question about naming users on new install xp pro

[Joshua Wood]

Hi all,

When I first installed XP Pro somehow when it asked me to name my user
I chould shoose Administrator, or perhaps I entered a name but I was
administrator (it was a LONG time again, can't remember exactly). What
I mean by this is under Docs & Settings was Administrator which is
where all my stuff was. There were no other user folders except for
the standard ones. Yet my user name was on the start menu and
everywhere else was my actual name. I'm sure I didn't just rename
Administartor but might have.

But anyways, on other copies of XP I've seen it doesn't allow one to
choose Administrator as it's reserved. I recently had to reinstall xp
fresh (this time slipstreamed with sp2) and I had this issue. So I had
to make a different name. Now my docs and settings has this name. The
Administrator folder isn't there (but will most likely be created if I
logged in as Admin).

Ideally I'd like it back how it ogirinally was, with only the
administrator my doc and settings folder, but a different start menu
name. Can I change my current install to this somehow?

Thanks
Josh

 

[Malke]

Hi all,

When I first installed XP Pro somehow when it asked me to name my user
I chould shoose Administrator, or perhaps I entered a name but I was
administrator (it was a LONG time again, can't remember exactly). What
I mean by this is under Docs & Settings was Administrator which is
where all my stuff was. There were no other user folders except for
the standard ones. Yet my user name was on the start menu and
everywhere else was my actual name. I'm sure I didn't just rename
Administartor but might have.

But anyways, on other copies of XP I've seen it doesn't allow one to
choose Administrator as it's reserved. I recently had to reinstall xp
fresh (this time slipstreamed with sp2) and I had this issue. So I had
to make a different name. Now my docs and settings has this name. The
Administrator folder isn't there (but will most likely be created if I
logged in as Admin).

Ideally I'd like it back how it ogirinally was, with only the
administrator my doc and settings folder, but a different start menu
name. Can I change my current install to this somehow?

Hi, Josh. I'm afraid your post is a bit confusing - it actually sounds
like you set XP up correctly this time, but let's just set the record
straight on user accounts in XP.

1. There is always the built-in Administrator account. In XP Pro, you
will assign a password (even a blank password is a password) when you
set it up. You should not use this Administrator account for everyday
work. It is a failsafe account and should only be used in emergencies.
In XP Pro, when you create another user account with administrative
privileges, the built-in Administrator account will disappear from the
Welcome Screen. This is to help prevent you from using it. Naturally
you can get to it, but with good fortune you will never need to.

2. During setup in XP Pro, you are given the chance to create additional
user accounts. You can always create accounts afterwards, too. Some of
these accounts may have administrative privileges, or be power users,
or just be regular users (limited). You should definitely create a user
account for yourself that has administrative privileges. Standard
security practices say that you should use an account with limited
privileges for day-to-day work. Frankly, this can make XP too difficult
for home use and most people do not run in a limited (user) account.
You can make one in addition to your account with administrative
privileges (not the built-in Administrator; remember that you aren't
going to use that one) and try it, of course.

If you have more questions, please do post back.

Malke

 

[Haggis]

Hi, Josh. I'm afraid your post is a bit confusing - it actually sounds
like you set XP up correctly this time, but let's just set the record
straight on user accounts in XP.

1. There is always the built-in Administrator account. In XP Pro, you
will assign a password (even a blank password is a password) when you
set it up. You should not use this Administrator account for everyday
work. It is a failsafe account and should only be used in emergencies.
In XP Pro, when you create another user account with administrative
privileges, the built-in Administrator account will disappear from the
Welcome Screen. This is to help prevent you from using it. Naturally
you can get to it, but with good fortune you will never need to.

2. During setup in XP Pro, you are given the chance to create additional
user accounts. You can always create accounts afterwards, too. Some of
these accounts may have administrative privileges, or be power users,
or just be regular users (limited). You should definitely create a user
account for yourself that has administrative privileges. Standard
security practices say that you should use an account with limited
privileges for day-to-day work. Frankly, this can make XP too difficult
for home use and most people do not run in a limited (user) account.
You can make one in addition to your account with administrative
privileges (not the built-in Administrator; remember that you aren't
going to use that one) and try it, of course.

If you have more questions, please do post back.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

I got to use the administrator account once like you had ...from an upgrade
(user was "administrator" in win98)

I've never been able to get it back on a normal install

 

[Joshua Wood]

Thanks for the info, but I'm aware of how the user accounts work. I
was able to be that administator in my last install, same deal with
the computer at work. Right clicking My Comptuer and chosing Manage
and selecting Users at work shows only the one Admin, called Admin. On
mine I have this Admin plus my named user (who is an Admin).

On my last install I only had the one Admin but it was called
something else. (My name). Yet the Docs & Settings folder was still
called Admin. It's strange.

It's not really a big issue, I was just curious about it.