxp Home Documents and settings. These two
accounts do not appear in the User Accounts list in the conotrol panel.
They also will not let me access them in Windows Explorer. Does any one
know how to rectify this problem. I need to get at the my documents and
then to permently delete them.
Thanks LA

It sounds like you can see that the account folders exist via Explorer, so
you just need to go into Safe Mode and "take ownership" of the account
folder and all subfolders.

Here are directions:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

In XP Home, these specific security functions are only accessible in Safe
Mode. In XP Pro, you can get to these functions in regular mode.

Once you've taken ownershio of the account folders, just move the files to
another common folder outside that structure and you can delete the account.
Be sure you've gotten all of the files, including those in hidden folders
(like mail stores).

HTH
-pk

 

[Loretta]

I caused another problem.
I was messing with the registry. Now no user names come up on the welcome
screen in normal or safe mode. I tried a repair install but that did not fix
the registry.
Any suggestion for this. Prefer to not do a complete install if possible.
Thanks. LA