User Accounts in XP Pro

[Guest]

Went to Control Panel/User Accounts to set up new account for my wife but
when name input, message appeared saying the the account (name) already
exists. It doesn't, there is no visible reference to it in Documents and
Settings and it is not already shown as an account under the control
panel/user accounts etc. If the account exists, how do I find it to delete
or make visible to use it.

 

[Guest]

Using an account with Administrative privileges
Go to Start...Run and type in

control userpasswords2

and hit Enter. A screen should show up with all accounts listed.

 

[Guest]

usasma,

Thanks for reply...................The only accounts (user names) listed are
for myself, Administrator, Guest and ASPNET. The wife's account name is not
shown, though as previously stated, when trying to create account using her
name system says already exists (!?!)

 

[Guest]

Is your computer, by any chance, named after your wife? Windows will get
pretty truculent if you try to name an account the same name as the computer
(found this out on my kid's systems).

Other than this, I'm out of ideas and we'll have to wait for someone with
more experience in this issue.

 

[Guest]

usasma,

That's something to remember!!, but alas, no, I haven't a computer with the
wife's name. Thanks for your help, hopefully somone else may be able to shed
some light on the matter.

 

[Don Wiss]

Thanks for reply...................The only accounts (user names) listed are
for myself, Administrator, Guest and ASPNET. The wife's account name is not
shown, though as previously stated, when trying to create account using her
name system says already exists (!?!)

It probably exists in a different workgroup. That is why you don't see it
listed. If you go to the Documents and Settings folder is there a folder
with her name?

Don <www.donwiss.com> (e-mail link at home page bottom).

 

[Gordon]

Went to Control Panel/User Accounts to set up new account for my wife but
when name input, message appeared saying the the account (name) already
exists. It doesn't, there is no visible reference to it in Documents and
Settings and it is not already shown as an account under the control
panel/user accounts etc. If the account exists, how do I find it to delete
or make visible to use it.

Have you tried logging on to the account? The folders in Documents and
settings aren't created until the first time the account is logged on to.

 

[Guest]

Don,

No, I'd already checked and as stated in original post, there is no visible
account in the documents and settings folder. This only folders are for
myself, 'Administrator', 'Guest' and 'All Users'

 

[Gordon]

Don,

No, I'd already checked and as stated in original post, there is no visible
account in the documents and settings folder. This only folders are for
myself, 'Administrator', 'Guest' and 'All Users'

See my reply. The folders are not created until you log in to the account
for the first time.

 

[Guest]

Gorden,

*** This may be second post...first didn't say it had been posted ***

I'd like to if you can tell me how to log onto an account that appears to be
invisibile.????

The Welcome screens only ever shows two possible accounts; my own and
'Guest' which was switched on via control panel/user accounts and used by my
wife in the interim.

 

[Gordon]

Gorden,

*** This may be second post...first didn't say it had been posted ***

I'd like to if you can tell me how to log onto an account that appears to be
invisibile.????

The Welcome screens only ever shows two possible accounts; my own and
'Guest' which was switched on via control panel/user accounts and used by my
wife in the interim.

XP Pro or Home? In Pro, at the Welcome Screen press Ctl-Alt-Del twice, and
the old W2K style log-in dialog box appears. In Home, log on as an Admin
User, go to Control Panel-Users and change the way users log on.(ie without
the welcome screen). Then log out, and try logging back in.

HTH

 

[Guest]

and that will achieve what exactly ????

 

[Gordon]

and that will achieve what exactly ????

The OP said he couldn't see any folders for this account in C:\Documents and
settings. My response was, that the folders are not created until that
account is logged on to for the first time. THAT is what this will
accomplish -- if the account has actually been created.

 

[Guest]

the op stated that he could not create the account, you are asking him to log
in to an account that he has been unable to create, the easiest way to check
what accounts are there is control userpasswords2 this will list all
accounts including hidden accounts

 

[Guest]

sGorden,

Thanks for that, I'll remember tip for future. We are getting somehere.
Under Documents and Settings, I now see the newlly created folder (account)
for my wife, so that at least is something. However the Welcome screen on
boot or logoff (my) account, still only shows my account and 'Guest'. Equally
the run command suggested by usamsa also still doesn't show my wifes'
account. I've rebooted to ensure any changed settings have been applied.

So the account appears to be there now but not visible on welcome screen.
Any sugesstions as what to do next ???

As an aside; having changed back how one logs on/off, when I now log off an
account, I get what appears to be the W2K "are you sure you want to log-off"
window. I thought under the classic style, it just logged off and returned
to the welcome screen without the requirement to confirm action ??

 

[Gordon]

the op stated that he could not create the account,

Because he got the message that the account was already created!

 

[Guest]

Gorden,

Further info............

When I boot, I boot directly into my account. It doesn't go to welcome
screen to let me choose my own account on 'Guest' account (perhaps that's
normal ??)

When I log off my account, the welcome screen will show my account as well
as guest account.

When I'm in the Guest account and I log off, I receive an unresponsive
program window entitled "End Program - MOffice". I have to 'End Now' because
it never responds. This is exactly the same if I'm in my wife's account
(Ctl-Alt-Del x 2 and log-in from welcome screen) and I log out from that.

All rather confusing I think ???!!!

 

[Guest]

As regards the "aside", this resolved. For some reason the 'Fast User
Switching' in user accounts under control panel had become unchecked.
Probably my own doing.