Administrator folder in Documents and Settings - XP Pro

I found a little program that allows me to toggle between showing/not
showing the Administrator account on the Welcome screen.

There is indeed an Administrator account ( not my user account ) which is,
apparently, password protected. This is obviously the reason that I couldn't
log in when using Ctrl/Alt/Del. As the shop never bothered telling me of
such a password I had left the password box blank when trying to log on. I
will phone the shop tomorrow and ask for my password and why they never
thought to tell me! Now that it is available on the Welcome screen I have
noticed that I can go in via User Accounts and set up a new password - any
problem in doing this?

Thank you Charlie and Shootist for pointing me in the right direction.

Janice


"Shootist" wrote in message
...
After reading Charles response I have a idea. You renamed the built in
Administrator account some
how to be your user account. I'm not sure if that is possible but it seems
like the only answer.


--
Shootist


"Charles May" wrote in message
news:RJjbb.540423$uu5.89709@sccrnsc04...
| Janice,
| Two things you can try to see if the Administrator account exists is to
| 1. Boot into safe mode, the Administrator account (if exists) will show
up
| on the Safe Mode welcome screen.
| 2. Install TweakUI for XP and Select the Logon item. If there is an
| Administrator account, you will see a setting called:
| Show "Administrator" on Welcome screen.
| At this point, you can check the box so that it will appear on a normal
| bootup.
|
| Hope this helps
|
| Charlie
|
|
| "Janice" wrote in message
| ...
|
| "Shootist" wrote in message
| ...
|
|
| If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents &
| Settings" then the built in
| administartor account has never been logged on to or a password set
for
| it. What happens when you do
| the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a user
name
| and password? Have you
| typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password field
| blank?? Just trying to help
|
| When I do the double Ctrl/Alt/Del I do get the window to type in a
user
| name
| and password. I typed in "Administrator" with capital A. I got "check
your
| user name and password"
|
|
|
| Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD and
| reinstall. If you didn't get a
| XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC
and
| demand 1.
|
| I do have an XP CD. However it's not that serious as to involve a
| reinstal.
| The J.Mason user has full computer administrator rights. My reason for
| needing the Administrator log on is to fix a problem I'm having with
IE in
| the J.Mason user. I can create another user and try to fix my IE
problem
| from there.
|
| Janice
|
|
|
|

The Administrator account can have had a password set without
it ever having been logged into
During login, only the passwords are case sensitive, so it does
not matter if one uses A or a when typing in adminstrator

--
Roger Abell
Microsoft MVP (Windows, Security)
MCSE (W2k3,W2k,Nt4) MCDBA
"Shootist" wrote in message
...
Janice this is your OP.
I can only see one folder in Documents and Settings entitled "J.Mason"
which
is the name I log on with. From what I read here, there is a default
Administrator account which is hidden.

However if there was an Administrator account, hidden or otherwise, would
there not also be a folder entitled "Administrator"?

Janice

If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents &
Settings" then the built in
administartor account has never been logged on to or a password set for
it. What happens when you do
the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a user name
and password? Have you
typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password field
blank?? Just trying to help.
Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD and
reinstall. If you didn't get a
XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC and
demand 1.


--
Shootist

In that case it would seem you need to review docs that
came with your system or call them, as there is a password
(if leaving it blank did not work) but you do not know it.
There are tools to zap the password to something known,
but I would suggest first trying the obvious as first mentioned.

--
Roger Abell
Microsoft MVP (Windows, Security)
MCSE (W2k3,W2k,Nt4) MCDBA
"Janice" wrote in message
...

"Shootist" wrote in message
...


If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents &
Settings" then the built in
administartor account has never been logged on to or a password set for
it. What happens when you do
the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a user name
and password? Have you
typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password field
blank?? Just trying to help

When I do the double Ctrl/Alt/Del I do get the window to type in a user
name
and password. I typed in "Administrator" with capital A. I got "check your
user name and password"



Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD and
reinstall. If you didn't get a
XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC and
demand 1.

I do have an XP CD. However it's not that serious as to involve a
reinstal.
The J.Mason user has full computer administrator rights. My reason for
needing the Administrator log on is to fix a problem I'm having with IE in
the J.Mason user. I can create another user and try to fix my IE problem
from there.

Janice

When you are changing a password you need to know the original password. Other wise anyone could
logon to your PC and change all the passwords. Locking you out of the PC and not giving you any
security.

--
Shootist


"Janice" wrote in message ...
| I found a little program that allows me to toggle between showing/not
| showing the Administrator account on the Welcome screen.
|
| There is indeed an Administrator account ( not my user account ) which is,
| apparently, password protected. This is obviously the reason that I couldn't
| log in when using Ctrl/Alt/Del. As the shop never bothered telling me of
| such a password I had left the password box blank when trying to log on. I
| will phone the shop tomorrow and ask for my password and why they never
| thought to tell me! Now that it is available on the Welcome screen I have
| noticed that I can go in via User Accounts and set up a new password - any
| problem in doing this?
|
| Thank you Charlie and Shootist for pointing me in the right direction.
|
| Janice
|
|
| "Shootist" wrote in message
| ...
| After reading Charles response I have a idea. You renamed the built in
| Administrator account some
| how to be your user account. I'm not sure if that is possible but it seems
| like the only answer.
|
|
| --
| Shootist
|
|
| "Charles May" wrote in message
| news:RJjbb.540423$uu5.89709@sccrnsc04...
| | Janice,
| | Two things you can try to see if the Administrator account exists is to
| | 1. Boot into safe mode, the Administrator account (if exists) will show
| up
| | on the Safe Mode welcome screen.
| | 2. Install TweakUI for XP and Select the Logon item. If there is an
| | Administrator account, you will see a setting called:
| | Show "Administrator" on Welcome screen.
| | At this point, you can check the box so that it will appear on a normal
| | bootup.
| |
| | Hope this helps
| |
| | Charlie
| |
| |
| | "Janice" wrote in message
| | ...
| |
| | "Shootist" wrote in message
| | ...
| |
| |
| | If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents &
| | Settings" then the built in
| | administartor account has never been logged on to or a password set
| for
| | it. What happens when you do
| | the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a user
| name
| | and password? Have you
| | typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password field
| | blank?? Just trying to help
| |
| | When I do the double Ctrl/Alt/Del I do get the window to type in a
| user
| | name
| | and password. I typed in "Administrator" with capital A. I got "check
| your
| | user name and password"
| |
| |
| |
| | Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD and
| | reinstall. If you didn't get a
| | XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC
| and
| | demand 1.
| |
| | I do have an XP CD. However it's not that serious as to involve a
| | reinstal.
| | The J.Mason user has full computer administrator rights. My reason for
| | needing the Administrator log on is to fix a problem I'm having with
| IE in
| | the J.Mason user. I can create another user and try to fix my IE
| problem
| | from there.
| |
| | Janice
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|

when logged in one can just enter at cmd prompt
net user
to see what accounts exist

One needs to also keep in mind that the built-in
account Administrator can be renamed. After it
has then one can define an account and name it
Administrator. Doing this, disabling the new account
and removing it from all groups, is a common practice
when configuring a new system to be resistant.

--
Roger Abell
Microsoft MVP (Windows, Security)
MCSE (W2k3,W2k,Nt4) MCDBA
"Charles May" wrote in message
news:RJjbb.540423$uu5.89709@sccrnsc04...
Janice,
Two things you can try to see if the Administrator account exists is to
1. Boot into safe mode, the Administrator account (if exists) will show up
on the Safe Mode welcome screen.
2. Install TweakUI for XP and Select the Logon item. If there is an
Administrator account, you will see a setting called:
Show "Administrator" on Welcome screen.
At this point, you can check the box so that it will appear on a normal
bootup.

Hope this helps

Charlie


"Janice" wrote in message
...

"Shootist" wrote in message
...


If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents &
Settings" then the built in
administartor account has never been logged on to or a password set
for
it. What happens when you do
the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a user
name
and password? Have you
typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password field
blank?? Just trying to help

When I do the double Ctrl/Alt/Del I do get the window to type in a user
name
and password. I typed in "Administrator" with capital A. I got "check
your
user name and password"



Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD and
reinstall. If you didn't get a
XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC and
demand 1.

I do have an XP CD. However it's not that serious as to involve a
reinstal.
The J.Mason user has full computer administrator rights. My reason for
needing the Administrator log on is to fix a problem I'm having with IE
in
the J.Mason user. I can create another user and try to fix my IE problem
from there.

Janice

Sounds like you are now on course.
There are two ways to change passwords in the User Accounts
control panel applet. One is available in all account and can be
used to change only that account's password. It is safe to use.
The other is available only in admin account to reset the password
of any account. It is not safe to use if the account that will get a
new password is using EFS file encryption.

--
Roger Abell
Microsoft MVP (Windows, Security)
MCSE (W2k3,W2k,Nt4) MCDBA
"Janice" wrote in message
...
I found a little program that allows me to toggle between showing/not
showing the Administrator account on the Welcome screen.

There is indeed an Administrator account ( not my user account ) which is,
apparently, password protected. This is obviously the reason that I
couldn't
log in when using Ctrl/Alt/Del. As the shop never bothered telling me of
such a password I had left the password box blank when trying to log on. I
will phone the shop tomorrow and ask for my password and why they never
thought to tell me! Now that it is available on the Welcome screen I have
noticed that I can go in via User Accounts and set up a new password - any
problem in doing this?

Thank you Charlie and Shootist for pointing me in the right direction.

Janice


"Shootist" wrote in message
...
After reading Charles response I have a idea. You renamed the built in
Administrator account some
how to be your user account. I'm not sure if that is possible but it
seems
like the only answer.


--
Shootist


"Charles May" wrote in message
news:RJjbb.540423$uu5.89709@sccrnsc04...
| Janice,
| Two things you can try to see if the Administrator account exists is
to
| 1. Boot into safe mode, the Administrator account (if exists) will
show
up
| on the Safe Mode welcome screen.
| 2. Install TweakUI for XP and Select the Logon item. If there is an
| Administrator account, you will see a setting called:
| Show "Administrator" on Welcome screen.
| At this point, you can check the box so that it will appear on a
normal
| bootup.
|
| Hope this helps
|
| Charlie
|
|
| "Janice" wrote in message
| ...
|
| "Shootist" wrote in message
| ...
|
|
| If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents
&
| Settings" then the built in
| administartor account has never been logged on to or a password
set
for
| it. What happens when you do
| the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a
user
name
| and password? Have you
| typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password
field
| blank?? Just trying to help
|
| When I do the double Ctrl/Alt/Del I do get the window to type in a
user
| name
| and password. I typed in "Administrator" with capital A. I got
"check
your
| user name and password"
|
|
|
| Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD
and
| reinstall. If you didn't get a
| XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC
and
| demand 1.
|
| I do have an XP CD. However it's not that serious as to involve a
| reinstal.
| The J.Mason user has full computer administrator rights. My reason
for
| needing the Administrator log on is to fix a problem I'm having with
IE in
| the J.Mason user. I can create another user and try to fix my IE
problem
| from there.
|
| Janice
|
|
|
|

I did try with a small "a" as well. I will check with my PC supplier just in
case they set up a password.

System fully checked for hijacks/spyware - all clean.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Janice


"Shootist" wrote in message
...
Just for laughs try it with a small "a" !!! I'm lost, never heard of this
happening. Have you check
your system for hijacks/Trojans. Hope everything works out.

--
Shootist


"Janice" wrote in message
...
|
| "Shootist" wrote in message
| ...
|
|
| If there is not a Administrator folder in "%system root%\Documents &
| Settings" then the built in
| administartor account has never been logged on to or a password set
for
| it. What happens when you do
| the double Ctrl+Alt+Delete? Do you get the window to type in a user
name
| and password? Have you
| typed "Administrator" with a capitol "A" and left the password field
| blank?? Just trying to help
|
| When I do the double Ctrl/Alt/Del I do get the window to type in a user
name
| and password. I typed in "Administrator" with capital A. I got "check
your
| user name and password"
|
|
|
| Last option is to save (backup) all your data. and wipe the HDD and
| reinstall. If you didn't get a
| XP CD with your PC then call the person/company that built your PC and
| demand 1.
|
| I do have an XP CD. However it's not that serious as to involve a
reinstal.
| The J.Mason user has full computer administrator rights. My reason for
| needing the Administrator log on is to fix a problem I'm having with IE
in
| the J.Mason user. I can create another user and try to fix my IE problem
| from there.
|
| Janice
|
|