Xp wont let me delete 2nd acount

[nokiafan05]

I have 2 admin acounts on my pc. The one I created when I installed xp and a back up one just in case sorta thing. Well I have the option of deleting the main acount but no option to del my 2nd acount.

We will call acount A the acount I created with instal and acount B the back up I resently made.

The outher wierd thing is there is simply is option on acount A to delete the password. There is only a option to change it. However Acount B does have the option of removing the password. Then it lack's the option of erasing the acount period.

2nd issuse is my Scearch doesnt work. I click on it and nothing happens at all. Not a thing.

[J1978]

Hi just a suggestion..if you are logged in to that account i dont think you can delete it at that time.

I dident understand your second question.

j

[GaryRouth]

Nokia - if this is the same system that had the virus trouble & the possible rootkit attack - I'd recommend saving the data you absolutely must have onto media that you can scan intensely from a secure PC, then just starting again from scratch: zero-write the drive, re-install everything - and don't connect to ANY networks until you have firewall, antivirus, and antispyware programs in place and running.

Search troubles almost always point to malware infections.

If you really wish to delete an account, remember to do such functions from My Computer/Properties/Advanced/User Profiles/Settings -- and I'd recommend Safe Mode as likely best for this. For the other tasks, you can change passwords, icons, and other settings for Users in the Control Panel applet.

SysInternals has a freeware program that attempts to detect rootkits, but it isn't foolproof -- I'd be surprised if there was ever a program that could guarantee detection. If you want to check out Rootkit Revealer, here's their link http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilitie...tRevealer.html

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[nokiafan05]

Originally Posted by J1978 Hi just a suggestion..if you are logged in to that account i dont think you can delete it at that time. I dident understand your second question. j

The search function on my comp doesn't work. I click on search and nothing happens.

[nokiafan05]

I got rid of the virus. It's not there anymore. I managed to del the 2nd acount but still can't remove the password and my search doesn't work still.

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

If you wish to remove the password from the remaining Adminstator account, you need to make a change in a login setting. The blurb from Computer Hope goes like this:
____________________________
Disabling startup login prompt for password

Click Start and Run
Type "Control Userpasswords2" and press enter.
Uncheck the box for "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer."
Click Apply and Ok.
Disabling prompt for password after Windows XP resumes from standby or hibernation

Click Start, Settings, and Control Panel
Double-click Power Options
Uncheck the "Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby" option.
Click Apply and then Ok.
_______________________________________

I would strongly advise keeping a password in place for any Adminstrator accounts, especially if your computer has had a history of attacks/infections (you make things easy for attackers if you have the default Adminstator account still named "Adminstrator", and without a password. You'd just as well say "come on in, everyone").

If you are convinced that your system is rootkit/virus/spyware free, perhaps the easiest way to ensure that basic functions (such as Search) are restored is to run an inplace repair installation. Here's how ->
________________________________________
To run a Repair Installation for Windows XP:

It is best to disconnect from any networks during a repair install. It can also help to disconnect cameras, Webcams, scanners, printers, usb drives, and other extraneous equipment.

Your computer will need to be set to boot from the CD or DVD drive. On most computers, a banner message will show as the computer is starting up, “Press F1 (or DEL, F10, etc.) to Enter Setup”. Doing so should bring up the Bios Setup screens. Look for a menu item such as Boot Order, or First Boot Device (the exact wording differs in various Bios versions), and set the first device to your CD or DVD drive.

Then put your Windows XP installation CD in, and restart your computer.
**(The process described here uses a Windows XP CD - & not a “Recovery Disk” or “Restore Disk” - such disks vary in their procedures, and use of them is best done with the exact instructions from the system vendor/builder).**

As the computer boots, you will see the message “Press any key to boot from CD” = so press Enter (or any key you wish!)

The next message onscreen will show “To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER” = yep, press Enter.

When the option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is offered, do not select it!

When the Windows XP Licensing Agreement is displayed onscreen, press F8 to agree.

Next, check that the installation of Windows XP you wish to repair is selected in the box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP.

Follow the instructions onscreen.

When finished with a repair installation, a good first step is to make sure the firewall, antivirus, and antispyware programs are running before reconnecting to any networks. Then proceed to Windows Update to check for any patches that may need to be re-applied.
_________________________
Best of luck
. . . Gary

* P.S. -- if you really wish to totally remove the password for the sole remaining Administrator account, you'll have to do that in Safe Mode - you can use the Control Panel applet to remove the password. Once again, though, I advise that you not do that. A much better idea might be to update the password, however. "

[nokiafan05]

I can't change the main acount's name or even remove the password. The option isnt there for me. The outher admin acount it is.

I did some registry editing while back with the start menue.Now instead of explorer.exe I have mystart.exe. (I put that name in). How do I get rid of this mystart and forse windows to use the orginal explorer.exe ? I think this is more likely why my scearch doesn't work and I'm missing options under my user acount.

This is what I did.

http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?act...howarticle=156

[GaryRouth]

Do you have the option to save your data & start over with a fresh install? (erasing the drive, repartitioning, reformatting - the works)?

The problem with some of the Registry hacks that alter program names is that such files don't necessarily get updated (patched) when Security Updates are released, and the system over time can become vulnerable to attacks, or unstable due to conflicting versions of system files.

It would at least give you peace of mind - since you'd know exactly what's in the system. Scan the personal data backups for malware before restoring them, and remember to have your firewall, antivirus, and antispyware active before reconnecting to any networks after the repair [do the repair disconnected from any networks].

If you decide to do the clean install, performing it with a disk that already has Service Pack 2 for Windows XP would help make things faster (just remember to use your own product key when prompted). Or - download Service Pack 2 ahead of time, and upgrade to it immediately after the clean install.

A Recovery Disk set may have flexible options that allow you to choose between several levels of reinstalling - one of which would wipe the drive & reinstall from scratch (erasing all data since the computer was purchased).

If you decide on a clean install, don't forget to activate XP within 30 days. . . it only takes a minute.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[nokiafan05]

I rather not format and reinstall over something this small. It's not getting in the way of me using the pc but it is a minor anoyence. What if I went into safe mode and deleted the mystart.exe ? I noticed when I go into the outher acount everything works expect for the stupid screach feature.

[GaryRouth]

I think before you deleted the mystart.exe, you'd have to change the Winlogon Registry key value for "Shell" back to it's original value (which I imagine was "explorer.exe").

I'm not sure that this change would effect the problem of not being able to change the user account that you added. Are you positive that you can't delete that added account by going to My Computer/Properties/Advanced/User Profiles/Settings . . . and selecting the account there?

Another thing you could do, is to try a run of the Windows File Protection utility - to restore any obscure files that may have been damaged either by the virus or during it's removal. From the Start/Run box, type the command "sfc /scannow" (without the quotes). You'll want to either have a Windows XP CD with SP2 on it handy, or to point to your most recent copy of the system files on your hard drive. Then visit Windows Update afterwards, in case any Security Patches need to be reapplied after the file changes.

Best of luck
. . . Gary