Invisible, but still existing user account

[halaxa]

Hi,

I was searching, but I couldn't find any solution for this problem: I've just installed XP Home SP2 on new comp of my friend's. His account was first a member of Administrators, to make easier instalation of drivers etc. When that was done, I wanted to put him into group Users, because he's real newbie. I've done this using the command "control userpasswords2". But soon I clicked Apply, an error occured. It was something about rights (strange, the account was a member of admins). I restarted the computer and the account loaded OK with restricted rights. Everything seemed ok. Then I wanted to cancel automatic logon of this user. So I launched the "control userpasswords2" again. But what a surprise, whed there was only two accounts. Administrator and .NET.. No MyFriend account. When I accesed user administration via control panel, I was logged as MyFriend, but as a Guest type user, not User. When I log out back to welcome blue screen, there is NO account. That MyFriend account is somehow invisible, but when I start the computer this user is automaticly logged on. I'm a bit confused. When I log as the Administrator in emergency mode (I'm not sure how exactly is this called in English) it's the same. No MyFriend account in the "control userpasswords2" window. Now it means, I'm not longer able to maitain this account. I don't understand it. I can't even delete it and make it again. Why is MyFriend account in the Guest class? By the way, Guest is disabled.

Thanks for a reply or ideas.

Edited December 1, 2007 by halaxa

[Ponch]

In XP Home, it is mandatory to have a user with admin rights. You removed it and rthat's where your trouble started. I don't know how to solve that. I'd recreate a new user (or two if you really need him to be out of "Admons") and get rid of the 1st one's folder.

[halaxa]

I've already got rid of it and it only caused the reset of users setings. And back to the admin account, you mean there must be an special admin account with Administrator account? eg:

Administrators/Administrator

Administrators/MyAdmin

Users/MyFriend

???

If it's so, it sucks:)

And don't worry about the solution. I used my friend, the XP CD, and there was everything fine in 30 minutes..

[Idontwantspam]

Try opening cmd.exe and typing

net localgroup Guests

and see if the user appears. If so, then try typing

net localgroup Administrators thatuser /add

and then...

net localgroup Guests thatuser /delete

I think I have those commands right... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

The bottom line is, Windows XP Home is sort of odd, and it handles users in strange ways. Avoid using control userpasswords2, as much as it may hurt, and instead use the normal control panel. It sucks, I know, but that's the way it was designed to be used.

Edited December 2, 2007 by Idontwantspam

[halaxa]

Thanks. but I had to solve the problem immediately, so i reinstalled the system. Then i followed the Ponch's advice and made Administrators/MyAdmin account and then put the MyFriendAccount into Users group.. Users/MyFriendAccount.. And It works perfectly.. But thanks a lot anyway.. I'll save this commandline sequence for later. I'm sure it'll be useful someday:)

So this topic may be locked.

Edited December 5, 2007 by halaxa

[gosh]

XP home is going to have Owner instead of Administrator. If the account is not on the welcome screen try ctrl+alt+del and type in the username. if that works then it's a registry key hiding it. Tweakui lets you hide the account. The registry key is under winlogon, specialaccounts.

-gosh

[halaxa]

Well, talking about Owner, there's no Owner account. Not at the welcome screen, not in the text logon. In our language the account used to called 'Vlastník'.. I tried to type both. Nothing. The Owner doesn't show up even when I display accounts using

net users

And i shoud tell, that the problem is back, even if I made an another admin account. When I want to move the myfriend account into Powerusers using control userpasswords2, it shows an error about a missing group. It's the same with

net localgroup "Power users" myfriend /add

It says there's no such group..

[Idontwantspam]

It's correct. Windows XP Home Edition does not have a power users group.

Basically, don't use control userpasswords2 on xp home. You'll get yourself into problems.