Hidden computer administrator

[Zap Eagle]

Windows XP - Compaq laptop - 60 gig hardrive - 512 k ram.

Laptop had multiple users and now only has one. The administrators password
is known and so is one of the users who also has an administrator account.
This user (B) removed the first user (A) who also had an administrator
account, after removing this account the computer takes about ten minutes to
start. I went into the user accounts and (A) does not show. I tried to
recreate the account (A) and will not allow me to do so, because it
indicates that there is an account (A) there. It only shows the
administrator account, guest account and (B) account, The (A) account does
not show. help? Ideas?

 

[Guest]

I was playing around setting up user accounts today and saw a similar thing.
When I added a second account (call it B), I made it an admin. I tried
changing the original account (call it A) to a Limited account. What I found
is the A account was the original Owner account, from when I first set up the
PC.

I saw the IE history went goofy on the A account, but was fine on the B.
The A is Limited, but was the original Owner account. In short, I think you
can't do significant changes to the Owner account (A, in my case) without
having serious repercussions.

I think that your A account is buried in the registry, that's why you can't
reinstall it. It was set up during your initial Windows XP install. Your
start up problems are similar to my shutdown issues, after I set up the
accounts as above. In my case, I reset the primary account, and dumped the
second, which rectified the problem.

In your case, you may want to do a System Restore to a Restore point from a
few days ago. Good luck!

 

[Zap Eagle]

Thanks, Dave I will try that!

I was playing around setting up user accounts today and saw a similar
thing.
When I added a second account (call it B), I made it an admin. I tried
changing the original account (call it A) to a Limited account. What I
found
is the A account was the original Owner account, from when I first set up
the
PC.

I saw the IE history went goofy on the A account, but was fine on the B.
The A is Limited, but was the original Owner account. In short, I think
you
can't do significant changes to the Owner account (A, in my case) without
having serious repercussions.

I think that your A account is buried in the registry, that's why you
can't
reinstall it. It was set up during your initial Windows XP install. Your
start up problems are similar to my shutdown issues, after I set up the
accounts as above. In my case, I reset the primary account, and dumped
the
second, which rectified the problem.

In your case, you may want to do a System Restore to a Restore point from
a
few days ago. Good luck!