missing user account

[peter]

Hi there

Help! I created a new user account (a computer
administrator account), then turned the computer off, and
as I turned it on again my old account (with all my
previous settings, favorites, configurations etc.) was no
longer there. It's simply vanished! I can't find it
anymore! Fortunately all the stored files and
applications are still there, but, as I said, all the
settings are gone! Please tell me (step by step) what I'm
supposed to do to restore my old account!

Many thanks in advance for your kind advice.

[Rifleman]

[This followup was posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers and a
copy was sent to the cited author.]

In article >,
peteknock@hotmaillcom says...
> Hi there
>
> Help! I created a new user account (a computer
> administrator account), then turned the computer off, and
> as I turned it on again my old account (with all my
> previous settings, favorites, configurations etc.) was no
> longer there. It's simply vanished! I can't find it
> anymore! Fortunately all the stored files and
> applications are still there, but, as I said, all the
> settings are gone! Please tell me (step by step) what I'm
> supposed to do to restore my old account!
>
> Many thanks in advance for your kind advice.
>
Presumably you were logging-on using the in-built Administrator Account.
THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. (The Administrator Account is hidden by default
as soon as you create a user).

One of the main reasons for this is that if your user account goes
belly-up, you can repair it using the Administrator account. If you are
only using the Administrator account, and THAT goes belly-up, then you
have to do a repair install of XP to get it back.

Create a User with Admin rights and use that for day-to-day use.

To get to your Admin Account, in Pro, at the Welcome screen press Ctl-
Alt-Del twice and you will get the old W2K style log-on box where you
can type in the details. If you are using Home, (it would have been
helpful if you'd said which...) boot into Safe Mode and log in from
there.

HTH