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Vista changed my status from administrator to guest
Vista changed my status from administrator to guest
- Because I am now a guest user, I don't have privleges to go in and correct any problems in User Accounts. How do I override all this security and try and get this problem resolved? Email: (PII) . Thanx
- Edited byRickImAPCModeratorTuesday, August 04, 2009 5:09 PMPII - Removed Personally Identifiable Information
1 person got this answerI do too
Answers
- Vista didn't change your account. In all probability your original account was corrupted and you've been put into a temporary user account instead.
If your single administrative user account has become corrupted (and this is why having only one user account is A Bad Thing), you will need to log into the built-in Administrator account (disabled by default in Vista). From there, you will create a new user account for yourself. In these cases, I prefer not to copy the entire profile to a new one so as not to copy the corrupted bits. I prefer to copy the data (documents, pictures, emails, etc.) to a new user account. Here are instructions to do all of this. I'm assuming you only had the one administrative account, so you might want to take a look at the "General Recommendations For Setting Up User Accounts In Vista" at the end of this post.
Doing all this requires a certain level of computer skills. You know yourself best and whether taking the machine to a competent local computer tech (not a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place) is the better solution for you.
Before you do any of the work below, first start the computer in Safe Mode by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the machine is starting up. While the built-in Administrator is disabled by default in Vista, if no other administrative accounts exist it may appear in Safe Mode. If you see an icon for Administrator on the Welcome Screen in Safe Mode, log into it and then move on to Step B below. If you don't see Administrator's icon, then you need to start with Step A.
A. Enabling the built-in Administrator
Method 1. If you have a Vista installation DVD (not a recovery DVD) you can boot the system with it. Select the default language, then choose "Repair your computer". Then select "Command Prompt". At the command prompt type:
net user administrator /active:yes [enter]
If you don't have a Vista installation DVD you can either make a bootable Vista Repair DVD from the file at this link:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
After you have done net user, remove the bootable CD and reboot the computer. You will now see an icon for Administrator on the Welcome Screen. Log into that account.
Method 2. Or you can use NTpassword to enable the built-in Administrator. In both Methods you will need third-party burning software such as Nero, Roxio, or the free ImgBurn (http://www.imgburn.com ) to burn the .iso as an image, not as data.
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
B. Creating a new user account for yourself and copying the data from your corrupted user account to it
1. You are now logged into the built-in Administrator account. Go to Control Panel>User Accounts and create a new Standard user for your daily work. Let's call it "Larry" for this example. Also create an Administrator user called "CompAdmin" (or "Tech" or the like).
4. Log into "Larry" once so the profile folders are created. Now log out of "Larry" and into "CompAdmin". In "CompAdmin", disable the built-in Administrator for security. Do this from an elevated command prompt:
Start>Search box>type: cmd
When cmd appears in Results above, right-click and choose "Run as administrator". Supply the password/OK to the UAC prompt. Now you'll get the command prompt. Type:
net user administrator /active:no [enter] and exit the command prompt.
5. Still in "CompAdmin", you want to open two Explorer windows side by side. Open Computer and navigate to C:\Users\old-corrupted-account. Now do this again but navigate to C:\Users\Larry. Copy the data from "old-corrupted-account" to the appropriate folders in "Larry". Don't forget Favorites, Bookmarks (if you use Firefox), and email if you use an email client like Windows Mail.
6. When you are finished, log into "Larry". All your stuff should be there. When you are sure you have everything you need, you can delete the old-corrupted-account from Control Panel>User Accounts.
C. General Recommendations For Setting Up Users In Vista:
You absolutely do not want to have only one user account. Like XP and all other modern operating systems, Vista is a multi-user operating system with built-in system accounts such as Administrator, Default, All Users, and Guest. These accounts should be left alone as they are part of the operating system structure.
You particularly don't want only one user account with administrative privileges on Vista because the built-in Administrator account (normally only used in emergencies) is disabled by default. If you're running as Administrator for your daily work and that account gets corrupted, things will be Difficult. It isn't impossible to activate the built-in Administrator to rescue things, but it will require third-party tools and working outside the operating system.
The user account that is for your daily work should be a Standard user, with the extra administrative user (call it something like "CompAdmin" or "Tech" or the like) only there for elevation purposes. After you create "CompAdmin", log into it and change your regular user account to Standard. Then log back into your regular account.
If you want to go directly to the Desktop and skip the Welcome Screen with the icons of user accounts, you can do this:
Start Orb>Search box>type: netplwiz [enter]
Click on Continue (or supply an administrator's password) when prompted by UAC
Uncheck the option "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer". Select a user account to automatically log on by clicking on the desired account to highlight it and then hit OK. Enter the correct password for that user account (if there is one) when prompted. Leave it blank if there is no password (null).
MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!- Marked As Answer byManasa PModeratorWednesday, August 12, 2009 7:04 PM
All Replies
- Hello! When Vista did this? There is no other administrator account on your pc?
- Vista didn't change your account. In all probability your original account was corrupted and you've been put into a temporary user account instead.
If your single administrative user account has become corrupted (and this is why having only one user account is A Bad Thing), you will need to log into the built-in Administrator account (disabled by default in Vista). From there, you will create a new user account for yourself. In these cases, I prefer not to copy the entire profile to a new one so as not to copy the corrupted bits. I prefer to copy the data (documents, pictures, emails, etc.) to a new user account. Here are instructions to do all of this. I'm assuming you only had the one administrative account, so you might want to take a look at the "General Recommendations For Setting Up User Accounts In Vista" at the end of this post.
Doing all this requires a certain level of computer skills. You know yourself best and whether taking the machine to a competent local computer tech (not a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place) is the better solution for you.
Before you do any of the work below, first start the computer in Safe Mode by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the machine is starting up. While the built-in Administrator is disabled by default in Vista, if no other administrative accounts exist it may appear in Safe Mode. If you see an icon for Administrator on the Welcome Screen in Safe Mode, log into it and then move on to Step B below. If you don't see Administrator's icon, then you need to start with Step A.
A. Enabling the built-in Administrator
Method 1. If you have a Vista installation DVD (not a recovery DVD) you can boot the system with it. Select the default language, then choose "Repair your computer". Then select "Command Prompt". At the command prompt type:
net user administrator /active:yes [enter]
If you don't have a Vista installation DVD you can either make a bootable Vista Repair DVD from the file at this link:
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
After you have done net user, remove the bootable CD and reboot the computer. You will now see an icon for Administrator on the Welcome Screen. Log into that account.
Method 2. Or you can use NTpassword to enable the built-in Administrator. In both Methods you will need third-party burning software such as Nero, Roxio, or the free ImgBurn (http://www.imgburn.com ) to burn the .iso as an image, not as data.
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
B. Creating a new user account for yourself and copying the data from your corrupted user account to it
1. You are now logged into the built-in Administrator account. Go to Control Panel>User Accounts and create a new Standard user for your daily work. Let's call it "Larry" for this example. Also create an Administrator user called "CompAdmin" (or "Tech" or the like).
4. Log into "Larry" once so the profile folders are created. Now log out of "Larry" and into "CompAdmin". In "CompAdmin", disable the built-in Administrator for security. Do this from an elevated command prompt:
Start>Search box>type: cmd
When cmd appears in Results above, right-click and choose "Run as administrator". Supply the password/OK to the UAC prompt. Now you'll get the command prompt. Type:
net user administrator /active:no [enter] and exit the command prompt.
5. Still in "CompAdmin", you want to open two Explorer windows side by side. Open Computer and navigate to C:\Users\old-corrupted-account. Now do this again but navigate to C:\Users\Larry. Copy the data from "old-corrupted-account" to the appropriate folders in "Larry". Don't forget Favorites, Bookmarks (if you use Firefox), and email if you use an email client like Windows Mail.
6. When you are finished, log into "Larry". All your stuff should be there. When you are sure you have everything you need, you can delete the old-corrupted-account from Control Panel>User Accounts.
C. General Recommendations For Setting Up Users In Vista:
You absolutely do not want to have only one user account. Like XP and all other modern operating systems, Vista is a multi-user operating system with built-in system accounts such as Administrator, Default, All Users, and Guest. These accounts should be left alone as they are part of the operating system structure.
You particularly don't want only one user account with administrative privileges on Vista because the built-in Administrator account (normally only used in emergencies) is disabled by default. If you're running as Administrator for your daily work and that account gets corrupted, things will be Difficult. It isn't impossible to activate the built-in Administrator to rescue things, but it will require third-party tools and working outside the operating system.
The user account that is for your daily work should be a Standard user, with the extra administrative user (call it something like "CompAdmin" or "Tech" or the like) only there for elevation purposes. After you create "CompAdmin", log into it and change your regular user account to Standard. Then log back into your regular account.
If you want to go directly to the Desktop and skip the Welcome Screen with the icons of user accounts, you can do this:
Start Orb>Search box>type: netplwiz [enter]
Click on Continue (or supply an administrator's password) when prompted by UAC
Uncheck the option "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer". Select a user account to automatically log on by clicking on the desired account to highlight it and then hit OK. Enter the correct password for that user account (if there is one) when prompted. Leave it blank if there is no password (null).
MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!- Marked As Answer byManasa PModeratorWednesday, August 12, 2009 7:04 PM
