Question About ASP.NET As A Unser Account

[Mort]

Hi,

I just noticed that my PC running Windows XP Pro SP3 has 2 user
accounts, one of which is "ASP.NET Machine A---", which is listed as
password protected. I did not actively enter it. I looked it up, and it
seems to be a Microsoft tool for code developers. I never write code or
programs.

Do I leave it there on my hard drive? Do I delete it? I have learned the
hard way, not to delete something until I know that it is OK to do so.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Mort Linder

 

[Tim Meddick]

The account should not be listed in the Control Panel's "User Accounts" but
may appear in the "Local Users and Groups" mmc console : lusrmgr.msc

It's entirely normal to have these (created by default) hidden user
accounts for system administration, administrative backup and remote
maintenance purposes.

A normal list of these hidden system accounts should look like the
following (but vary, in that you may find you have less) :


HelpAssistant
SQLAgentCmdExec
NetShowServices
IWAM_
IUSR_
VUSR_
ASPNET
TsInternetUser
Administrator
SUPPORT_388945a0


You should really leave them well alone, unless you know what you are
doing.

If you are really worried about security and intend NEVER to use the
services of Remote Assistance - you can turn off (disable) the Remote
Assistance service in the "Local Services" console (services.msc) and
disable the "Help Assistant" user account in the "Local Users and Groups"
mmc console (lusrmgr.msc).

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[John John - MVP]

Hi,

I just noticed that my PC running Windows XP Pro SP3 has 2 user
accounts, one of which is "ASP.NET Machine A---", which is listed as
password protected. I did not actively enter it. I looked it up, and it
seems to be a Microsoft tool for code developers. I never write code or
programs.

Do I leave it there on my hard drive? Do I delete it? I have learned the
hard way, not to delete something until I know that it is OK to do so.

Any advice will be appreciated.

It was created when .net 1.1 was installed. You can hide the account
from the Welcome screen or if you don't work with asp.net development
programming projects you can delete the account altogether. See here
for more information:

http://marksxp.mvps.org/WindowsXP/aspdot.php

John

 

[Mort]

The account should not be listed in the Control Panel's "User Accounts"
but may appear in the "Local Users and Groups" mmc console : lusrmgr.msc

It's entirely normal to have these (created by default) hidden user
accounts for system administration, administrative backup and remote
maintenance purposes.

A normal list of these hidden system accounts should look like the
following (but vary, in that you may find you have less) :


HelpAssistant
SQLAgentCmdExec
NetShowServices
IWAM_
IUSR_
VUSR_
ASPNET
TsInternetUser
Administrator
SUPPORT_388945a0


You should really leave them well alone, unless you know what you are
doing.

If you are really worried about security and intend NEVER to use the
services of Remote Assistance - you can turn off (disable) the Remote
Assistance service in the "Local Services" console (services.msc) and
disable the "Help Assistant" user account in the "Local Users and
Groups" mmc console (lusrmgr.msc).

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Tim,

Thanks very much for your lucid explanation. I shall just let it stay
where it is.

Mort