Kcpirana

Thanks again! I'm going to follow your directions very carefully! I doubt
my husband saw anything out of the ordinary this morning, or he would have
mentioned it, I'm pretty sure.

:-)

Kristy

"jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0056E09B-62B9-4D9C-BA48-3D86F88CF2DE@microsoft.com...
> That's good news. It sounds as though the system automatically recovered
> from
> the condition that was causing you so much grief. (It can revert
> automatically to a restore point OR it can offer the option of booting to
> a
> last known good configuration at boot time, I guess. I wonder if your
> husband
> saw anything when he started the system this morning?)
>
> No, I wouldn't activate the Administrator account. It isn't supposed to be
> activated - -except when it is automatically activated during
> emergencies --
> like when there is no other admin account available on the system.
> Normally,
> you are not allowed to log in under Administrator in Vista, and that's the
> way it's supposed to work.
>
> Another point: I suggest that you NOT delete the "bad" account -- at least
> not if it's name is very close to the name of your "good" account.
> Instead,
> rename it to something really different. Then log back in to be sure that
> you
> really are using the account you think you are using. While you are logged
> on
> to your good account, open a command line interface -- Start | Run, type
> "cmd" in the Open field, hit Enter. Look at the prompt before the blinking
> cursor in that window. It tells you where your profile for that account is
> located. Take note of it so that you know where all of your "stuff" is.
>
> Likewise, if you decided to get rid the directory under C:\Users which
> contains the profile that you think you don't need any more. Just try
> renaming that directory. If you rename it and operate without any problems
> for a few days, then go ahead and delete it.
>
> I think / hope you're okay now.
>
> Oh, and as for the "us idiots" comment. Don't be hard on yourself. Just be
> careful. After all, how do you think I learned this stuff?
>
> ;-)
>
> Trust me on this. If you're human, you're an idiot -- at least part of the
> time. The trick is to learn to minimize the damage you do.
>
> "Kcpirana" wrote:
>
>> Thank you so much for the information! I'm sorry I neglected to identify
>> my
>> OS - It's Vista Home Premium 32-bit.
>>
>> As of this morning (and my husband got up before me, so chances are he
>> just
>> booted it up because he didn't know anything about this), I can log on to
>> my
>> account as normal, access the control panel, internet options, etc, with
>> absolutely no problems. Under USERS in the CP, I see now two accounts
>> with
>> my name - both identified as adminstrators. Since it's in the CP Users
>> (accessible even to us Idiots), I imagine I can delete it without
>> concern,
>> as my now-working account is easily identifiable.
>>
>> So, barring anymore difficulties, I think I'm reading that you don't
>> *think
>> the Administrator account was activated, correct? If so, should I
>> activate
>> it?
>>
>> You have been great! Thanks so far and TIA!
>>
>> Kristy
>>
>> "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:2673849C-21DF-40B7-8E28-6D6F27A3A503@microsoft.com...
>> > Okay. You've pretty much confirmed my suspicions. It is almost
>> > certainly
>> > true
>> > that you have NOT done anything to the Administrator account. You have
>> > still
>> > not told me what version of Vista you are running, but your observation
>> > that
>> > there is no Local users and groups in the Computer Management console
>> > seems
>> > to indicate that you have one of the versions of Vista that is devoid
>> > of a
>> > policy editor. (I'm not familiar with these versions. I avoid them like
>> > the
>> > plague, but only because they just wouldn't work for me. My computers
>> > all
>> > have to be members of domains, and you can't do that with computers
>> > running
>> > Windows versions that don't have policy editors.)
>> >
>> > If you boot into Safe Mode (hit F8 key repeatedly after passing the
>> > BIOS
>> > screen at startup time, you may be able to log in as Administrator (no
>> > password) and fix the system. I say "may" because it's possible that
>> > the
>> > system doesn't think your "Owner" account has been damaged sufficiently
>> > to
>> > warrant allowing the automatic logon to the built-in Administrator
>> > account.
>> > The problem is that you have done some damage (from what I can tell) to
>> > your
>> > profile, but it may not be totally disabled. In that case you may have
>> > to
>> > straighten things out from within the farkled Owner account.
>> >
>> > In the future please remember the first rule of holes: When you are in
>> > over
>> > your head, stop digging! You really must learn something about the way
>> > Vista
>> > handles its user accounts and the way ntfs permissions work before
>> > trying
>> > to
>> > do the sort of invasive manipulations you've been doing. Were you not
>> > seeing
>> > warnings from User Account Control as you made these various changes?
>> > UAC
>> > wasn't turned off, was it?
>> >
>> > You see, each user account has its own location for storing its
>> > profile.
>> > You
>> > started off, apparently, with an "Owner" account. That was probably set
>> > up
>> > by
>> > the OEM that installed the OS on your computer. Once you log on to any
>> > account in Windows a profile location with that name on the directory
>> > structure is created, and that may have been done effectively even
>> > before
>> > you
>> > ever got the computer by the unattended install method used by the OEM.
>> > Now,
>> > you could have changed name of the Owner account to one that suited you
>> > through the Windows Control Panel | User Accounts interface, but the
>> > name
>> > of
>> > the DIRECTORY where the profile for that account is stored would not
>> > (and
>> > should not) be changed at that point. If you do change the name of that
>> > directory the account won't be able to find its profile at boot time,
>> > and
>> > it
>> > will create another one, usually with an extension added to the name.
>> >
>> > I don't know what to tell you now. You might just be better off saving
>> > any
>> > data to an external drive or to another system and then doing a fresh
>> > re-installation of the OS -- assuming the OEM has provided recovery
>> > media
>> > or
>> > a recovery partition. You might also learn quite a bit by trying to fix
>> > this.
>> > It doesn't sound as though the system is really messed up badly, but it
>> > could
>> > be pretty difficult for someone who isn't familiar with the way user
>> > accounts
>> > and the file system work to fix.
>> >
>> > BTW, if you do a fresh re-installation, maybe you'll be happiest if you
>> > create a new account for yourself with your own name. Its profile will
>> > be
>> > stored under the name you choose for the account. That user account
>> > could
>> > be
>> > a non-admin user, and you would reserve the use of the Owner account
>> > for
>> > administrative purposes. The neat thing about Vista is that, when you
>> > are
>> > logged in as a non-admin and try to do something that requires admin
>> > privileges, UAC will prompt you for credentials instead of just
>> > refusing
>> > to
>> > do the task. You would then enter "Owner" as the admin name and the
>> > password
>> > for the "Owner" account in order to be able to proceed with the task.
>> > It's
>> > a
>> > recommended way of using Vista. When you're logged in as an admin and
>> > try
>> > to
>> > do something that requires admin credentials UAC will simply ask you if
>> > you
>> > wish to proceed. If you choose yes it assumes you know what you're
>> > doing
>> > and
>> > activates the admin credentials to perform the task. (That's the
>> > default
>> > setting, anyway.)
>> >
>> > I hope you get it figured out. I can imagine that this situation is
>> > very
>> > annoying.
>> >
>> > "Kcpirana" wrote:
>> >
>> >> To clarify, I succeeded in changing "owner" to my name on the folder
>> >> that
>> >> shows up on the desktop and in the start menu, but not "Owner" in the
>> >> actual
>> >> Users file, which is what I tried.
>> >>
>> >> Kristy
>> >> "Kcpirana" <kcpirana@aol.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:OqcxfuBmHHA.4032@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> >> > OK, I used "compmgmt.msc" and I don't see "local users and groups"
>> >> > anywhere.
>> >> >
>> >> > Let's see - I booted up the computer and started working and using
>> >> > the
>> >> > account that was there when I booted up. When looking for the
>> >> > administrator account, I did try to rename the Owner folder with my
>> >> > name
>> >> > and I succeeded in the regular user accounts area, but not in
>> >> > changing
>> >> > the
>> >> > name "Owner". I tried to correct that, and that's when two Owner
>> >> > accounts
>> >> > showed up and I have no access to the Control Panel, etc. I can't
>> >> > perform
>> >> > a system restore, as the "there was an error detected in the Volume
>> >> > Shadow
>> >> > Copy Service." I'm afraid to log off, as I've never set any
>> >> > passwords
>> >> > and
>> >> > my account is somehow lost or changed, even though I'm on it right
>> >> > now.
>> >> >
>> >> > Kristy
>> >> >
>> >> > "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> > news:9A644E8D-B130-45B1-831C-3BEFC6E8F933@microsoft.com...
>> >> >> You'd have to provide quite a bit more information for me to be
>> >> >> sure,
>> >> >> but
>> >> >> I'm
>> >> >> guessing that Owner is your regular account. And it is an
>> >> >> administrative
>> >> >> account. (You can check in User Accounts in the Control Panel to be
>> >> >> sure.)
>> >> >> Guest is, of course, the default Guest account, and it normally
>> >> >> shouldn't
>> >> >> be
>> >> >> enabled. Administrator isn't showing up because you never (I hope)
>> >> >> activated
>> >> >> it and logged into it. You don't have to enter a password because
>> >> >> you
>> >> >> never
>> >> >> created one. And you can't create an account called "Administrator"
>> >> >> because
>> >> >> there already IS an account with that name -- the built-in
>> >> >> Administrator
>> >> >> account.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I can't really know this, because, as I said, you haven't given us
>> >> >> enough
>> >> >> information. But if you didn't take special steps to activate the
>> >> >> built-in
>> >> >> Administrator account, then I'm betting my guess is accurate. The
>> >> >> only
>> >> >> way
>> >> >> you could accidentally wander into using the Administrator account
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> Vista
>> >> >> is if the original installation of the OS was botched -- badly. So,
>> >> >> if
>> >> >> neither you nor anyone else deliberately activated that
>> >> >> Administrator
>> >> >> account
>> >> >> (It's not something you do by making a couple of moves with the
>> >> >> mouse.),
>> >> >> I'm
>> >> >> thinking you're safe.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> In order to activate the built-in admin account you would have had
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> issue
>> >> >> a command from an Administrator-run CLI, or you would have had to
>> >> >> use
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> compmgmt.msc console, or you would have had to use a special
>> >> >> feature
>> >> >> of
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> unattended install process. If you didn't do those, then you're
>> >> >> probably
>> >> >> okay.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> BTW, I just realized that you could just go to Start | Run, enter
>> >> >> "compmgmt.msc", and hit the Enter key. If you expand Local Users
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> Groups
>> >> >> in the left pane of the console and select Users, in the right pane
>> >> >> of
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> window you should see ALL of your user accounts -- including the
>> >> >> built-in
>> >> >> Administrator account. I should have thought of that before. The
>> >> >> only
>> >> >> thing
>> >> >> is that I don't know whether or not you're using one of the
>> >> >> "crippled"
>> >> >> versions of Vista. I've never looked at those, the ones that don't
>> >> >> have
>> >> >> policy editors. I don't know if they also don't have some version
>> >> >> of
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> computer management console.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Please check it out and let us know either way. If you don't find
>> >> >> what
>> >> >> you're looking for please post back with information about your
>> >> >> Vista
>> >> >> version
>> >> >> and the exact steps you took in configuring this system.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "Kcpirana" wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >>> Guest & Owner are the only two accounts listed. In addition, the
>> >> >>> box
>> >> >>> for
>> >> >>> requiring user name and password is checked, but I don't enter a
>> >> >>> password.
>> >> >>> I don't think I even set one up.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> Kristy
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> >>> news:C4668D47-4B6C-4451-8DB7-F8C4FBA8F4A3@microsoft.com...
>> >> >>> > I'm thinking you may not be in as much of a predicament as you
>> >> >>> > think
>> >> >>> > you
>> >> >>> > are.
>> >> >>> >
>> >> >>> > We need a little information. Go to Start | Run. type "control
>> >> >>> > userpasswords2" in the Open field, and hit the Enter key. Make a
>> >> >>> > list
>> >> >>> > of
>> >> >>> > the
>> >> >>> > accounts that are listed there, and come back to tell us what
>> >> >>> > they
>> >> >>> > are.
>> >> >>> >
>> >> >>> > i'm thinking that your "renamed" Administrator account is really
>> >> >>> > a
>> >> >>> > different
>> >> >>> > administrative account that you gave a name to when it was
>> >> >>> > automatically
>> >> >>> > created for you. And your original built-in Administrator
>> >> >>> > account
>> >> >>> > is
>> >> >>> > probably
>> >> >>> > okay. It isn't active by default, so you would have had to do
>> >> >>> > something to
>> >> >>> > activate it deliberately to be able to be logging on to it as
>> >> >>> > your
>> >> >>> > regular
>> >> >>> > user account. It couldn't have happened by accident. Well, not
>> >> >>> > likely,
>> >> >>> > anyway.
>> >> >>> >
>> >> >>> >
>> >> >>> >
>> >> >>> > "Kcpirana" wrote:
>> >> >>> >
>> >> >>> >> I'm not sure if I've really messed something up or not. When I
>> >> >>> >> was
>> >> >>> >> setting
>> >> >>> >> up my computer, I forgot to set up a new account for myself and
>> >> >>> >> I've
>> >> >>> >> completely customized, installed to, and am using the
>> >> >>> >> Administrator
>> >> >>> >> account
>> >> >>> >> as my primary account. Is there anyway to duplicate this
>> >> >>> >> account
>> >> >>> >> (so
>> >> >>> >> I
>> >> >>> >> don't have to start from scratch) and then how would I restore
>> >> >>> >> this
>> >> >>> >> one
>> >> >>> >> to
>> >> >>> >> the use for which it was intended? Or can I create a new
>> >> >>> >> administrator
>> >> >>> >> account? I tried to do that, but it wouldn't let me name an
>> >> >>> >> account
>> >> >>> >> "Administrator" as it was already in use. When I logged off
>> >> >>> >> and
>> >> >>> >> back
>> >> >>> >> on,
>> >> >>> >> however, it only showed the account that I renamed with my
>> >> >>> >> name.
>> >> >>> >>
>> >> >>> >> Kristy
>> >> >>> >>
>> >> >>> >>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>