Locked Out of Admin Access Windows XP Home

[Quiet One]

Please can anyone help me with the following?

 

1. I logon on to windows and a password prompt comes up for access for 'Brian' (me) and I have no password set so just click 'ok' and it logs me in.

 

2. When I go into start>control panel>user accounts I am the only account showing 'Brian Limited Account'

 

3. I cannot install or download as I am not the administrator.

 

4. How do I get back my Administrator status?

 

Any help in this would be much appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[Tootech]

Start your computer in Safe Mode, then logon to the real Administrator account and you can sort out your user account.

[Quiet One]

Thanks for responding Tootech. I can get in to safe mode by F8ing on booting up but when I go to user accounts only my "limited" account shows. How do I access the real administator?

Thanks again for your help.

[RandyL]

By default in XP if you boot to safemode all accounts should be presented when logging in including the Administrator account that you don't see in a normal bootup.

 

If it's not there then you have a major issue since you don't have any Administrator account.

 

Even if you do have the XP Recovery Console it's unlikey you can even attempt a System Restore etc. since without an Administrator account you have no rights.

 

In my opinion now is a good time to backup all your files, Favorites or Bookmarks, address book and anything else to external media.

 

Do you have your original Windows disks or Recovery Disks as you may need to reinstall Windows.