Re: Deleting Multiple Users

Hi Dave,

You cannot log on to the Administrator account except in safe mode. This is
a restriction of XP home and is expected.
The Windows folder in the David folder is nothing to worry about--it is
probably empty except for a folder named system which is also empty.

Now do the following:
1>Rename the David folder to David OLD. You will have to do this before you
can recreate the David account.
2>Create a new account named David with administrator privileges.
3>Restart the PC and log into the David account.
4>Verify all is working, then delete the Test account.

This will leave you with your primary account named David, a working Guest
account, and a hidden Administrator account which only works in safe mode.

This gets your users back to what is desired. You can then save any files
from the David OLD folder, then delete it.
Copy your saved files back to the David folder and you're done.

Let me know when this works and I'll really confuse you by telling you how
to make your PC safer. <G>
Hint--you should never be running as an admin all the time, but let's get
the accounts working correctly before I bog you down with security issues.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone- www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone




"Dave" <djbahb@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O$PMVzj1FHA.2132@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Larry -
> Some success -
>
> General - FWIW
> Default folder comes up NOT as hidden
> No Local Service folder - even under Show Hidden
> No Network Service folder - even under Show Hidden
>
> Other results/comments -
>
> Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\David is empty. But NOTE -
> I have all that stuff backed up/copied all over the place, so I should be
> OK once we (actually you <G>) get the rest of this straightened out.
>
> Did get the comp name changed - although it wouldn't buy DELL 3000 because
> of an "illegal character" in the number 3000. (Go figure. Who cares - it
> is now named DELL.)
>
> NOTE: Windows folder is only under David so I stopped before deleting
> David.
>
> CP/Users currently shows 'test -Computer Administrator and 'Guest - Guest
> account is on''
>
> Tried to log on as Administrator - error message "Unable to log you on
> because of an account restriction"
> I am currently logged on 'test'
>
> Your thoughts?
>
> Dave
>
>
> "Larry Samuels" <larry@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%23cIGd8d1FHA.2924@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Good job!!
>>
>> Now while in safe mode logged on as administrator I need for you to make
>> sure the computer name is NOT David, create a new account called test
>> with administrator privileges, then delete the David account.
>> When deleting the David account it will ask if you want to keep the
>> files. Click yes and it will save your personal files to a folder named
>> David on the desktop.
>>
>> Reboot the pc to normal mode and log in as test. Verify that the David
>> folder on the administrator's desktop \Documents and
>> Settings\Administrator\Desktop\David contains your personal files, then
>> delete the folders under Documents and Settings for everyone **EXCEPT**
>> Administrator, test, All Users, Default User (hidden folder), Local
>> Service (hidden folder), and Network Service (hidden folder). DO NOT
>> DELETE any of the folders I listed!!!
>>
>> Once the folders have been deleted, create a new user named David with
>> administrator privileges.
>>
>> Reboot the PC and log in as David. Delete the test account.
>>
>> Copy your personal files from \Documents and
>> Settings\Administrator\Desktop\David to \Documents and Settings\David
>>
>> --
>> Larry Samuels Associate Expert
>> MS-MVP (2001-2005)
>> Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
>> http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
>> Expert Zone- www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>> "Dave" <djbahb@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:%23ZKHwkb1FHA.1132@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> OK - left it alone for a while (don't know how long) but it got into
>>> Safe
>>> Mode/Administrator
>>>
>>> CP/Users shows:
>>> Administrator - Computer Administrator, and
>>> DAVID - Computer Administrator
>>>
>>> Chance visit to MSIMN - interesting
>>> Security Tab shows:
>>> Administrators (David\Administrators)
>>> System
>>> Users (DAVID\Users)
>>>
>>> The left the Add/Remove/Allow/Deny buttons alone
>>>
>>> Dave
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Larry Samuels" <larry@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:%23dqi4kX1FHA.3524@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> | Hi Dave,
>>> |
>>> | Don't worry about the other accounts--those only exist if the relevant
>>> | program(s) are installed.
>>> |
>>> | With all the freaky things going on with your PC it was probably
>>> trying to
>>> | recreate the super administrator account when it appeared to be
>>> frozen.
>>> Try
>>> | the safe mode Administrator again, but allow it more time. I have seen
>>> it
>>> | take 30 minutes or more to get to a working desktop on hosed systems.
>>> |
>>> | We have to get into that account (the true administrator account) to
>>> make
>>> | the changes.
>>> |
>>> | If it does not boot to the Administrator account in Safe Mode after 30
>>> | minutes to an hour, reboot the system and use System Restore to go
>>> back to
>>> | the oldest restore point that works. Start with the oldest SR point
>>> you
>>> have
>>> | and work forward until you find a working SR point if that one fails
>>> to
>>> | restore. What I am trying to do by doing this is to get you to a place
>>> where
>>> | the Administrator account works in Safe Mode.
>>> |
>>> | --
>>> | Larry Samuels Associate Expert
>>> | MS-MVP (2001-2005)
>>> | Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
>>> | http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
>>> | Expert Zone- www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>>> |
>>> | "Dave" <djbahb@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> | news:OhnLOWX1FHA.3336@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> | > Good morning - glad to hear from you -
>>> | >
>>> | > Search finds nothing for ASP.NET, SQLDebugger, or Visual
>>> Studio.NET
>>> | >
>>> | > Got into Safe Mode w/o networking - took a couple of trys, but
>>> finally
>>> | > worked. Defaults the Log On to OWNER, won't accept any changes.
>>> Did
>>> | > manage
>>> | > to type in Administrator once, screen stopped at Please Wait ---
>>> "Logging
>>> | > settings" Screen didn't freeze, the moving
>>> I'm-still-doing-something
>>> | > indicator was moving, but never finished whatever it was doing (I
>>> waited
>>> | > about 5 minutes.).
>>> | >
>>> | > Got into Safe Mode/command prompt OK. Great fun cruising around the
>>> old
>>> | > dir, cd.., etc commands.
>>> | >
>>> | > That's it. Hope this gives you some ideas.
>>> | >
>>> | > Dave
>>> | >
>>> | >
>>> | > "Larry Samuels" <larry@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> | > news:%234dP86W1FHA.164@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> | > | Hi Dave,
>>> | > |
>>> | > | The list of users is normal, except you should also have an
>>> ASP.NET
>>> | > account
>>> | > | if you have .NET framework installed and a SQLDebugger account if
>>> you
>>> | > have
>>> | > | Visual Studio .NET installed.
>>> | > |
>>> | > | What worries me more is the inability to work in Safe Mode. Try
>>> booting
>>> | > to
>>> | > | regular Safe Mode (without networking) and log into the
>>> Administrator
>>> | > | account. We need access to that account to make the necessary
>>> | > | changes/deletions.
>>> | > |
>>> | > | Post back the results of trying to get into that account without
>>> locking
>>> | > up.
>>> | > |
>>> | > | --
>>> | > | Larry Samuels Associate Expert
>>> | > | MS-MVP (2001-2005)
>>> | > | Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
>>> | > | http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
>>> | > | Expert Zone- www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>>> | > | "Dave" <djbahb@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> | > | news:OpYEraO1FHA.1564@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> | > | > My list of users seems to be growing - no idea why. Under
>>> | > | > Explorer/Documents and Settings I now have Administrator, All
>>> Users,
>>> | > | > David,
>>> | > | > Default User, Guest and Owner.
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > Can't wait to see what's in there tomorrow.
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > Confused
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > "Larry Samuels" <larry@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> | > | > news:eVJ6iDl0FHA.460@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> | > | > Hi Dave,
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > I need you to do something for me.
>>> | > | > Please boot to safe mode with networking
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > I need a list of the following items as they are now:
>>> | > | > 1>the full computer name
>>> | > | > 2>the computer description
>>> | > | > 3>the workgroup or domain (this sounds like useless info but
>>> domain
>>> | > policy
>>> | > | > overrides local policy if it is in effect)
>>> | > | > 4>A list if all user accounts that appear in safe mode and a
>>> separate
>>> | > list
>>> | > | > of all user accounts that appear in normal mode
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > I also need:
>>> | > | > 5>A list of the user accounts that were on the PC before you
>>> first
>>> | > tried
>>> | > | > changing the user names
>>> | > | > 6>a list of user accounts that you have created/deleted or
>>> renamed
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > Sorry for requesting all the info, but something strange is
>>> going on
>>> | > that
>>> | > | > is
>>> | > | > hard to diagnose without physical access to the pc.The steps I
>>> listed
>>> | > | > earlier should have resolved the problem unless there is still
>>> an
>>> | > account
>>> | > | > I
>>> | > | > am not aware of or a change was made that hasn't been mentioned.
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | > --
>>> | > | > Larry Samuels Associate Expert
>>> | > | > MS-MVP (2001-2005)
>>> | > | > Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
>>> | > | > http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
>>> | > | > Expert Zone- www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | >
>>> | > | >
>>> | > |
>>> | > |
>>> | >
>>> | >
>>> |
>>> |
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>


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