Administrator/Administrator Account

[Mona]

Hi,
Here is the story.My sister's son is the only Admin user
of the computer.Now my sister wants to create admin
account for herself. If she does it, the original Admin
account will desappear with all her son's files etc. From
Kim Komando website I have learnt how to bring it back.
Here it is: (my question is at the end)
The default Administrator/Administrator
account disappears when a second administrator account is
created. It's still on the computer, but you can't
see or access it. The logic of that escapes me, but
that's the way it is.You can restore
Administrator/Administrator by editing the Registry, The
Registry is the database that tells Windows how to run.
Mess it up and you'll have a dead computer. So back it up
before you edit it. I have information on backing up the
Registry here.
To make the Registry change:

1. Click Start>>Run
2. In the box,
enter "regedit" (without the quotes).
Click OK
3. In the Registry Editor,
navigate down to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\

CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
4. Right-click on the empty area
in the right panel
5. Click New>>DWORD Value. In the
box, type the word
Administrator
6. Double-click Administrator
7. In the Edit DWORD Value
Window, under Value Data:,
change the number 0 to 1
8. Click OK
9. Close the Registry Editor
10. Reboot

If Administrator is already
present, skip steps 4 and 5.
After rebooting, you should be
back in business.
OK, I tried this on my computer and yes original
Admin/Admin account is visable when I open Users accounts
but not on the Welcome Screen. Any idea how to bring
original Admin account back to Welcome Screen after
creating another Admin account. (My sister really needs
to have admin account not the limited one...)
Your help will be highly appreciated.
Mona

..

 

[Sharon F]

Hi,
Here is the story.My sister's son is the only Admin user
of the computer.Now my sister wants to create admin
account for herself. If she does it, the original Admin
account will desappear with all her son's files etc. From
Kim Komando website I have learnt how to bring it back.
Here it is: (my question is at the end)

Alternative methods of accomplishing this:

-Use TweakUI for XP to add the default Administrator account to the Welcome
Screen. The download page for it is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Use System Properties> Advanced> Settings to copy the son's account to a
new account. Let his old one drop off of the welcome screen. NOTE: Cannot
be logged on to the account that is being copied from or to. May need to
create a temporary account in the administrator group to accomplish this.

If, in the future, XP ever needs to be reinstalled on this machine - an
account should be created for each user. These can be in the administrator
group if so desired - create at least one in this group. Let the default
Administrator account drop off to its "hidden" state. Keep this account in
reserve for troubleshooting purposes.

 

[Gordon]

Hi,
Here is the story.My sister's son is the only Admin user
of the computer.Now my sister wants to create admin
account for herself. If she does it, the original Admin
account will desappear with all her son's files etc.

That's by design. You should NOT use the built-in Administrator Account for
day to day use - it is the ONLY way into the machine (short of a repair
install) should the User you have created (with admin rights) go belly-up.
Create a new user Account with Admin rights and then take ownership of all
the files created under the built-in Admin account.

 

[FrankV]

With the problem Sharon is having, the alternate method doesn't work also. I
know because I have an identical situation on my XP Home and the tweakui
setting has no affect. Also, possibly as part of the same problem, I cannot
set up another account with admin rights. It appears to do it but any new
admin account has limitations it shouldn't have.

Frank

 

[Sharon F]

With the problem Sharon is having, the alternate method doesn't work also. I
know because I have an identical situation on my XP Home and the tweakui
setting has no affect. Also, possibly as part of the same problem, I cannot
set up another account with admin rights. It appears to do it but any new
admin account has limitations it shouldn't have.

That the default Administrator account is hidden is by design. It is not
intended for everyday use. It should be reserved for troubleshooting
purposes. A different account that is a member of the administrator group
should be used for routine maintenance.

There are differences between XP Pro and XP Home. One is that this default
Administrator account will be inaccessible from the regular Welcome screen.
Even if you managed to get the account to display on XP Home's Welcome
Screen -TweakUI or other means- it would refuse a log on.

Good The account is available when you log on in Safe Mode.

Boot to Safe Mode. Log on with the default Administrator account. User
name: Administrator. If Windows was preinstalled, the password is usually
blank so leave that field empty. If you have used the account before and
assigned a password, type that in. Once logged on, create whatever accounts
you need/want including one in the administrator group that will be
available in "normal Windows."

If you are running into a problem accessing files and folders when logged
on with an account in the administrator group, it is probably a permissions
vs. ownership issue. Ownership overrides permissions. Take ownership of the
files and folders to regain access to them:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=308421

 

[Guest]

I have the same prob as above.
I just created a new administrator account, and lost all my data/settings.
How do I transfer the settings I had before to the new administrator account?

I tried to copy the user profile (whilst loged on to another account, since
you cant be logged on to accounts to be copied), but it doesnt let me copy
the profile.
It says "Failed to set Security on the Destiniation Profile. Error - Access
is denied."

I tried to copy the profile to C:\Documents and Settings\*new
administrator account*.

What else can I do?

 

[Guest]

I have the same prob as above or below in this case!?!
I am running windows XP Pro.
I just created a new administrator account, and lost all my data/settings.
How do I transfer the settings I had before to the new administrator account?

I tried to copy the user profile (whilst loged on to another account, since
you cant be logged on to accounts to be copied), but it doesnt let me copy
the profile.
It says "Failed to set Security on the Destiniation Profile. Error - Access
is denied."

I tried to copy the profile to C:\Documents and Settings\*new
administrator account*.

What else can I do?

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 19:25:17 -0700, Mona wrote:

Hi,
Here is the story.My sister's son is the only Admin user
of the computer.Now my sister wants to create admin
account for herself. If she does it, the original Admin
account will desappear with all her son's files etc. From
Kim Komando website I have learnt how to bring it back.
Here it is: (my question is at the end)
The default Administrator/Administrator
account disappears when a second administrator account is
created. It's still on the computer, but you can't
see or access it. The logic of that escapes me, but
that's the way it is.You can restore
Administrator/Administrator by editing the Registry, The
Registry is the database that tells Windows how to run.
Mess it up and you'll have a dead computer. So back it up
before you edit it. I have information on backing up the
Registry here.

To make the Registry change:

1. Click Start>>Run
2. In the box,

enter "regedit" (without the quotes).

Click OK
3. In the Registry Editor,

navigate down to

CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList

4. Right-click on the empty area

in the right panel

5. Click New>>DWORD Value. In the

box, type the word

Administrator
6. Double-click Administrator
7. In the Edit DWORD Value

Window, under Value Data:,

change the number 0 to 1
8. Click OK
9. Close the Registry Editor
10. Reboot

If Administrator is already

 

[Sharon F]

I have the same prob as above.
I just created a new administrator account, and lost all my data/settings.
How do I transfer the settings I had before to the new administrator account?

I tried to copy the user profile (whilst loged on to another account, since
you cant be logged on to accounts to be copied), but it doesnt let me copy
the profile.
It says "Failed to set Security on the Destiniation Profile. Error - Access
is denied."

I tried to copy the profile to C:\Documents and Settings\*new
administrator account*.

What else can I do?

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

 

[Guest]

Now once the profile/files are copied...can I delete what I have in the
default administrator account?

 

[Sharon F]

Now once the profile/files are copied...can I delete what I have in the
default administrator account?

Yes, once you are you sure that the data files have been copied, you can
remove them from the default administrator account.

 

[Guest]

Tnx for your reply Sharon,

I still have a problem...I tried to do the whole process...i made new
administrator accounts.
I logged on with one i wasnt copying from or to (the others were logged off)
But being logged on as another administror it doesnt let access the default
administrator account so I can copy it.
The only way of accessing it is by being logged on as the default
administrator account, and like that I cant copy it either coz some files are
being used!
I am really stuck now.

Tnx,

F||SHY-_-

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Tnx for your reply Sharon,

I still have a problem...I tried to do the whole process...i made new
administrator accounts.
I logged on with one i wasnt copying from or to (the others were
logged off) But being logged on as another administror it doesnt let
access the default administrator account so I can copy it.
The only way of accessing it is by being logged on as the default
administrator account, and like that I cant copy it either coz some
files are being used!
I am really stuck now.

You will need to take ownership of the folders for the default admin
account. Log on with the new admin account and then follow the instructions
in this article:

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

 

[Sharon F]

Tnx for your reply Sharon,

I still have a problem...I tried to do the whole process...i made new
administrator accounts.
I logged on with one i wasnt copying from or to (the others were logged off)
But being logged on as another administror it doesnt let access the default
administrator account so I can copy it.
The only way of accessing it is by being logged on as the default
administrator account, and like that I cant copy it either coz some files are
being used!
I am really stuck now.

Tnx,

You said in your post that you were transferring data only from the default
admin account. You could use Windows Explorer to "see" the folders and
files for any account including the default Administrator account. Then use
the "take ownership" method to gain access to folders and files as Ronnie
mentioned in his reply.

 

[Guest]

Hi Sharon,

Sorry if I caused any misunderstanding...lemme explain again..

Basically I have been using the default administrator for a year now...and
want to change that, so i created a new administrator account, and i wanted
it to be exactly like the default administrator account, so i copied the
default administrator account to the new administrator acocunt ( I did it in
System Properties, Advanced Tab, under user profiles clicked advanced, and
used the "copy to" option which worked well.)
Now I would like to reduce the size of the default administrator account
(coz it is rather large...1.3 GB!)
How can I do that, do i just delete everything in the Administrator folder?
Or are there certain things i must keep? (eg: the ntuser.dat file)

Thanks a billion,

F||SHY-_-

 

[Sharon F]

Hi Sharon,

Sorry if I caused any misunderstanding...lemme explain again..

Basically I have been using the default administrator for a year now...and
want to change that, so i created a new administrator account, and i wanted
it to be exactly like the default administrator account, so i copied the
default administrator account to the new administrator acocunt ( I did it in
System Properties, Advanced Tab, under user profiles clicked advanced, and
used the "copy to" option which worked well.)
Now I would like to reduce the size of the default administrator account
(coz it is rather large...1.3 GB!)
How can I do that, do i just delete everything in the Administrator folder?
Or are there certain things i must keep? (eg: the ntuser.dat file)

Thanks a billion,

F||SHY-_-

Hello again! Thanks for clarifying that the transfer of info from one
account to the other has been completed and that it worked well.

To clean up the old Administrator account, I wouldn't delete everything in
its folders since the account may be used one day for troubleshooting and
diagnostics. Instead, I would log on to that old account and then use
Windows Explorer to selectively delete - concentrating especially on
personal data files (saved documents, old email, and so on). Getting rid of
these (now) duplicate personal files will remove most of the bulk from that
account's folders.

Your intuition about leaving system maintained files such as ntuser.dat
untouched is correct. I would leave those alone.

You are using XP Pro? If yes, the old Administrator account will have now
dropped off the Welcome screen. You can log on to it by pressing
Ctrl+Alt+Delete twice. The classic style logon prompt will appear. Type in
Administrator and the password (leave password field blank if no password
was assigned).