administrator login winxp

[Troy Piggins]

2 questions about winxp (hopefully the right group - first timer) :
1. upon install you provide a password for 'administrator', but how do
you login as administrator? if you logoff, you can only login as users.
i have set a user that is a member of admin group, but that is not
what i want.
2. i think it is connected with the above, but how do you get access to
c:\system volume information\ directory? i have 2 machines with spyware
and viruses on them, and infected files are in that directory but i
can't get in there to clean them.
thanks in advance.

 

[Abel]

To log in as "Administrator" just boot into safe mode if
you are on Home Edition. If on Pro, CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at
the logon screen.
If you are trying to find System Volume Information, that
is a hidden system file. You would have to uncheck
the "Hide protected operating system files" in Folder
Options.

 

[Troy Piggins]

2 questions about winxp (hopefully the right group - first timer) :
1. upon install you provide a password for 'administrator', but how do
you login as administrator? if you logoff, you can only login as users.
i have set a user that is a member of admin group, but that is not what
i want.

just following up...
still no luck with this one.

2. i think it is connected with the above, but how do you get access to
c:\system volume information\ directory? i have 2 machines with spyware
and viruses on them, and infected files are in that directory but i
can't get in there to clean them.
thanks in advance.

found the answer this one at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;309531

 

[Thomas Wendell]

Access to "c:\sys vol inf " is not there
To clear a virus from that directory is destructive to all SystemRestore
"places", as you have to shut down that function momentarily.

RClick on "This Computer", choose tab "System Restore", press "Disable
System Restore on all disks". Reboot
Now you can enable SysRestore again, the virus is gone.....


--
Tumppi
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[Troy Piggins]

Access to "c:\sys vol inf " is not there
To clear a virus from that directory is destructive to all SystemRestore
"places", as you have to shut down that function momentarily.

RClick on "This Computer", choose tab "System Restore", press "Disable
System Restore on all disks". Reboot
Now you can enable SysRestore again, the virus is gone.....

Done. Thanks, mate. Hopefully that got it.

 

[Troy Piggins]

Access to "c:\sys vol inf " is not there
To clear a virus from that directory is destructive to all SystemRestore
"places", as you have to shut down that function momentarily.

RClick on "This Computer", choose tab "System Restore", press "Disable
System Restore on all disks". Reboot
Now you can enable SysRestore again, the virus is gone.....

By the way, what about logging in as admin?

 

[Thomas Wendell]

XPpro or XPhome??
In XPpro, when on login screen, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice, this gives old
style login box
In XPhome, only way is to boot to SafeMode, I think logs on directly as
admin (can't test, as I'm on XPpro)...


--
Tumppi
Reply to group
=================================================
Most learned here on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
Helsinki, Finland (remove _NOSPAM)
(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
=================================================

 

[Thomas Wendell]

Continued...
That user in Admin group should be able to perform just about any
Admin-related business...


--
Tumppi
Reply to group
=================================================
Most learned here on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
Helsinki, Finland (remove _NOSPAM)
(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
=================================================

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

2 questions about winxp (hopefully the right group - first timer) :

1. upon install you provide a password for 'administrator', but how do
you login as administrator? if you logoff, you can only login as users.
i have set a user that is a member of admin group, but that is not
what i want.

The built-in Administrator account really isn't intended to be
used for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to
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).

As you've learned, once any additional user accounts have been
created, the Administrator account will no longer be displayed on the
Welcome Screen. This is a default security feature. 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.

2. i think it is connected with the above, but how do you get access to
c:\system volume information\ directory? i have 2 machines with spyware
and viruses on them, and infected files are in that directory but i
can't get in there to clean them.
thanks in advance.

The System Volume Information is the hidden, protected operating
system folder in which WinXP's System Restore feature stores
information used to recover from errors. It's really not a good idea
for you, or an antivirus application, to directly access the contents
of that folder, unless you expect to have no future use for the
restore points, in which case it would be simpler just to turn off the
System Restore feature.

To clear viruses from the "System Volume Information," simply turn
off the System Restore feature (Start > All Programs > Accessories >
System Tools > System Restore, System Restore Settings), reboot, then
re-enable System Restore, and reboot one last time. This will delete
all of your Restore Points, including the corrupted one(s), and allow
you start with a clean slate.


Bruce Chambers
--
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having both at once. - RAH

 

[Troy Piggins]

Greetings --

The built-in Administrator account really isn't intended to be
used for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to
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).

As you've learned, once any additional user accounts have been
created, the Administrator account will no longer be displayed on the
Welcome Screen. This is a default security feature. 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.

The System Volume Information is the hidden, protected operating
system folder in which WinXP's System Restore feature stores
information used to recover from errors. It's really not a good idea
for you, or an antivirus application, to directly access the contents
of that folder, unless you expect to have no future use for the
restore points, in which case it would be simpler just to turn off the
System Restore feature.

To clear viruses from the "System Volume Information," simply turn
off the System Restore feature (Start > All Programs > Accessories >
System Tools > System Restore, System Restore Settings), reboot, then
re-enable System Restore, and reboot one last time. This will delete
all of your Restore Points, including the corrupted one(s), and allow
you start with a clean slate.


Bruce Chambers

Thankyou for such informative response.

 

[Troy Piggins]

XPpro or XPhome??
In XPpro, when on login screen, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice, this gives old
style login box
In XPhome, only way is to boot to SafeMode, I think logs on directly as
admin (can't test, as I'm on XPpro)...

XP Pro. Thankyou, that worked.
I noticed your other followup, too. I do use admin group members for
most admin tasks, I just wanted/needed to know how to login as
administrator in case of emergency.

 

[milesh]

XPpro or XPhome??
In XPpro, when on login screen, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice, this gives old
style login box

Ctrl-Alt-Delete brings up the task manager on my XPPro. Hitting it 2,
3, 4 times does nothing. Works this way on every XPPro system I have tried.

 

[Gordon]

Ctrl-Alt-Delete brings up the task manager on my XPPro. Hitting it 2,
3, 4 times does nothing. Works this way on every XPPro system I have tried.

Are you doing this at the Welcome Screen? Works on my XP pro........