Winxp-users Accounts

[Lionking]

Hi there.

Please help here. I created an user account on my XP-SP2 edition.
I had my Administrator account and the new one. I wanted to change some settings, and logged of my administrator account, and rebooted. Now windows doesn't give me the option to log on my Administrator account, only the second account, and all my icons, and shortcuts are missing. How do I get my old settings back (Administrator account)?, please help. I don't wanna format the damn thing.
Than

 

[adsl3g]

I seem to recall that when you get the welcome screen just press ctrl+alt+del - the old windows logon box will appear - just type in user : administrator and yr password and it'll log you on... its something like that - can't qite recall..
Anyone else??

 

[Darth Garth]

Control Panel -> User Accounts.

Start
Log Off
Switch User

 

[Lionking]

Hi there.
Thanx fro the quick reply. The "Administrator" icon is missing. The only two that is there is my newly created one, and something called "guest account".
My administrator icon or picture is GONE. That is what I can't understand.
At no time did I "delete" this Administrator account, I just clicked on LOG off, and then it was gone!!!!

 

[Brawler]

Start Windows in safe mode.
At the log on screen there should be at default a administrator account with no password. Log in it and create a new administrator account.

 

[Lionking]

Thanx for the help so far

When I start in safe mode, and create a new Administrator, will I get my old desktop back with icons and all (old desktop) That is all I need back now. Currently with the other user my desktop is BLANK?
Thanx

Nice people out there

 

[nGAGEd55]

the administrator account is usually hidden from the welcome screen, and AFAIK there's no way to get it's icon to be on it unless you boot in safe mode.

I seem to recall that when you get the welcome screen just press ctrl+alt+del - the old windows logon box will appear - just type in user : administrator and yr password and it'll log you on... its something like that - can't qite recall..
Anyone else??

AFAIK you have to press ctrl+alt+del three times before the normal classic login screen appears

 

[Highflyer_GP]

No this is what supposed to happen, the admin account is set by default. You first need to create another user account with admin priviledges before creating any other account with restrictive capabilities.

Go to start menu, log off, switch users, and type in administrator as the user name and your password. If you didn't enter a password upon installation then leave the password field blank.

Once logged in as admin then delete the account you created and create a user account with admin capabilities first. Then you can create any other account and set restrictions. Your admin account will then disappear from the startup login screen (which it's supposed to do) and your new account with admin priviledges will take it's place. Then use files and settings transfer to transfer all your settings from your admin account to your new one.

 

[Lionking]

Thank you very much for all who helped me up to know.
My PC is OKAY again, everything back to normal.....thanx a million!!!!!!!!!!

Next Q: All I needed was to have two users, and to "hide" my folders and files on the other user. How do I do this from now. I see that if I start up with the other user (not the Administrator), I can still see my own folders and files. How does a person hide these?
Thanx

 

[Highflyer_GP]

One method would be to move the folders to somewhere within the "My Documents" folder on the admin priviledges account. This folder is inaccessible to non-admin priviledge accounts.

Another method is to right-click on the folder when logged in as an admin, and go to properties. Then click the sharing tab and tick the "make this folder private" box.

 

[Lionking]

thanx.
Goodnight!!!!!

PS: great people out there still!!!!!!!!

 

[Darth Garth]

I can still see my own folders and files. How does a person hide these?

You cannot hide files by using accounts.

You can use XP Pro which has encryption of folders or several freely available utility programs programs like TrueCrypt

http://www.truecrypt.org/

 

[newb5000]

Edit: comment withdrawn, since this thread is no longer in the "Off Topic" section

 

[graviti]

To "hide" your documents, format with NTFS partition. This allows you to set security to files and folders. Admin Accounts can always see everything. But individual users without Admin abilities will not have access to your files. So for example you have an account for Joe Soap on your machine, and Humpty Dumpty comes along. As long as Humpty Dumpty doesn't have an Admin account, he cannot touch your files. He can see what the lowest level is called, but that's it.

To stop users from seeing your stuff, if you're logged in, basically requires password based files and folders, for which Truecrypt, as mentioned above, is nice.