Loss of Administrators rights

Hi,
I have recently lost all my administrators privileges even though I am logged on as "Mike" with full admin rights. I am the only one to use my PC so I don't have any passwords set. Hence I can't install, uninstall, defrag, use system restore or make any system or network changes.
I have tried logging into safe mode as Administrator, but with the same results. A couple of days ago I installed SP2, but that didnt help, all it did was lose all my restore points (which I cant access anyway!).

Any advice welcomed.

Mike

 

Administrator Rights

Hi,
have you try using default Administrator Account !

 

I cant log on as "administrator ". If I try to open an account with that name, I get There is already account with that name.

But I dont see it listed, I only have the option of "Mike" (thats me, and I have full admin rights, or so I'm told!) or "guest ".

 

There is a main Administrator account which has control over everything. It's usually hidden but it's there, which is why you can't create an account with that name.

To gain access to that account:

XP Home: The main Administrator account is accessible only in Safe Mode. To boot into Safe Mode, start repeatedly pressing and releasing the F8 key as the computer boots up. If it starts beeping every time you press the F8 key, you can stop pressing it. That will get you to the boot menu where you can choose Safe Mode. The Administrator login will appear.

XP Pro: At the Welcome screen, press Ctrl/Alt/Del twice to bring up the Administrator login.

Once in the main Administrator account, create a new user account with Administrative privileges. Reboot into that account and see if things work. If so, rather than spend hours troubleshooting the old user account, you can follow the instructions in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, How to copy data from a corrupted user profile to a new profile. After a few days, when you're sure you have everything from the old account copied into the new, delete the old account.

 

Admin rights

Thanks Miz,
I logged into safe mode as administrator, set up a couple of new accounts ( "Mick" and "Spare "). and gave them both full admin rights. rebooted into normal mode as "Mick" but got the same error messages "Contact your administrator etc..." Same thing with "Spare ".

 

First, I apologize for not reading your first post in this thread. Well, I read it but obviously the information didn't get as far as my brain. Looks like you've already tried what I suggested.

I've found only a couple of pages dealing with the problem you're having. In both cases, the final solution that worked was to reinstall XP.

 

Reinstalling XP Home

Yep, thought that might be the only option. I did try to re-install over the existing installation, but still had the same problem. If I have to fully reinstall XP, is there a way I can keep my progam settings and data etc.

 

Just for the heck of it, try rebooting in the safe mode and selecting settings that worked before. It worked for me in different situations.

 

Oh dear!

The admin problem now faids into insignificense. I tried to re install Win XP home. The installation process causes the pc to shut down ad re boot a couple of times. The second time it didn't reboot fully and hung. I now cant even get safe mode, or access to any part. So Im totally stummped now.

I have internet access on an old machine bought down from the attic and managed to fix up.

Any hepl that could get me up and running, so that I could at least save all my music and picture files etc would be gratefully appreciated.

Mike

 

if u've the option, take the disk out and place it as slave in another system (u'r old one?) and then u can 'take ownership' of all on that disk and copy off what u want.

once done, u can then put it back in u'r other system and do a full/clean install.


should add that i'd ensure that the new host is fully protected against bad guys

 

Ownership

Hi,
refer http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421 for how to *take ownership*

you copy folder (along with user.dat) of your user from document and settings\username to copy your profile data or do as suggested.

and sorry for late reply , i was on small vacation.


HTH
Regards

 

Thanks, for all the offered help, but because of the other problems I had to format and install a clean XP and start again. Now I am the ADMINISTRATOR and proud of it! I've got no applications, programs or settings, but I am the Boss!!

Mike