Re: No Administrator Account - Recover Console?



I think you great folks answered my question for the night, I was downloading
Windows Live Messenger, when I got a message the install could not be
completed because I indicated I wanted file sharing, and I was asked to
verify I had the rights to request file sharing, and the download was left
incomplete. I am sure that they want my Administrator account info, which I
looked for, tweaked until tweaked out. If I understand, there is no password
for this account, I think I can handle this now. But I have decided to hang
out, this Q&A or just hearing ideas being batted around is educational. So
glad to be aboard. Thanks
--
Conniejean


"Bruce Chambers" wrote:

Bobmeister wrote:
I believe that I deleted the Administrator account on a Windows XP
installation for home use.


The built-in Administrator account *cannot* be deleted. It can,
however, be disabled or renamed.


Now when I try to get into the computer via
Recovery Console, it asks me for the administrator password.


The password being requested is that of the built-in
_Administrator_ account, not the password for any other administrative
user accounts that the computer's owner may have created. Unless the
owner deliberately set the Administrator's password via the Management
Console (_not_ the Control Panel), it's probably still blank. WinXP Pro
asks the installer to set the Administrator's password during
installation, but WinXP Home doesn't.


Well there is
no administrator account.


Yes, there is. The built-in Administrator account *cannot* be deleted.


There are two accounts, both with administrator
rights and no password on either.


Then use one of them to reset the password of the built-in
Administrator account. Start > Run > "control userpasswords2" to modify
the desired account(s).


The Recovery Console does not accept a
blank password on either, how to I get in.


As above, or:

How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your
Password Expires
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q321305

Failing that, Linux-based password cracking utilities abound on the
Internet, freely available to anyone who can use Google.


I need to fix a problem resulting from a file named IOMDISK.sys and it won't
boot to safe mode anymore.


--

Bruce Chambers

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: No Administrator Account - Recover Console?
    ... The built-in Administrator account *cannot* be deleted. ... Recovery Console, it asks me for the administrator password. ... WinXP Pro asks the installer to set the Administrator's password during installation, ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: SP3 setup error
    ... Boot to Safe Mode and log in with the Administrator account. ... You need to edit the Permissions on ... Settings/All Users/Documents to "share this folder on the network", then retried the copy of beethov9.wma from the Software Update Installation Wizard - and the /Documents folder is now gone. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)
  • Re: I think I really screwed myself here...
    ... I have tried several times to reformat, but to no avail, as I had already lost the drivers for my NIC, optical drive, AND 1394 previous to his messing with it. ... Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. ... Had you failed to set a strong password on the built-in Administrator account? ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Administrator password during WinXP installation?
    ... password when WinXP Professional boots up to the WinXP ... Professional installation for the Administrator account ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Forgotten Password
    ... Simply log in using the built-in Administrator account and modify the desired accountand use Start> Run> "control userpasswords2" to modify the desired account. ... the only way to log into the Administrator account of WinXP Home is to reboot into Safe Mode. ... After backing up any data you wish to transfer to the new OS installation, and after downloading all of the WinXP-specific device drivers from the manufacturer's web site and burning them to a CD, simply boot from the WinXP installation CD. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)