*hidden* new user account/error (control userpasswords2)

[Guest]

Hi,
I have done this a few times using XP Home.

If you use Start > Run > "control userpasswrds2" to add a new user, it
prompts you to enter a username & password. You then click next, which
prompts you what type of user you would like it to be. I have previously
selected Power User & User.

An error message occurs saying that the user group specified could not be
found.

If you then select a different user group, it says that the user (that you
are in the process of creating) already has access to this system - or
something like that.

I then click cancel. and logoff windows.

I then go to login as the user I have just created, and I can login. Under
control panel >users, the user is listed as a guest - HMM XP Home failing to
find the other user Groups assigned it to the Guest group?

I logoff, and logon as an administrator, go to control panel - and the user
i created does not exist there. Run "control userpasswords2" and the user is
not listed there also.

You can still login as the user, but it is not listed in any user lists in
XP home.

How can I delete this use account?

I have done this a few times on previous installs of XP on my PC.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to remove this user from the computer?

Would be interesting to hear how this happens, and why, and also how to sort
it out!?

Thanks

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Did you read any of the warnings?

[[The userpasswords2 applet should not be used on WINDOWS XP Home Edition as
a tool to edit or modify users. It is reserved for WINDOWS XP Professional
Edition. The reason for this is that userpasswords2 allows the user to
access to the 'Power Users' group which doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition.]]

[[This computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. This snapin may not be
used with that version of Windows. To manage user accounts for this
computer, use the User Accounts tool in the Control Panel]]

The Power Users group doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home Edition.

control userpasswords is what should be used with XP Home, *not* control
userpasswords2!

The only thing you should use control userpasswords2 for with XP Home is to
change the way you logon. Nothing else!

[[SYMPTOMS
When running 'control userpasswords2' with Windows XP Home Edition, the
following error may be displayed:

- The user could not be added because the following error has occurred, The
group name could not be found: When creating a new user and make it member
of the 'Power Users' group.

- The group membership for Computer name\User could not be updated : When
updating an existing user, adding him to the 'Power Users group'.

CAUSE
The userpasswords2 applet should not be used on WINDOWS XP Home Edition as a
tool to edit or modify users. It is reserved for WINDOWS XP Professional
Edition. The reason for this is that userpasswords2 allows the user to
access to the 'Power Users' group which doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition.

RESOLUTION
Do not use 'control userpasswords2', to update and create user accounts on
WINDOWS XP Home Edition. Instead, use the 'User Account' option from
'control panel' to manage User Accounts and groups. This tool will not show
the 'Power Users' group on WINDOWS XP Home Edition. ]]

KB817365
Creation of user in the 'Power Users' group with 'Control Userpasswords2'
http://www.it-faq.pl/mskb/817/365.HTM

Apparently MS pulled KB817365 from MSKB.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Thanks Wesley, I will ensure not to use it in future for the wrong reasons
then.

Could you help me though

How can I delete a user created in this way?
As the user still has access on the system, and as it is a guest - it cannot
delete itself, and logged in as an administrator you cannot see this account.

Any help with removing the user, or simply making it accessable to delete or
modify the group it is in would be useful.

Did you read any of the warnings?

[[The userpasswords2 applet should not be used on WINDOWS XP Home Edition as
a tool to edit or modify users. It is reserved for WINDOWS XP Professional
Edition. The reason for this is that userpasswords2 allows the user to
access to the 'Power Users' group which doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition.]]

[[This computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. This snapin may not be
used with that version of Windows. To manage user accounts for this
computer, use the User Accounts tool in the Control Panel]]

The Power Users group doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home Edition.

control userpasswords is what should be used with XP Home, *not* control
userpasswords2!

The only thing you should use control userpasswords2 for with XP Home is to
change the way you logon. Nothing else!

[[SYMPTOMS
When running 'control userpasswords2' with Windows XP Home Edition, the
following error may be displayed:

- The user could not be added because the following error has occurred, The
group name could not be found: When creating a new user and make it member
of the 'Power Users' group.

- The group membership for Computer name\User could not be updated : When
updating an existing user, adding him to the 'Power Users group'.

CAUSE
The userpasswords2 applet should not be used on WINDOWS XP Home Edition as a
tool to edit or modify users. It is reserved for WINDOWS XP Professional
Edition. The reason for this is that userpasswords2 allows the user to
access to the 'Power Users' group which doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition.

RESOLUTION
Do not use 'control userpasswords2', to update and create user accounts on
WINDOWS XP Home Edition. Instead, use the 'User Account' option from
'control panel' to manage User Accounts and groups. This tool will not show
the 'Power Users' group on WINDOWS XP Home Edition. ]]

KB817365
Creation of user in the 'Power Users' group with 'Control Userpasswords2'
http://www.it-faq.pl/mskb/817/365.HTM

Apparently MS pulled KB817365 from MSKB.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi,
I have done this a few times using XP Home.

If you use Start > Run > "control userpasswrds2" to add a new user, it
prompts you to enter a username & password. You then click next, which
prompts you what type of user you would like it to be. I have
previously selected Power User & User.

An error message occurs saying that the user group specified could
not be found.

If you then select a different user group, it says that the user
(that you are in the process of creating) already has access to this
system - or something like that.

I then click cancel. and logoff windows.

I then go to login as the user I have just created, and I can login.
Under control panel >users, the user is listed as a guest - HMM XP
Home failing to find the other user Groups assigned it to the Guest
group?

I logoff, and logon as an administrator, go to control panel - and
the user i created does not exist there. Run "control userpasswords2"
and the user is not listed there also.

You can still login as the user, but it is not listed in any user
lists in XP home.

How can I delete this use account?

I have done this a few times on previous installs of XP on my PC.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to remove this user from the
computer?

Would be interesting to hear how this happens, and why, and also how
to sort it out!?

Thanks

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Log on as Administrator and look in C:\Documents and Settings\Whatever Name
and see if there are any files/folders for Whatever Name.

Maybe you didn't create an account, just logged on as a Guest.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Thanks Wesley, I will ensure not to use it in future for the wrong
reasons then.

Could you help me though

How can I delete a user created in this way?
As the user still has access on the system, and as it is a guest - it
cannot delete itself, and logged in as an administrator you cannot
see this account.

Any help with removing the user, or simply making it accessable to
delete or modify the group it is in would be useful.

Did you read any of the warnings?

[[The userpasswords2 applet should not be used on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition as a tool to edit or modify users. It is reserved for
WINDOWS XP Professional Edition. The reason for this is that
userpasswords2 allows the user to access to the 'Power Users' group
which doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home Edition.]]

[[This computer is running Windows XP Home Edition. This snapin may
not be used with that version of Windows. To manage user accounts
for this computer, use the User Accounts tool in the Control Panel]]

The Power Users group doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home Edition.

control userpasswords is what should be used with XP Home, *not*
control userpasswords2!

The only thing you should use control userpasswords2 for with XP
Home is to change the way you logon. Nothing else!

[[SYMPTOMS
When running 'control userpasswords2' with Windows XP Home Edition,
the following error may be displayed:

- The user could not be added because the following error has
occurred, The group name could not be found: When creating a new
user and make it member of the 'Power Users' group.

- The group membership for Computer name\User could not be updated :
When updating an existing user, adding him to the 'Power Users
group'.

CAUSE
The userpasswords2 applet should not be used on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition as a tool to edit or modify users. It is reserved for
WINDOWS XP Professional Edition. The reason for this is that
userpasswords2 allows the user to access to the 'Power Users' group
which doesn't exist on WINDOWS XP Home Edition.

RESOLUTION
Do not use 'control userpasswords2', to update and create user
accounts on WINDOWS XP Home Edition. Instead, use the 'User Account'
option from 'control panel' to manage User Accounts and groups. This
tool will not show the 'Power Users' group on WINDOWS XP Home
Edition. ]]

KB817365
Creation of user in the 'Power Users' group with 'Control
Userpasswords2' http://www.it-faq.pl/mskb/817/365.HTM

Apparently MS pulled KB817365 from MSKB.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi,
I have done this a few times using XP Home.

If you use Start > Run > "control userpasswrds2" to add a new user,
it prompts you to enter a username & password. You then click next,
which prompts you what type of user you would like it to be. I have
previously selected Power User & User.

An error message occurs saying that the user group specified could
not be found.

If you then select a different user group, it says that the user
(that you are in the process of creating) already has access to this
system - or something like that.

I then click cancel. and logoff windows.

I then go to login as the user I have just created, and I can login.
Under control panel >users, the user is listed as a guest - HMM XP
Home failing to find the other user Groups assigned it to the Guest
group?

I logoff, and logon as an administrator, go to control panel - and
the user i created does not exist there. Run "control
userpasswords2" and the user is not listed there also.

You can still login as the user, but it is not listed in any user
lists in XP home.

How can I delete this use account?

I have done this a few times on previous installs of XP on my PC.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to remove this user from the
computer?

Would be interesting to hear how this happens, and why, and also how
to sort it out!?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Yes those files ARE there, but you can delete them, that is only user
settings, the rights to login are not contained in those files.

Even if you delete these files, you can login to Windows XP using the
*Whatever Username* you created, it is NOT the Guest account - it is 'A
GUEST' account, not the Guest account.

I know this for sure because...

a) my Guest account is disabled - so the Guest cannot login locally (but can
remotely to access shares etc.)

b) my Guest account is not called "Guest" (as I have renamed it), and it is
also password protected. I did this using "control userpasswords2" (with NO
side effects)

c) I can login using the *Whatever Username* created with password I set for
it, which are both different to the Guest and any other User Account.

Thus I am sure you can login usng the *Whatever Username* you created.

Surely someone knows where the rights to login to a system are stored, and
to modify this so you can delete this user rights from logging in?

I guess from your response, people do not know how to modify the user
account so that it is accessible/viewable from User Accounts etc etc.



If you have access to XP Home Edition, I bet if you tried creating a user
through "control userpasswords2" and then trying to login it WILL work.


p.s. Adding a password to the guest account in XP home is GREAT, it enables
you to have shared folders, and allow remote access from other computers -
only if they know the *Guest* password!
Some slight adjusting of a few registry settings may be required, as well as
user security rights (in safe mode - as it is XP Home).

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I did not suggest that you delete C:\Documents and Settings\Whatever Name.
I merely suggested that you see if the folder existed.

Your problem is that you did something with XP Home that XP Home is not
designed to use. Not being critical at this point, just stating the
obvious.

I have an XP Home CD, but not installed. And even if I did have XP Home
installed, I wouldn't care to try this. control userpasswords2 shouldn't
even exist on XP Home. There was apparently some kind of mistake and it got
left in or something.

User rights are stored somewhere in the registry. That's as close as I can
get you.

To some it up; I have NFI on how to solve your problem. If you had Pro,
yes. If you had created an account with Home the correct way, yes.

Sorry. ;-(

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Thanks, I know now that I have used something that is not meant to be done.

Could you direct me to where precisely user accounts are stored?

For example a user you have created, but has NEVER logged in will not have a
*folder* in Documents and Settings - and as far as I can see (by looking in
my registry) not in the registry either.

Where is the information stored about the user which has never logged in?
This may allow me to remove the account i have created in error using CUP2.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I honestly do not know. Someone may have documented this problem. But I
don't know.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In