Missing Administrator Level Account

[Guest Roger Fink]

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 \(MVP\)]

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]

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 \(MVP\)]

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]

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.