Administrator

turbomaker · External Since: Nov 13, 2005 Posts: 1

Hello,

I have redirected the 2 accounts on my computer to be "limited users", and
also kept an "Administrator" with a password. When I log on, I can select my
name or my roomates, but I cannot see the Administrator account as a
selection anymore.

Under control panel, I cannot access the Administrator account.

What did I do wrong, and how can I get back to the Administrator account (to
load programs, etc).

Malke · External Since: Apr 24, 2005 Posts: 3465

turbomaker wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have redirected the 2 accounts on my computer to be "limited users",
> and
> also kept an "Administrator" with a password. When I log on, I can
> select my name or my roomates, but I cannot see the Administrator
> account as a selection anymore.
>
> Under control panel, I cannot access the Administrator account.
>
> What did I do wrong, and how can I get back to the Administrator
> account (to load programs, etc).

You didn't do anything wrong. As soon as you make a new account with
administrator privileges, the built-in Administrator account is hidden.
This is to keep you from using it; it is only to be used in an
emergency as a fail-safe account.

If you have XP Pro, at the Welcome Screen do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice and
you'll get the classic logon box. You can type Administrator in the
username space and the password (if any). If you have XP Home, the
normally hidden Administrator account can be accessed in Safe Mode.

If you feel you want the Administrator account to appear on the Welcome
Screen, MVP Kelly Theriot has a tweak:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm - Enable/Disable
Administrator on the Welcome Screen (Line 5)

Malke
--
MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic"

Bruce Chambers · External Since: Jun 26, 2005 Posts: 6836

turbomaker wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have redirected the 2 accounts on my computer to be "limited users", and
> also kept an "Administrator" with a password. When I log on, I can select my
> name or my roomates, but I cannot see the Administrator account as a
> selection anymore.
>
> Under control panel, I cannot access the Administrator account.
>
> What did I do wrong, and how can I get back to the Administrator account (to
> load programs, etc).

As you've discovered, once any additional user accounts have been
created, the Administrator account will no longer be displayed on the
Welcome Screen. This is a default security feature. By design, the
only way to log into the Administrator account of WinXP Home is to
reboot into Safe Mode. For WinXP Pro, pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL twice at
the Welcome Screen will produce the standard login dialog box.

The built-in Administrator account really isn't intended to be
used for day-to-day normal use. The standard security practice is to
rename the account, set a strong password on it, and use it only to
create another account for regular use, reserving the Administrator
account as a "back door" in case something corrupts your regular account(s).

--

Bruce Chambers

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