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User accounts problem.

  • 08-01-2010 4:30pm
    #1
    Terry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭


    Someone screwed around with a friend's pc and there's only one user account left.
    The problem is that it's a limited profile.

    I'm here trying to install a wireless adapter and it won't allow me to do anything.

    XP.

    Please help.


Comments

  • #2
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,760 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    Terry wrote: »
    Someone screwed around with a friend's pc and there's only one user account left.
    The problem is that it's a limited profile.

    I'm here trying to install a wireless adapter and it won't allow me to do anything.

    XP.

    Please help.

    XP often has an administrator account called simply administrator with no password.

    There are methods to reveal it here.

    http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/05/07/unhide-the-administrator-account-in-windows-xp/

    This assumes the admin account is still there.


  • #3
    Terry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    All accounts are gone apart from this limited one.

    I followed the instructions on that site, but it wouldn't allow me to change the registry.
    Short of re-installing XP, is there anything else I can do?


  • #4
    Komplett-Tech: Ryan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,002 ✭✭✭Komplett-Tech: Ryan


    Have you tried the recovery cosole to restore the pc to a time before all this malarky happened?


  • #5
    ressem
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,426 ✭✭✭ressem


    Can you look for an old SAM file under c:\windows\repair that might predate the change? Then copy it over the bad one, after backing it up.

    If you can boot another OS/ connect the drive into another PC...
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316751


  • #6
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Start the computer up in safe mode. This should allow you to login using the default administrator account that is normally hidden. Then just add a new admin account or make the existing limited account and admin account.


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  • #7
    Terry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    Komplett-Tech (Ryan) wrote: »
    Have you tried the recovery cosole to restore the pc to a time before all this malarky happened?
    Tried that. No joy.

    ressem wrote: »
    Can you look for an old SAM file under c:\windows\repair that might predate the change? Then copy it over the bad one, after backing it up.

    If you can boot another OS/ connect the drive into another PC...
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316751
    As above.

    AlmightyCushion wrote: »
    Start the computer up in safe mode. This should allow you to login using the default administrator account that is normally hidden. Then just add a new admin account or make the existing limited account and admin account.
    Wouldn't aloow me to do that either.

    The PC had six or seven user accounts set up by some dude who did a 6 week course and considered himself an expert.
    At some point all the user accounts, apart from the one for the actual owner of the pc were removed and all files saved to the desktop. The thing was that the actual owner was only given a limited account.
    There is no Administrator account left.
    I can only assume that there is a warning given in this instance. If so, it was quite obviously ignored.
    I know the people who own the pc and can safely say that the worst thing they would do is to watch a bit of streaming tv. Paranoid people piss me off.

    The first thing I tried when booting in safe mode was to try and open the default administrator account. It didn't work.

    I haven't read all of Microsoft's T&Cs. Is there a clause where you can hunt down people who needlessly create user accounts and give them a slap? :smilie face to indicate that I am not actually serious about hitting someone:

    It's a Fujitsu pc. There's no recovery partition.
    I do have a genuine copy of XP here, so I'm just gonna use that.
    Thanks for helping.

    Now for the next problem. Damn windows 7...


  • #8
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Terry wrote: »
    I do have a genuine copy of XP here, so I'm just gonna use that.

    That probably is the best thing to do all right. You could spend days trying to figure out how to get an admin account and get nowhere.


  • #9
    Farcear
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 618 ✭✭✭Farcear


    Terry wrote: »
    I can only assume that there is a warning given in this instance. If so, it was quite obviously ignored.

    More than just a warning, without jumping through some serious hoops it's actually impossible to delete the last admin account.

    I'd love to know how he "accidentally" accomplished it!


  • #10
    Terry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    I don't think it was accidental.
    Ex girlfriend stuff.


  • #11
    Anti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,401 ✭✭✭✭Anti


    Yeah, ive been there before. I wish the bitch would have just burned my suits....

    I think its best to just go with a full reinstall at this point.


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  • #12
    RD77
    Closed Accounts Posts: 84 ✭✭RD77


    Think this should work. Open up command prompt (start, run, type in cmd). Type in this exactly (paste it if you want) "net user terry1 abc /add" and press enter, this will create a new account called terry1 with the password abc. Next type in "net localgroup administrators terry1 /add" and press enter. That account should now be an administrator.


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