Accidentally deleted default admin user in Windows XP -- Fix suggestions?
 

:helpme

I tried to follow this procedure: http://www.ehow.com/how_5078719_bloc...xcept-one.html I have been using my default admin account for ages on this Windows XP machine.

The system prompted me to create a Computer Admin account and then allowed me to set up a limited account.

Now my default admin account has disappeared. It has taken many things I need with it, including my Photoshop actions and access to some software and all of my saved passwords in FireFox and IE.

I have tried a system restore to no avail. Suggestions on how to get my default admin user back would be much appreciated. That user was passworded and the ones currently appearing are not and I don't really even get how, with any security features at all, it would be possible to set up a new admin account and delete the old one, thus disabling password access on a computer.

Fix == Don't use Windows XP?

How friggin old is that operating system?

One more thing it would have been better if I'd known yesterday. :winkwink:

Seriously, I've got stuff set up how I like it on this machine. I'll use other operating systems on newer machines for other projects, but this computer is plenty powerful enough for what it is used for and I usually wouldn't want to spend the time doing an operating system upgrade on an old comp. In this instance, maybe that would have been better or maybe I would have lost the same data doing that. :helpme

I do not think you can delete the default admin acct, it may just be hidden. Trying booting in safe mode and seeing if it there.

I suggest formatting the harddrive, reloading windows 7 or even xp. Retrieving all your old passwords. You should backup all important stuff in the future so formatting isn't an issue. You should format your harddrive once in a while and usually novice users don't do this. Im sure you'll be amazed at how much faster the machine will run afterwards. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise?

Datedoc is correct. You should see all accounts listed in safemode

Going to find out now . . .

at the windows login, hit ctrl + alt + delete

classic login wil pop up, login with

username: administrator
pw: ur password / just hit enter


ur in.

u cant delete administrator so easily.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy! :banana

Safemode reboot and deleting newly created accounts worked. Thank you so much everyone! Good to know the control-alt-delete re-login now too.

Phew.

Any industry professional would know !

For future reference always backup entire contents of Documents and settings/administrator folder, Make sure to turn on "show system files and folders" and "show hidden files and folders" option in the folder properties before copying though. This way you always have a backup of your user directory for when these things happen. All your custom user files, email, browser settings and plugins and bookmarks are all safe.

Good suggestion. I always keep show system and hidden on, but I generally only back up data and less frequently stuff like actions. I have master lists of passwords, but I don't even want to think about how hellish it would have been to be copy/pasting X6923n!pzV kinda text into every site I visit. I plan to never edit the users on this specific computer again. Never really noticed the issue on other comps, but probably those were ones where the admin account wasn't really used for work. And probably those are also ones where it would be good to have exactly the backup you suggest.

See, GFY can be helpful! :thumbsup

Totally :) :thumbsup

OH THANK GAWD, all that lovely porn has been saved!!!

hallelujah!!!!

glad your saved

use windows 7 with classicshell
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

works like a charm

I know you have to be happy!


:thumbsup

Ha, ha, yeah :)

Actually, I think the lovely smut would have been okay because I am way better about content backups than system ones.

Thanks. I am breathing one big sigh of relief.

So, so, very happy and relieved :thumbsup