Can I Bypass Administrator Logon?

[Guest]

I just updated from XP to Vista Home Premium. In all other versions of
windows installation I simply bypassed the request for password logon so that
I could boot quickly and unattended. This is my home computer and there are
no security issues within the house (I do of course employ AV software).
After my Vista install I find that my first screen is for Administrator and
it asks for a password, which I don't have. I am able to "switch user" to
"Lee" so I might have created a user account in a previous installation of
W2K or XP. My dilemma is that all of my documents and settings are
apparently in the "Administrator" account.

My first preference is to eliminate the logon screen as I have in past OSs.
If this is impossible in Vista, I need to figure out how to get into my admin
account so that I can copy information (e.g., IE bookmarks) into an account
that I can access.
As a last resort I will try to "undo" my vista installation. I did create a
restore point prior to installing vista, but did not create a complete backup
- only a few important things like email address book etc.

I have a feeling that all of my old stuff is in Vista - Probably in the
administrator account, but I don't know how to get there.

BTW - before I get flamed - I'm not trying to double-post. I posted this
initially in the install newsgroup before dI realized that this area existed.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Hello,

* Is "lee" an administrator account?
* Is the user 'administrator' shown on the user list of the welcome screen?


--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

 

[Guest]

Yes on both. Lee does have administrator privledges and Administrator is on
the welcome screen. Administrator is the default user whenever I boot up. I
have to switch users to do anything at all.

 

[Jimmy Brush]

Log in to lee and see the password for the administrator account:

- Click start
- Type: cmd
- Right-click cmd, and click Run As Administrator
- Type: net user administrator $PASSWORD$
Where $PASSWORD$ is the password you wish to set. To unset a password,
type two quotation markes ("").
- Press enter

For example:

net user administrator ""

Should clear the administrator password and allow you to log in by just
clicking on the administrator account from the welcome screen.

You should now be able to use the administrator account.

To have the administrator auto log in:

- Click start
- Type: control userpasswords2
- Press enter
- Uncheck "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer"
- Click OK
- Type administrator for the username and the password you set for the admin
account, if you decided to set one


--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

 

[Guest]

I can't get that to work. First, I think you mistyped "Log in to lee and see
the password for the administrator account:" and maybe you mean "set" the
password (I can't see any passwords).

I am able to get the command cmd.exe and right-click to run as
adminiatrator. Works to this point. I run the command that you suggest as:

net user administrator ""
net user administrator " "
net user administrator lee

in separate attempts. Each time it returns "The command completed
successfully".

Then, I can't see the "administrator" icon when I go to "switch user" and I
need to restart to get back to a welcome screen that has the administrator
icon. I get a statement "Your account has been disabled. Please see your
system administrator." If I click to continue, it presents a screen with
the characters DHLMH891/Administrator, a flower icon, and a box below with
the word "password" that asks for the password. I try everything from simply
hitting enter to "", " ", lee, or whatever corresponds to the DOS command
that I entered, and it continues to return a circled red X and the phrase
"The user name or password is incorrect."

Is there a Microsoft white paper or something that explains this?

Pardon my being so explicit, but I know that one false step or wrong syntax
and the expected result doesn't occur. Also, I'm wondering if the "disabled"
phrase signals something. I have been copying/pasting screen captures onto
PowerPoint slides and can show those, but I don't believe there is a way in
this newsgroup.

I appreciate your help. Tell me what else to try or what to explain and
I'll continue. It sounds like there is a way for me to see my own computer
if I do the right thing(s). I can/have used DOS and regedit in the past and
can look in the registry if you need some information from there.

Thanks again

 

[Jimmy Brush]

You are correct, see should have been set (I type faster than I think it
seems).

Hmm...

If the account is disabled, it shouldn't be displayed on the welcome screen
at all, which is why I didn't suggest this command before.

Run this command from a "run as administrator" command prompt, and see if it
fixes things:

net user administrator /active:yes

Also run the following command, which should ensure the password is cleared:

net user administrator ""


--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/

 

[Guest]

Great! That did it. Now I'm fixed up like I was in XP where I boot
automatically into the Administrator account without needing to enter a
password.

I appreciate your patience and help.

Thanks,

Lee