disappearing administrator in welcom

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  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I was setting up new accounts in the start up screen. My administrator did
not have a password. When I went back to fix that the administrator
disappeared. How can I get the administrator back? I try to re-create the
administrator but it says it already exsist but I can not get to it. Any
ideas?
 
CHanks said:
I was setting up new accounts in the start up screen. My administrator did
not have a password. When I went back to fix that the administrator
disappeared. How can I get the administrator back? I try to re-create the
administrator but it says it already exsist but I can not get to it. Any
ideas?
Click to expand...


As you've discovered, once any additional administrative 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. 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 built-in Administrator account really 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).

A wiser course of action would be to create another user account
for your daily use (as you've done), 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

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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
 
CHanks said:
I was setting up new accounts in the start up screen. My administrator did
not have a password. When I went back to fix that the administrator
disappeared. How can I get the administrator back? I try to re-create the
administrator but it says it already exsist but I can not get to it. Any
ideas?
Click to expand...

The built in Administrator account disappears from the Welcome Screen when
another account with admin privileges is created. Besides it's not good
practice to use the Administrator account for routine work. That should be
given a strong password and set aside to be used if something corrupts the
normal account that has admin privileges.

You did not specify if it's Home or Pro. For XP Pro at the Welcome Screen
do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to get the classic login dialog box. Type in
Administrator and it's password.

For XP Home the Administrator account is only accessible in safe mode.
Restart the computer, then as the BIOS splash screen disappears repeatedly
tap the F8 key until the Advanced Options Menu appears. Select Safe Mode.
The Administrator account should appear on the Welcome Screen.

For XP Pro you can add the Administrator account to the Welcome Screen by
running the edit on Kelly's site:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Line 5: Enable/Disable Administrator on Welcome Screen

See the top of the page for info on running the edit.
 
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