Lost administrator account

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Guest

I am working on a computer that has totally lost the administrator account.
The only account that can be gotten to is the guest account and I can't add
anything from there. The computer had a virus, and by the looks of it, it
still does. Sometimes the guest account will show up to log into, sometimes
it won't. I have researched online and the only thing I can find is help for
unlocking the administrator password. I have found nothing about how to
reinstall the administrator account. I know reinstalling W XP Pro would do
it, but I would like to do that as a last resort. Any suggestions?
 
geekster said:
I am working on a computer that has totally lost the administrator account.
The only account that can be gotten to is the guest account and I can't add
anything from there. The computer had a virus, and by the looks of it, it
still does. Sometimes the guest account will show up to log into, sometimes
it won't. I have researched online and the only thing I can find is help for
unlocking the administrator password. I have found nothing about how to
reinstall the administrator account. I know reinstalling W XP Pro would do
it, but I would like to do that as a last resort. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

The Administrator account cannot be deleted. It can be renamed though.

Try booting into Safe Mode, login as Administrator, and leave the
password field blank. That might get you in where you can create a new
user account and give that user Administrator privileges. Then you
should be able to boot into Normal mode and login as that new account.

--
The reader should exercise normal caution and backup the Registry and
data files regularly, and especially before making any changes to their
PC, as well as performing regular virus and spyware scans. I am not
liable for problems or mishaps that occur from the reader using advice
posted here. No warranty, express or implied, is given with the posting
of this message.
 
The Administrator account cannot be deleted. It can be renamed though.

Try booting into Safe Mode, login as Administrator, and leave the
password field blank. That might get you in where you can create a new
user account and give that user Administrator privileges. Then you
should be able to boot into Normal mode and login as that new account.
Click to expand...

On a side note, you only have to use safe mode to access the
Administrator account if you use XP Home. In Pro, you can access
Administrator in a regular session as well.
 
geekster said:
I am working on a computer that has totally lost the administrator
account. The only account that can be gotten to is the guest account
and I can't add anything from there. The computer had a virus, and
by the looks of it, it still does. Sometimes the guest account will
show up to log into, sometimes it won't. I have researched online
and the only thing I can find is help for unlocking the
administrator
password. I have found nothing about how to reinstall the
administrator account. I know reinstalling W XP Pro would do it,
but
I would like to do that as a last resort. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...


Simply log in using the built-in Administrator account (which
cannot be deleted) and modify the desired account(s). 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.

HOW TO Create and Configure User Accounts in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279783

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH
 
geekster said:
I am working on a computer that has totally lost the administrator account.
The only account that can be gotten to is the guest account and I can't add
anything from there. The computer had a virus, and by the looks of it, it
still does. Sometimes the guest account will show up to log into, sometimes
it won't. I have researched online and the only thing I can find is help for
unlocking the administrator password. I have found nothing about how to
reinstall the administrator account.
Click to expand...

Boot hitting F8 as the BIOS info goes to black screen, and from the menu
take Safe Mode. that should have the reserve account *called*
'Administrator' on it. Password, with luck, is blank

From that you can go to User Accounts and set up a new User account for
day to day use, giving it administrator status.

Then log on to that and get TweakUI - one of the XP Powertoys from (if
you have installed XP SP1)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

If you have not installed SP1, the earlier version can be found at
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe

Once installed you will find it in Start - All Programs - Powertoys for
Windows XP

Look on its Logon page and you may find that the old account shows and
all that has happened is that Show whoever on Welcome screen has become
unchecked
 
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