No administrator? Access to files locked.

frogg_mann

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I've never had this happen, has anyone got any clues? I boot up to windows logon where "guest" appears in user area. no pw it allows me to enter and go into winxp pro but if i try and access any system files it tells me that i dont have the proper access permission see admin. There are no administrator's listed in the control panel under users. There is a guest account with no p/w listed. Whats up with that? Is there some way that an admin.can hide the logon or the user account that im not aware of? :confused: This is a customers machine. And i dont have any background on it as of yet. Nothing but what i get from the accessible info. AMD Athlonxp 1700+MMX 3dnow
1477mhz with 256mb at ram via km266 chip. Oh the bios/cmos was p\w'd got around that in the usual manor. bat rem. So its accessible but not windows apps. HELP! Is it hopeless? frogg_mann
 
Every XP installation has an admin account, but by default it doesn't show up in the logon screen. The admin's password is set by the user during XP's installation, so the customer should know what it is.

The guest account will not be helpful at all if you are trying to modify any system files. There are very few permissions so it's practically worthless from a troubleshooting standpoint.
 
Try this:
Start/run then type in the box control userpasswords2 then hit ok.
 
starting in safe mode will show up the admin account alongside others - try that first to see if it has a password (were you advised of any passwords?)...

If that fails only other way I know is to reinstall windows on top of existing, which will have its own issues to deal with. So one step at a time, let us know how you go.
 
Guest account might work if it isn't disabled but it won't be an administrative account, so might "Administrator" which would give you the rights you need.

There are tools that can help this tho, so no need to panic.
 
wow, I get done with a long reply to this thread that i started i click to post it and it throws me to a screen saying i was not allowed to post it. Im going to post this one but a bit shorter to make shur it works then ill repost again. lol frogg
 
frogg_mann said:
wow, I get done with a long reply to this thread that i started i click to post it and it throws me to a screen saying i was not allowed to post it. Im going to post this one but a bit shorter to make shur it works then ill repost again. lol frogg

Yeah - I had that a few times - thought it was my ISP!

Never lost my input though, hope you don't feel too bad going over it again!

? Should we link this to problems forum /?
 
ok let me try this again, hmm still wondering what happened, ok here goes, I feel like im being timed now anyway EP, Thanks for reply thanks everyone I found out that the owner had someone else look at his puter before myself. Ok this person must have deleted the administrator account.This is a break down of what ive done so far. I boot up in safemode which is just a habit of mine on a puter that i know nothing about. M F G no sign in for admin. anywhere. just a quest account no p/w proceed with safemode ok mind you that this is after i clear cmos and access bios earlier in this mission, which was password protected without knowledge of owner. Ok i try going to control panel next stop, user accounts no admin. account only one listed guest account hmmm no password on that limited or otherwise straight user account nothing else. Ok head over to system restore just for a check to see maybe if thats possible. Big warning pop up you know the usual you dont have admin. rights blah blah. Ok I'm rebooting out of safemode to see what gives there takes me to sign in theres the guest account try password that the owner gives me via telephone call. Doesnt happen but i can go around it. I do that once again no access to anything that requires an administrator to access password protected files. I try to plug in a disc to cd rom cant install software for anything. I'll try the things everyone posted and see you back here with results. If this posts lol it should. ok byeee thanks in a few, frogg_mann PS This time copied and pasted just in case.
 
Just tryed mr Z's approach that brought up a user account window tryed the password that was given to me nadda. Three finger salute as it recommends. Change password window put in old password or one given to me, new password use the same one, confirm with the same, you dont have permission to change the password rrrrrrrrr
try logging off this brings up guest account. try password once again prompts me for reset disk,,,dont have it never made one of course. cancel out goes around it windows opens up im at the desktop scratchn my head again
 
Remote Procedure Prodocol ,, I cant access to see if its turned on, remote access that is. Is this the same thing? Im not getting that now anyway. Ill define RPC also,,ok ill try the url from fimchick brb frogg
 
kinda shakey looking boot disk still in Alpha no warantees,,bypass admin p/w not sure not trying sorry chick. thanks just the same frogg
 
RPC Am i smelling an Illegal operating system? Thats going to piss me off. any ideas if im right?
 
Ill get back here to let you know what i find. First a phone call to this customer. I'm not happy if this is the case. thanks for all your help. frogg
 
interesting - thrilling series of posts !

PS - no need for problems linkie BT are definitely deciding to f**k with me this weekend for some reason (must be my "turn")
 
Well so far no call back, anybody want a locked up computer? 8)
There are many reasons that i could have gotten the R P waiting for cus. call back. ty frogg
 
Sure ill take it. Reformat it, and ill have a nice new PC :p.

I would contact the customer, tell em that the computer is broken beyond repair (My uncle, certified in pretty much all the microsoft certs), says that once Administrator is gone, there is no way but a reinstall to bring everything back.

he suggests creating a second partition with partition magic, install a second XP, get the files the customer wants, and then reinstall as the customer wants it.

There is no other way around it unfortunatly.
 
x-I, you da man. ty add 1 score 243. yo! 8) done. confirm suspicions 10-4 alt it be yours. frogg 8O~~~~~~~~~~zap (rep g egg) 8( late
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
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Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
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