Overcoming the limitations of XP Home 3

[BrianMay]

Given that this Forum is Called "XP Pro" my answer maybe in the name... but Anyone out there had any success in
reenabling the Administrator Account in XP Home...
installing PolEdit, creating Local Security Groups, modifying the exzisting Groups, installing a security template? Not for AD just local security...MicroSoft
cut so much out of Pro to make Home...

Any good web links... I've found a few registry tweaks but
they only seem to be for XP Pro...

My XP Home at Home is so limited when I look at XP Pro from work...

Brian

 

[karlisi]

There is Administrator account in XP Home, type 'control userpasswords2' (without quotes) in Start-> Run box and you will see all user accounts. From there you can also administer users and groups like in XP Pro.
You can also log on as Administrator by hitting Ctrl-Alt-Delete on Welcome screen, you will get logon screen, where you can type user Administrator, password is typically blank
According AD, group policies and other XP Home limitations - you cannot change it by registry edits or overwriting some files. The only way is to upgrade to XP Pro.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCSA

 

[rvnguy]

Ditto karlisi...

Home will do most all things that PRO will do but there are things that you have to load/enable. Yhe major limitation is home cannot join a domain. For home this should not be a concern.

Need SP2 patch as this enabled several items missing earlier in home.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[smah]

Use Doug Knox's script to enable the Administrator account on the Welcome screen

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_admin_ok.htm

 

[linney]

If you are a XP Home user and want some PRO features which are missing try these.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_home_sectab.htm

292504 - Policy Settings for the Start Menu in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;292504&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

In XP Home, 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.

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

 

[BrianMay]

Some Real good Advice, I've tryed several of these ideas and my wife's "XP Home" is starting to look like my work PC, "XP Pro". I was hoping that I could lock it down enoughto make it better than Win98. Course it's not her, that is the problem it's the kids installing things and downloading without thinking... Welcome to being a restricted user Kids... Want an unrestricted machine buy your own.

Not being able to login as administrator except in safe mode is a pain. But AD is not an issue, although we will
be networking the printer. I am having trouble with Microsofts anti-spyware as it doesen't seem to want to auto start. But I guess I can force it to run on startup. I want to play with the the low level settings on the
software firewall but otherwise I'm happy with XP home.