Guest Roger Fink Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 I recently received a used laptop with a fresh install of Windows 2000 Pro, and no applications. I'm having a problem with it in that there is no Administrator account set up (I thought this was supposed to happen automatically during installation of the OS). Since I can only access the machine with User level privileges, I can't figure out how to create one, since the option to do this under Users and Passwords is grayed out. How do I fix this? (I don't see how any fix for this can involve the internet, since there is no antivirus program or firewall installed on the machine.)
Guest Pegasus \(MVP\) Posted April 22, 2008 Posted April 22, 2008 Re: Missing Administrator Level Account "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message news:uTj12RIpIHA.2636@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >I recently received a used laptop with a fresh install of Windows 2000 Pro, > and no applications. I'm having a problem with it in that there is no > Administrator account set up (I thought this was supposed to happen > automatically during installation of the OS). Since I can only access the > machine with User level privileges, I can't figure out how to create one, > since the option to do this under Users and Passwords is grayed out. > > How do I fix this? (I don't see how any fix for this can involve the > internet, since there is no antivirus program or firewall installed on the > machine.) > Every Windows installation has an Administrator account. It is not possible to delete it. Do this to find out the name of yours: - Click Start / Run / cmd{OK} - Type these commands: net user{Enter) net user RFink{Enter} net user ... Continue until you have examined each account. Make a note of those that are members of the "Administrators" local group.
Guest Roger Fink Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 Re: Missing Administrator Level Account Pegasus (MVP) wrote: > "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message > news:uTj12RIpIHA.2636@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> I recently received a used laptop with a fresh install of Windows >> 2000 Pro, and no applications. I'm having a problem with it in that >> there is no Administrator account set up (I thought this was >> supposed to happen automatically during installation of the OS). >> Since I can only access the machine with User level privileges, I >> can't figure out how to create one, since the option to do this >> under Users and Passwords is grayed out. >> >> How do I fix this? (I don't see how any fix for this can involve the >> internet, since there is no antivirus program or firewall installed >> on the machine.) >> > > Every Windows installation has an Administrator account. It is > not possible to delete it. Do this to find out the name of yours: > - Click Start / Run / cmd{OK} > - Type these commands: > net user{Enter) > net user RFink{Enter} > net user ... > Continue until you have examined each account. Make a note > of those that are members of the "Administrators" local group. I ran the command <net user Administrator> and got the following: ------------------------- User's comment Country code 000 (System Default) Account active.........Yes Account expires.........Never Password last set.........11/29/2006 7:39 AM Password expires.........Never Password changeable.........11/29/2006 7:39 AM Password required.........Yes User may change password.........Yes Workstations allowed.........All Logon script User Profile Home directory Last logon.........Never Logon hours allowed.........All Local Group Memberships.........*Administrators Global Group Memberships.........*None The command completed successfully. ---------------------- In the folder tree under Documents and Settings there are only two folders immediately listed: "All Users" and "user" (add "Default User" to that in Show Hidden Files and Folders mode). How do I access Administrator and bring it in to the GUI? Also, since a password is required, wouldn't this mean that, as things stand now, I could never get in?
Guest Pegasus \(MVP\) Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 Re: Missing Administrator Level Account "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message news:eO0QQGWpIHA.3900@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > Pegasus (MVP) wrote: >> "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message >> news:uTj12RIpIHA.2636@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>> I recently received a used laptop with a fresh install of Windows >>> 2000 Pro, and no applications. I'm having a problem with it in that >>> there is no Administrator account set up (I thought this was >>> supposed to happen automatically during installation of the OS). >>> Since I can only access the machine with User level privileges, I >>> can't figure out how to create one, since the option to do this >>> under Users and Passwords is grayed out. >>> >>> How do I fix this? (I don't see how any fix for this can involve the >>> internet, since there is no antivirus program or firewall installed >>> on the machine.) >>> >> >> Every Windows installation has an Administrator account. It is >> not possible to delete it. Do this to find out the name of yours: >> - Click Start / Run / cmd{OK} >> - Type these commands: >> net user{Enter) >> net user RFink{Enter} >> net user ... >> Continue until you have examined each account. Make a note >> of those that are members of the "Administrators" local group. > > I ran the command <net user Administrator> and got the following: > > ------------------------- > > User's comment > Country code 000 (System Default) > Account active.........Yes > Account expires.........Never > Password last set.........11/29/2006 7:39 AM > Password expires.........Never > Password changeable.........11/29/2006 7:39 AM > Password required.........Yes > User may change password.........Yes > Workstations allowed.........All > Logon script > User Profile > Home directory > Last logon.........Never > Logon hours allowed.........All > Local Group Memberships.........*Administrators > Global Group Memberships.........*None > The command completed successfully. > > In the folder tree under Documents and Settings there are only two folders > immediately listed: "All Users" and "user" (add "Default User" to that in > Show Hidden Files and Folders mode). > > How do I access Administrator and bring it in to the GUI? Also, since a > password is required, wouldn't this mean that, as things stand now, I > could > never get in? User accounts are one thing, profile folders another. If no one has ever logged in as Administrator then there will be no profile folder. It's as simple as that. You should now plan ahead and protect yourself against similar mishaps: 1. Rest the administrator's password: http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html 2. Create a second admin account. 3. Lock the details for both accounts away so that you can use them when you need them.
Guest Roger Fink Posted April 23, 2008 Posted April 23, 2008 Re: Missing Administrator Level Account Pegasus (MVP) wrote: > "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message > news:eO0QQGWpIHA.3900@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... >> Pegasus (MVP) wrote: >>> "Roger Fink" <fink@manana.org> wrote in message >>> news:uTj12RIpIHA.2636@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>>> I recently received a used laptop with a fresh install of Windows >>>> 2000 Pro, and no applications. I'm having a problem with it in that >>>> there is no Administrator account set up (I thought this was >>>> supposed to happen automatically during installation of the OS). >>>> Since I can only access the machine with User level privileges, I >>>> can't figure out how to create one, since the option to do this >>>> under Users and Passwords is grayed out. >>>> >>>> How do I fix this? (I don't see how any fix for this can involve >>>> the internet, since there is no antivirus program or firewall >>>> installed >>>> on the machine.) >>>> >>> >>> Every Windows installation has an Administrator account. It is >>> not possible to delete it. Do this to find out the name of yours: >>> - Click Start / Run / cmd{OK} >>> - Type these commands: >>> net user{Enter) >>> net user RFink{Enter} >>> net user ... >>> Continue until you have examined each account. Make a note >>> of those that are members of the "Administrators" local group. >> >> I ran the command <net user Administrator> and got the following: >> >> ------------------------- >> >> User's comment >> Country code 000 (System Default) >> Account active.........Yes >> Account expires.........Never >> Password last set.........11/29/2006 7:39 AM >> Password expires.........Never >> Password changeable.........11/29/2006 7:39 AM >> Password required.........Yes >> User may change password.........Yes >> Workstations allowed.........All >> Logon script >> User Profile >> Home directory >> Last logon.........Never >> Logon hours allowed.........All >> Local Group Memberships.........*Administrators >> Global Group Memberships.........*None >> The command completed successfully. >> >> In the folder tree under Documents and Settings there are only two >> folders immediately listed: "All Users" and "user" (add "Default >> User" to that in Show Hidden Files and Folders mode). >> >> How do I access Administrator and bring it in to the GUI? Also, >> since a password is required, wouldn't this mean that, as things >> stand now, I could >> never get in? > > User accounts are one thing, profile folders another. If no one > has ever logged in as Administrator then there will be no profile > folder. It's as simple as that. You should now plan ahead and > protect yourself against similar mishaps: > 1. Rest the administrator's password: > http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html > 2. Create a second admin account. > 3. Lock the details for both accounts away so that you can > use them when you need them. OK Pegasus, thanks very much.
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