Administrator message

[Guest]

Sometimes I have tried to download and install some upgrades to applications and Windows XO (Home) tells me I need administrator priveleges (or similar) or that I need to log on as an administrator. I only have one account on this computer, its used by all the family, and no one inputs a password to start up. Why do I need to have an 'administrator' and how can I fix the problem

Thanks

 

[rifleman]

|Sometimes I have tried to download and install some upgrades to applications and Windows XO (Home) tells me I need administrator priveleges (or similar) or that I need to log on as an administrator. I only have one account on this computer, its used by all the family, and no one inputs a password to start up. Why do I need to have an 'administrator' and how can I fix the problem.
|
|Thanks
|
You need to be Administrator because the upgrades need to have access to
system files that your current user obviously does not. (It's a security
thing in that it prevents unauthorised users from messing with things
they don't understand).

Boot into Safe mode (F8 at start-up) and then log on as the
Administrator. if your XP was pre-installed, then it's 99.99% certain
that the password is blank. (Unless you know differently....)
then create a PASSWORD-PROTECTED User with Administrative Rights. You
can then use that for downloading and applying updates and patches etc.

HTH

 

[Guest]

----- rifleman wrote: -----

|Sometimes I have tried to download and install some upgrades to applications and Windows XO (Home) tells me I need administrator priveleges (or similar) or that I need to log on as an administrator. I only have one account on this computer, its used by all the family, and no one inputs a password to start up. Why do I need to have an 'administrator' and how can I fix the problem.
|
|Thanks
|
You need to be Administrator because the upgrades need to have access to
system files that your current user obviously does not. (It's a security
thing in that it prevents unauthorised users from messing with things
they don't understand).

Boot into Safe mode (F8 at start-up) and then log on as the
Administrator. if your XP was pre-installed, then it's 99.99% certain
that the password is blank. (Unless you know differently....)
then create a PASSWORD-PROTECTED User with Administrative Rights. You
can then use that for downloading and applying updates and patches etc.

HTH

Thanks. I'm still a little confused though. I checked 'Control Panel User Accounts, and there are only two accounts showing Guest (which shows 'guest account is off' and my account Bob which is identified as Computer Administrator. When I start up, I begin the session as 'Bob' so I thought I was already starting as the administrator. Does entering a password give extra rights - basically I am the only user of the system.

Thanks

Bob