My Mom needs some computer help.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
My Mom needs some computer help.
My mother was doing something with her Windows XP computer and was told that she does not have the right permission to copy files. So she decided to disable every user account, including administrator, thinking that the computer would simply allow her to access everything after that. Well now all she has is a blank screen with the "turn off" button on the bottom left of the screen. She was trying to back up a book that she was writing so the files that she was backing up were her's.
What she did was to right click on "My Computer", then "manage" then "users and groups" and then just deleted everything there, including administrator.
So there is now no user accounts whatsoever on the computer. She tried re-loading Windows, no change.
Windows boots up just fine and stops at the logon screen, but there are no accounts at all. She tried it in safe mode and can get the adminsitrator account but her usual password will not work.
Any ideas?
What she did was to right click on "My Computer", then "manage" then "users and groups" and then just deleted everything there, including administrator.
So there is now no user accounts whatsoever on the computer. She tried re-loading Windows, no change.
Windows boots up just fine and stops at the logon screen, but there are no accounts at all. She tried it in safe mode and can get the adminsitrator account but her usual password will not work.
Any ideas?
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: MA
Can she get into windows using Safe Mode F8??
The administrator account should not be able to be deleted as it is a windows system account.. It should show up in safe mode.
If you can get safe mode then try a System Restore..
If these don't work then the best thing to do is take the HD out and connect it to another PC using a USB HD enclosure (Around $30.00 at Compusa/Staples).
This will allow you to recover the files she needs to your PC then reformat her drive and reinstall windows...
Edit: Usually I have seen the rights error and it is actually the antivirus program giving the error not windows.. It gives the error but usually allows the change..
This I have seen with McAfee..
The administrator account should not be able to be deleted as it is a windows system account.. It should show up in safe mode.
If you can get safe mode then try a System Restore..
If these don't work then the best thing to do is take the HD out and connect it to another PC using a USB HD enclosure (Around $30.00 at Compusa/Staples).
This will allow you to recover the files she needs to your PC then reformat her drive and reinstall windows...
Edit: Usually I have seen the rights error and it is actually the antivirus program giving the error not windows.. It gives the error but usually allows the change..
This I have seen with McAfee..
Last edited by donjamer; Jul 22, 2007 at 11:36 AM.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Thanks for the reply donjamer. She finally managed to get into the administrator account via safe mode where I had her remake her old account which had dissappeared. All is restored.
Thanks again.
EDIT: She lives 2000 miles away so it gets a little challenging trying to help her.
Thanks again.
EDIT: She lives 2000 miles away so it gets a little challenging trying to help her.
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