XP Home main user account (administrator) acts like it doesn't haveadmin privileges

[stephencollier]

Had a virus on a notebook with XP Home on it. It somehow changed the
account privileges without changing the status in the Control Panel-

User Accounts->Main Account... I tried switching it to a Limited

Account and back again, but that didn't reset it.

If I log on as usual I don't have the Control Panel (or the option in
the Start Menu's advanced settings). I can't change things like the
desktop settings or anything that's normally in the Control Panel.

I can get into the Administrator Account in safe mode & get the
Control Panel & edit the accounts, but nothing resets the Computer
Administrator accounts back to behaving like they have admin
privileges.

Anyone know this one?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

From safe mode as default admin:
HOW TO Reset Security Settings Back to the Defaults:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313222

 

[stephencollier]

That method seems to be for XP Pro & Vista... I've got XP Home here...
I don't know why it's an administrator account that's acting like a
limited one.