Switching user from limited to administrator

[Hans]

Hi,

I've 3 accounts on my XP Pro system: 1 Administrator, 1
Power User and 1 Limited User. Problem: I can't switch
user directly from the limited account to administrator,
when programs are active in the limited account. When I
try to switch user, XP returns to the welcome screen
(normal), but when I hit CTRL-ALT-DEL, XP does not deliver
the usual logon window (not normal). And administrator is
not in the list of users of the welcome screen either, so
I can't click on it like the other accounts. Note:
Administrator also is not in this user list during startup
of XP. I always have to use CTRL-ALT-DEL for administrator.

However, I can switch user to the Power account, by
clicking on the power user in the welcome screen. Unlike
switching to administrator, this works fine.

Only when I close all programs in the limited account, I
can switch directly to administrator, because then CTRL-
ALT-DEL works well. Apparently, closing all programs has
something to do with this.

Who knows how I can switch user directly from limited to
administrator, with programs still active in limited?

Thanks,

Hans.

 

[purplehaz]

The hidden administrator account is not to be used for daily use. It is a
backup for fixing the computer in case something goes wrong and you can't
log into your user account. You should create a user account for yourself to
use and give it admin rights.
This is the reason it doesn't show on the welcome screen at log in, cause it
hidden, not intended for everyday use. Ctrl-alt-del twice or tweakui for xp
will make it show or boot to safe mode and it shows on the welcome screen as
well. But you don't want to use that account everyday anyway, so there's no
point.
Also the hidden admin account does not show when trying to switch users,
again cause it's hidden and when you do a switch user, it basicly just puts
the computer in lockdown mode. In lockdown mode hidden accounts won't show
on the welcome screen and the ctrl-alt-del logon is also not available in
lockdown mode. You must actually log off to get the ctrl-alt-del logon.
So to wrap up, create yourself a user account, give it admin rights, stop
using the hidden admin account, and you'll be able to switch users all you
want.

 

[Hans]

Negative. I have such an account with admin rights.
(remember, 1 of the 3 aacounts is a power user)

I don't switch daily to admin, but from time to time it's
convenient. I have a Symantec firewall and from my own
experience, I know I have to set up and maintain this
firewall with an admin account (no power user but real
admin). For day-to-day business I run in limited. So I
can't change the firewall, nor can a virus or some
malicious code. That's the only way to do it safe. By from
time-to-time I have to modify the firewall on the fly, by
adding rules and more often, change cookies behaviour
(block/allow), add ads blocking, allow/disallow ActiveX,
Flash, etc. At those moments, I want to switch to admin,
rather then to close all running programs, log off from
limited, log on to admin, change firewall, log off from
admin and log on to limited and them start all programs
again.

Strange though that I can switch (not logging off) from
limited to admin directly, when I close all running
programs in limited.

But problem is solved anyway, TweakUI did the trick for
me. Thanks for this tip!

The essence of your answer is:

hidden administrator account is not
to be used for daily use

That's something I support!


Hans.