Changing Admin Name 1

[PrcPo6rk]

Hello~
Just signed up and looking for a way to change my Administrator User Name in XP Home.

Looks easy in XP Pro but I can't seem to find a way to change this User Name with XP Home. I have a password for it but for security reasons would like to change the name to something else. Its only visible in safe mode because of my other account. There must be a way to do this.

Also the ASPNET account. CAn I delete this account. I never use it. Unless I need it for programs using the .net framework. If so how do I do this. LANguard told me it exists during a scan but I don't even see it in Safe Mode.

Thank you.

 

[bcastner]

Scroll towards the bottom:

http://training.binghamton.edu/navdisplay.asp?navfilename=NAV-SECXPh&edufilename=EDU-WTKT

 

[PrcPo6rk]

Thanks for your reply bcastner but I've tried that whole process with no luck. I have 2 Admin accounts. One is only visible during Safe Mode.

Admin (password)
User A (password)
Guest (off)

When I goto "Change the Account" on the Admin account. I get only three options.

Change the password.

Change my picture.

Setup my account to use .net passport.

Thats it. I thought about deleting the User A account then all I would have for admin would be "Admin". I just don't want to delete the User A account. Its my main account I use.

Any other ideas on this?

 

[linney]

With a second Administrative user in Home the ADMINISTRATOR is the built-in account it can only be accessed from Safe Mode, will only work from Safe Mode and will not be able to login or access anything in Normal Mode because of built-in account restrictions which confine the Administrator (Home only) to Safe Mode logon and use. Because of this account restriction there is no advantage in changing the built-in Administrator account name, even if it was possible which I doubt.

In Home if you were to lose or not have the other Administrative account (and no other user accounts) then the built-in ADMINISTRATOR would become available in Normal Mode as a login option as it is the only remaining user on the machine.

The ADMINISTRATOR account can never be deleted, disabled, or removed from the Administrators local group, ensuring that you never lock yourself out of the computer by deleting or disabling all the administrative accounts. This feature sets the ADMINISTRATOR account apart from other members of the Administrators local group.

290109 - Error Message: Unable to Log You on Because of an Account Restriction

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290109&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

A contradiction and possible workaround from PRO which might work on HOME?.

Display Administrator Account on logon Screen
thread779-423121

HOW TO: Disable the Local Administrator Account in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281140&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

HOW TO: Enable Automatic Logon in Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310584

281992 - Original Administrator Account Does Not Appear During Friendly Logon Method

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281992&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

327918 - The Administrator Account Appears on the Welcome Logon Screen

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;327918&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Some of the above articles may result in a clear text copy of your Administrator's password being visible within the Registry.

As for ASPNET it is only a limited user account as you say for .net framework. I would leave it alone and not worry about it.

827072 - PRB: Welcome to Windows Screen Appears When You Start Windows XP After You Install the .NET Framework 1.1

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827072&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Typing "Control Userpasswords2" in the Start Run box gives you access to a method to remove ASPNET and other users but not the ADMINISTRATOR (even though it is listed). This window is more a PRO thing and when used in HOME the results can be slightly unpredictable.

 

[PrcPo6rk]

Awesome Linney. That was the key. "Control Userpasswords2". It gave the the option to change the Main Admin Password name. Thats all I really wanted to do.

Everytime I ran LANguard N.S.S. on this computer it found two Potential Vulnerabilities. One was the Admin account name (suggested changing it) and the other was the ASP account (which is never used. suggested that I delete it.).

Just cleaning house and securing this system the best I can.

Thank you both for your help.

 

[linney]

In HOME while in Safe Mode you should be able to change the ADMINISTRATOR password by logging on as him/her and using the User Accounts.

In Control Userpasswords2 it is possible for you to change the ADMINISTRATOR name itself but in doing so it may do more than just change the name it may change the original named profile folders or create new ones. I have not experimented with that so it remains unknown and inadvisable in a production setup.

So just clarify for me did you change, just the password or did you change the name ADMINISTRATOR to something else, and if so what were the consequences on the old ADMINISTRATOR profile?

 

[PrcPo6rk]

In Safe Mode I changed the password (there wasn't one) for the default Admin account. In the normal login under my other Admin account I ran "Control Userpasswords2" and was taken to the User Accounts screen. Under that I was able to select the Default Administrator account and change the name on it.

Then for laughs I restarted the computer in Safe Mode again and the default Admin account was changed. Now there isn't an account named that. Seems to be fine so far. I never really use that account but just wanted to change the name and give it a password (didn't know it was without a pass all this time).