i did something wrong. New User

[RW]

On two machines now I have tried to change the user and screwed up both machines.

I was asked to remove the existing user (with administrative privalige) and create a new user with
administrative privalige. Then remove the old user and all of their files.

I went to the User applet and created the new user, logged off as the old user and logged on as the
new user.
Went back to the User applet and selected the old user and picked the "delete user" option and the
"delete user files" option. The PCs worked fine and came back up with the new user on a
Shutdown-Restart. However, after a full shutdown, on the next start the 'old logon window' format
showed with the new user name and when I tried to start I got the error message "Unable to log on to
the Domain. Check User name and Domain for correct entry". (Before I lost the machine I had
confirmed that neither the new user, the old user, or the Administrator had passwords.) Even
changing the User to "Administrator" resulted in the same error. Then booting into the Safe Mode
with exactly the same results. Now neither computer had ever been on a Domain system.

Both Computers are Dell Dimension computers with Window XP Pro and I have the Dell Installation
disks for both computers, so I tried a Repair Installation. At the end of this effort and reboot,
the same error.

I have since used the Dell Installation disks to reformat and reinstall the OS and drivers.
Connected to the Internet and downloaded the many-many updates. However, now both owners have to
reinstall their software and printers.

Question: What did I do wrong? I had done this same task to a Dell Windows XP Home Edition before
and not had a problem.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

On two machines now I have tried to change the user and screwed up both
machines.

I was asked to remove the existing user (with administrative privalige)
and create a new user with administrative privalige. Then remove the old
user and all of their files.

I went to the User applet and created the new user, logged off as the old
user and logged on as the new user.
Went back to the User applet and selected the old user and picked the
"delete user" option and the "delete user files" option. The PCs worked
fine and came back up with the new user on a Shutdown-Restart. However,
after a full shutdown, on the next start the 'old logon window' format
showed with the new user name and when I tried to start I got the error
message "Unable to log on to the Domain. Check User name and Domain for
correct entry". (Before I lost the machine I had confirmed that neither
the new user, the old user, or the Administrator had passwords.) Even
changing the User to "Administrator" resulted in the same error. Then
booting into the Safe Mode with exactly the same results. Now neither
computer had ever been on a Domain system.

Both Computers are Dell Dimension computers with Window XP Pro and I have
the Dell Installation disks for both computers, so I tried a Repair
Installation. At the end of this effort and reboot, the same error.

I have since used the Dell Installation disks to reformat and reinstall
the OS and drivers. Connected to the Internet and downloaded the many-many
updates. However, now both owners have to reinstall their software and
printers.

Question: What did I do wrong? I had done this same task to a Dell
Windows XP Home Edition before and not had a problem.

I think the main thing that went wrong is that you came here far too late.
Posts with password problems are among the VFAQs and most respondents would
have pointed you to Google. If you put the words

forgot windows password

into a Google search box then you will see what I mean. Most if not all
solutions presented on the first page would have solved your problem within
15 minutes, free of charge.

The second thing that went wrong is to go for a repair installation. Neither
Safe Mode nor a repair installation will do anything about passwords, other
than Safe Mode making the Administrator account visible on Windows XP Home
machines.

What exactly went wrong with your account changes/deletions etc. is hard to
say without actually watching you while you do it and probing a little
deeper *before* you reformat the disk.

 

[RW]

I think the main thing that went wrong is that you came here far too late. Posts with password
problems are among the VFAQs and most respondents would have pointed you to Google. If you put the
words

forgot windows password

into a Google search box then you will see what I mean. Most if not all solutions presented on the
first page would have solved your problem within 15 minutes, free of charge.

The second thing that went wrong is to go for a repair installation. Neither Safe Mode nor a
repair installation will do anything about passwords, other than Safe Mode making the
Administrator account visible on Windows XP Home machines.

What exactly went wrong with your account changes/deletions etc. is hard to say without actually
watching you while you do it and probing a little deeper *before* you reformat the disk.

It was confirmed before I began that there was never a password used on the computer.
I originally booted to all users and confirmed that no password was used, that included the
Administrator.
It was not a case of forgotten password. Please read the original post more carefully.

 

[Jim]

Then what happens when you press the Enter key when prompted for a password?
Jim

 

[RW]

The error message simply returned after a few seconds of trying log in.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

It was confirmed before I began that there was never a password used on
the computer.
I originally booted to all users and confirmed that no password was used,
that included the Administrator.
It was not a case of forgotten password. Please read the original post
more carefully.

You missed my point. The words I suggested for the Goole search will guide
you to the various password resetting tools that you will find on Google.
Where the password was blank or forgotten is irrelevant. Useing this
approach would have saved you a great deal of time and trouble.

Your question "what went wrong" is valid but since you destroyed all the
evidence, it is unlikely that you will get a definitive answer.

 

[RW]

I had already "Googled" for password help (I even have a boot disk to change both user and Admin
pasword which I did and the new passwords did not work)

Also, I have a boot disk called "ERD Commander" that gives me full access to the Windows XP system.
Normally it allows a system restore from files on the hard drive. It did not work on the restore
feature. I was able to use it to capture files, address book, etc. be for the reformat.
I had worked on the computers for two days before choosing to reformat and start over, which was in
the end the best solution as the reason for the removal of the user was so PC could be given to a
charity.

What I wanted to know is what changed the system so that it thought there was a password and thought
there was a domain involved.

I now consider this subject closed as no one had any valid comments or suggestions.

 

[Doug W.]

I had already "Googled" for password help (I even have a boot
disk to change both user and Admin pasword which I did and the
new passwords did not work)

Also, I have a boot disk called "ERD Commander" that gives me
full access to the Windows XP system. Normally it allows a
system restore from files on the hard drive. It did not work
on the restore feature. I was able to use it to capture
files, address book, etc. be for the reformat.
I had worked on the computers for two days before choosing to
reformat and start over, which was in the end the best
solution as the reason for the removal of the user was so PC
could be given to a charity.

What I wanted to know is what changed the system so that it
thought there was a password and thought there was a domain
involved.

I now consider this subject closed as no one had any valid
comments or suggestions.

====
Lesson learned...don't make stupid changes until you learn how
to do them properly.
==

 

[Richard in AZ]

Sound like no one helped by giving him any links to information on how to do the job.
I agree with RW, no help was given.

 

[Gord Dibben]

How does one properly make "stupid changes"?


Gord

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

LOL!

How does one properly make "stupid changes"?


Gord

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Lesson learned...don't make stupid changes until you learn how
to do them properly.

I never knew there was a proper way to make stupid changes! ;-)

 

[Unknown]

Very, very carefully!

How does one properly make "stupid changes"?


Gord

 

[Doug W.]

I never knew there was a proper way to make stupid changes!
;-)

==
Just an attempt to lighten things up a bit...I should have said
"don't make stupid changes", but that would have been rude.
==

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

==
Just an attempt to lighten things up a bit...I should have said
"don't make stupid changes", but that would have been rude.

No problem. Note the ;-) at the end of my message.