Re: Lost Administrative Privileges!

From: Pegasus \(MVP\) (I.can_at_fly.com)
Date: 05/06/04 

Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 08:14:17 +1000

- Having two admin accounts allows you to log in at
  any time, even if one of these two accounts becomes
  unusable for some reason. It's the spare key to your
  PC.
- Deleting the SAM deletes all accounts but does not
  delete profile folders. If you rename the SAM file instead
  of deleting it then the action becomes reversible.
- Once an account is deleted, all personal settings
  (desktop colour, Outlook settings, screen saver etc)
  are also out of reach. If you know someone who is
  familiar with the inner workings of Windows profiles
  then he can restore them for you.
- The concept of a "Workgroup" has nothing at all to
  do with the current topic.

"scarney" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:935001c4338d$beaf6eb0$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> Sorry, I am not trying to be difficult. I should have said
> user profile rather than user login. Would having multiple
> admin accounts help me even in my current situation? I mean
> I can still see the admin account under users/groups, it
> just seems like when I set up the workgroup, it/I did not
> set me up with an admin account, and the one I still see
> and know is an admin user does not work.
> >-----Original Message-----
> >We seem to have a little problem with reading and digesting
> >previous replies. In my first reply I wrote: "You will now
> have
> >exactly one account: Administrator, with a blank password."
> >You now ask me if it will change any of the user log-ins that
> >already exist. Of course it does - they will no longer exist!
> >
> >If you don't like this then you can download & run this tool:
> >http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html.
> >It's scary stuff but it lets you reset the admin password to
> >a blank. And as I said: If you're an administrator then it's
> >high time to take some basic precautions so that you're
> >never again in this painful situation.
> >
> >
> >"scarney" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message
> >news:920401c43378$4f4c0250$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> >> Will that change any of the user log ins that already
> >> exist? I want to be sure I don't do anything that makes my
> >> situation worse. I ran into a major snafu when in repair
> >> mode on my XP machine last year and ended up reformatting.
> >> It's the girlfriends machine, otherwise I wouldn't have
> >> anything to lose. When you say rename to something else,
> >> what specifically am I to rename? This is uncharted
> >> territory for me.
> >>
> >>
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >So what about the recipe I gave you in my first post?
> >> >It will get you locally, allowing you to re-register the
> >> >machine on the domain.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> ><anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> >news:8ff101c4332a$a2d29810$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> >> >> That's the problem, I am the administrator.
> >> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >> >If you went from domain to workgroup then you have to
> >> >> >ask your system administrator to re-register your PC
> >> >> >on the domain, or to give you a local account/password.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >You also need to review your backup strategy. If there
> >> >> >are important files on this machine then they must be
> >> >> >backed up to a different medium every week. This time
> >> >> >you're safe but next time you might lose the lot!
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> ><anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> >> >news:910901c43309$7690cd60$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> >> >> >> At this point I can't take any chances that may
> >> >> >> potentially lose data, and or require me to do a fresh
> >> >> >> install. I think I went from a domain to a workgroup.
> >> >> In
> >> >> >> doing so, the original admin/password is not valid in
> >> >> the
> >> >> >> workgroup. How can I log on as an administrator to get
> >> >> >> out of the workgroup, and back to where I started?
> >> >> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >"scarney" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> >> >> in
> >> >> >> message
> >> >> >> >news:8b0501c432c9$07cbf980$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> >> >> >> >> I was trying to network my 2000 pro machine with my
> >> >> XP
> >> >> >> >> machine, and I really messed up! I think what I did
> >> >> was
> >> >> >> >> create a new workgroup, and in doing so did
> >> >> something
> >> >> >> very
> >> >> >> >> bad. When I restarted, it logged me in to an
> >> >> account I
> >> >> >> set
> >> >> >> >> up with the new workgroup. I now have to log out
> >> >> every
> >> >> >> time
> >> >> >> >> I restart, so that my girlfriend (who's pc it is I
> >> >> >> messed
> >> >> >> >> up) can log in as herself. She still has the same
> >> >> log
> >> >> >> on
> >> >> >> >> name and password, and has access to all her files
> >> >> and
> >> >> >> >> folders, but now is no longer an/the administrator,
> >> >> >> and has
> >> >> >> >> no administrative privileges. When I try to log her
> >> >> in
> >> >> >> as
> >> >> >> >> the administrator, I get the prompt that she does
> >> >> not
> >> >> >> have
> >> >> >> >> administrative rights. What have I done, and is
> >> >> there
> >> >> >> any
> >> >> >> >> way to fix without completely re-installing?
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >You could try this:
> >> >> >> >- Boot the machine with your Win2000 CD, then select
> >> >> >> Repair.
> >> >> >> >- Get into the Command Console.
> >> >> >> >- Rename c:\winnt\system32\config\sam to something
> >> >> else.
> >> >> >> >- Reboot the machine normally.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >You will now have exactly one account: Administrator,
> >> >> >> with
> >> >> >> >a blank password.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >After resolving this issue, start planning ahead and
> >> >> >> create
> >> >> >> >a secondary admin account. Think about your car, and
> >> >> why
> >> >> >> >you have at least two sets of keys, then extend the
> >> >> same
> >> >> >> >thought to your PC!
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >.
> >> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >.
> >> >
> >
> >
> >.
> >

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