Administrator account

[Clif Barber]

I have a desktop PC with Windows XP with SP2. For some time, it has only had
the "Administrator" account that was established with the PC was initiated.
Recently, I attempted to add a new account (also with administrator
priviledges) called "Family". The Administrator account went away and we
cannot access some of the programs and facilities that were available using
that "Administrator" account. I cannot rename the "Family" account to
"Administrator" nor can I create a new account by that name. When I attempt
to do either, I get an error message that the "Administrator" account already
exists. However, it is not listed either on power up or in the User Accounts
listing. I would like to have the "Administrator" account back in addition
to the other accounts I have created. Any ideas??

 

[Malke]

I have a desktop PC with Windows XP with SP2. For some time, it has only
had the "Administrator" account that was established with the PC was
initiated. Recently, I attempted to add a new account (also with
administrator
priviledges) called "Family". The Administrator account went away and we
cannot access some of the programs and facilities that were available
using
that "Administrator" account. I cannot rename the "Family" account to
"Administrator" nor can I create a new account by that name. When I
attempt to do either, I get an error message that the "Administrator"
account already
exists. However, it is not listed either on power up or in the User
Accounts
listing. I would like to have the "Administrator" account back in
addition
to the other accounts I have created. Any ideas??

You apparently have XP Pro and were using the built-in Administrator account
for your daily work. Do not rename user accounts. After you create a second
user account with administrative privileges, the built-in Administrator
account is hidden by design. To log into it, simply do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice
at the Welcome Screen. This will give you the classic logon box. Type in
"Administrator" and whatever password you assigned when you set up Windows.

If you want the built-in Administrator account to show up on the Welcome
Screen instead of using the classic logon:

Enable Administrator account on Welcome Screen (MVP Doug Knox)
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_admin_ok.htm

Malke

 

[Nepatsfan]

I have a desktop PC with Windows XP with SP2. For some time, it has only
had
the "Administrator" account that was established with the PC was
initiated.
Recently, I attempted to add a new account (also with administrator
priviledges) called "Family". The Administrator account went away and we
cannot access some of the programs and facilities that were available
using
that "Administrator" account. I cannot rename the "Family" account to
"Administrator" nor can I create a new account by that name. When I
attempt
to do either, I get an error message that the "Administrator" account
already
exists. However, it is not listed either on power up or in the User
Accounts
listing. I would like to have the "Administrator" account back in
addition
to the other accounts I have created. Any ideas??

Log off from the Family account to the Welcome screen.
At the Welcome Screen, hit the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time.
This should bring up the Log On to Windows dialog.
Enter Administrator in the User name box and any password if you assigned
one to this account.
You should now be able to log in to the Administrator account.

You can add the Administrator account to the Welcome screen by using the
advice contained in these articles.

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/admins.htm

http://www.petri.co.il/add_the_administrator's_account_to_the_welcome_screen_in_xp_pro.htm

If you want to copy the settings from the Administrator account into the
Family account take a look at these articles.

How do I copy a user profile in Windows XP?
http://www.petri.co.il/copy_user_profiles_in_windows_xp.htm

How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/811151

You will have to use a third account which is a computer administrator in
order to copy the files. Create a temporary admin account that can be
deleted once the procedure is completed.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have a desktop PC with Windows XP with SP2. For some time, it has only had
the "Administrator" account that was established with the PC was initiated.
Recently, I attempted to add a new account (also with administrator
priviledges) called "Family". The Administrator account went away and we
cannot access some of the programs and facilities that were available using
that "Administrator" account. I cannot rename the "Family" account to
"Administrator" nor can I create a new account by that name. When I attempt
to do either, I get an error message that the "Administrator" account already
exists. However, it is not listed either on power up or in the User Accounts
listing. I would like to have the "Administrator" account back in addition
to the other accounts I have created. Any ideas??

You had been using the built-in Administrator account for daily
use? This was very unwise. As you've discovered, once any additional
user accounts have been created, the built-in Administrator account will
no longer be displayed on the Welcome Screen. This is a default
security feature.

The built-in Administrator account was never intended to be used
for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to rename
the account, set a strong password on it, and use it only to create
another account for regular use, reserving the Administrator account as
a "back door" in case something corrupts your regular account(s).

By design, the only way to log into the Administrator account of
WinXP Home is to reboot into Safe Mode. For WinXP Pro, pressing
CTRL+ALT+DEL twice at the Welcome Screen will produce the standard login
dialog box.

A wiser course of action would be to create another user account
for your daily use, and copy desired the files and settings from the
Administrator account to this newly created user profile.

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783

How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811151


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have a desktop PC with Windows XP with SP2.

Given the behaviour you describe, this is XP Pro.

For some time, it has only had
the "Administrator" account that was established with the PC was
initiated.

That's a very bad plan. You should not use the Administrator account in
this way.

Recently, I attempted to add a new account (also with administrator
priviledges) called "Family". The Administrator account went away

Actually, no, it didn't go away. By design, the Administrator account
stops appearing on the Welcome screen as soon as another account is created.

This is to help keep you from using the Administrator account unnecessarily,
which you have been doing.

and we
cannot access some of the programs and facilities that were available
using
that "Administrator" account. I cannot rename the "Family" account to
"Administrator" nor can I create a new account by that name.

Of course you can't, because it exists. The only limitation is that it
doesn't appear on the Welcome screen, since you shouldn't be using daily.

When I attempt
to do either, I get an error message that the "Administrator" account
already
exists.
Yep.

However, it is not listed either on power up or in the User Accounts
listing. I would like to have the "Administrator" account back in
addition
to the other accounts I have created. Any ideas??

You don't want people using the Administrator account. It should be held in
reserve for essential system maintenance only, and used only when other
accounts can't do the job, which is either seldom or when the other account
profiles corrupt - which does happen, and is part of the reason you
shouldn't use the Administrator account.

You can use TweakUI to show the Admin account, or you can just press
control+alt+delete twice at the Welcome screen, to log into it. Move your
files from that account to real user accounts, and then turn the display of
the Admin account off again.

Use the directions here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811151

As to programs, simply copy or move the shortcuts from the Admin desktop to
the All Users desktop folder. You'll need to change a few of the Explorer
View settings to do this - in Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View, Show
Hidden, etc.

HTH
-pk