WinXP User Accounts Issue

[Stack Overflow]

Hello,

I am experiencing a slight problem managing user accounts in Windows XP Home Edition. When running in an existing account, non-administrative, I run into an IE script error and am unable to view the User Accounts dialog found under Control Panel.

I am unable to run as Administrator unless I boot in Safe-Mode. I can access the User Accounts page without a problem while running as Administrator, though I wanted to change the Restricted Users to Power Users. To accomplish that, I ran a Command Prompt and went to the second User Account interface: "control userpasswords2"

Once there, I tried to update an accounts' access level from Restricted to Standard. I received an error notifying me that the "Group" could not be found, et cetera. After this occurred, I could no longer find the user account amongst the list of others. It was literally gone.

The account still exists, and I can log into it if I don't use the Welcome screen. As of now, the Welcome screen and other account interfaces can't find the user. Note, if I try to create the user again, it informs me that the account already exists. While logged into Administrator, I also tried using the Administrative Tools->Computer Management, but the Local Users and Groups tab was also missing.

I have tried everything to my knowledge, and can't find a remedy to this problem. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

- Stack Overflow

[TKSS]

Are you on a LAN or is this on your home computer?

[cippico]

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem. What happens is that the hidden accounts had become guest accounts (members of the 'Guests' group as well, possibly? I don''t know - didn't have time to look).

I solved it by logging in as administrator and adding the users back to their old groups. In their case it was the 'Administrators' group.

I used the command line utility 'net localgroup' to re-add them, e.g.:

net localgroup administrators Claire /add

This added user 'Claire' back to the 'Administrators' local group. The accounts then re-appeared on the XP welcome screen and all was well.

Hope this helps someone, somewhere!

Andy
[e-mail]

Hello,

I am experiencing a slight problem managing user accounts in Windows XP Home Edition. When running in an existing account, non-administrative, I run into an IE script error and am unable to view the User Accounts dialog found under Control Panel.

I am unable to run as Administrator unless I boot in Safe-Mode. I can access the User Accounts page without a problem while running as Administrator, though I wanted to change the Restricted Users to Power Users. To accomplish that, I ran a Command Prompt and went to the second User Account interface: "control userpasswords2"

Once there, I tried to update an accounts' access level from Restricted to Standard. I received an error notifying me that the "Group" could not be found, et cetera. After this occurred, I could no longer find the user account amongst the list of others. It was literally gone.

The account still exists, and I can log into it if I don't use the Welcome screen. As of now, the Welcome screen and other account interfaces can't find the user. Note, if I try to create the user again, it informs me that the account already exists. While logged into Administrator, I also tried using the Administrative Tools->Computer Management, but the Local Users and Groups tab was also missing.

I have tried everything to my knowledge, and can't find a remedy to this problem. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

- Stack Overflow

[Amgeek]

Thanks, Andy, it may have take 3 years for your post to hit its mark but...

It was just what I needed today.

AmGeek