Member Avatar for I_Broke_My_Mhz

When I setup WinXP it forced me to make another account, so I did planning to delete it later. I just want one user, the administrator account and no other users. Unfortunately I cannot delete the other account I made (which is also an administrator), nor can I change it from being an administrator. It won't let me from the user accounts thingy in the control panel. How can I delete that other useless account?

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This thread documents a common XP annoyance: the Control Panel "User Accounts" applet can be limited when handling administrator accounts. As found, the MMC-based user-management tools are the reliable route. is correct that keeping a spare administrative account for recovery is good practice, and ’s point about the built-in Administrator being a special system account (and the need for at least one account to log on) is worth remembering.

When the GUI refuses to remove an admin, alternatives include starting in Safe Mode to use the built-in Administrator or using the command line. The net user <name> /delete command will remove a local account when the GUI won’t. To preserve a recovery account without daily use, create a separate local admin and keep it disabled with, for example, net user RecoveryAdmin /active:no, enabling it only when needed.

Data and cleanup cautions: export or back up everything in C:\Documents and Settings\<username> before deleting. If the account used EFS, back up the encryption certificate first — otherwise encrypted files become unreadable. After deletion the profile folder and the profile entry under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList may remain and can be removed once backed up. Also check scheduled tasks and service logons that referenced the removed account and reassign them.

If the machine is domain-joined, domain accounts must be removed from the domain controller rather than locally. Deleting the last administrative account risks lockout; disabling a spare admin for recovery is a safer policy than permanent deletion.

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Member Avatar for Zachery

Doyou have a real reason to delete this new account? it is good pratice to always have a backup account that you can login to :)

Member Avatar for I_Broke_My_Mhz

The longer the account stays there, the lower my IQ becomes. I don't know why it happes, but it just annoyes me so much and I want it to stop. I really want it to stop. It makes me so mad. GRRRRR and lol iz so @nn0yin h0\/\/ ju$T SITTING OMFG LOL my mom is angry with me and I can't play today :(

I have no use for the account, so I'd rather just have it out of there.

Member Avatar for Catweazle

No can do. The 'Administrator' account is a system one, and you need to have a user account to access the system. If it boots straight to Desktop you're fine. XP isn't designed to boot straight to the 'Administrator' account.

Member Avatar for I_Broke_My_Mhz

The account I wanted to delete wasn't *the* admin, it was *a* admin. but I figured it out anyway, as soon as I rememberd WinXP = Win2k + some stuff. I went into administrator tools, then computer management, then the users folder and deleted the user I don't want.

Heh, I guess the ugly luna interface blinded me. Too many... colors....can't....think...

Member Avatar for Zachery

You need to remove it though the Computer Managment console then, and not the "user account" interaface.

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