Account types changed from Administrator to Standard User

I bought a Vista computer for my wife last Summer. She (as the owner) had
administrator priviledges, so I used her account to set up another one for
myself, also as administrator. Recently there have been a number of things
we could do anymore so I checked the account types, and both are set to
Standard User, even though we are still listed as Administrators (along with
our User Names and Password status) next to the icon on the user pages. In
the Change Account Type screen where it lists the account as Standard User,
if I check the the Administrator radio button the Change Account Type button
greys itself out and won't permit a change. The only other account is the
Guest account and it has not been activated. How can we recover from this??

Ted Smith

Hello Tyro,

Thanks. I had just posted again stating my suspicion that I had interpreted
the Change Account incorrectly. Your suggestion confirmed that I had. I
followed your instructions and indeed the cmd screen lists both myself and
my wife as administrators. Thanks!


"Tyro" <> wrote in message
news:7u7al.13835$...
Sounds like you might be misinterpreting something. If you are listed as an
Administrator, you are.
Just as a quick check, click start, type cmd in Start search and press
Ctrl+Shift+Enter. You should get the UAC window.
Click continue. If you're in a command window, you'll see Administrator in
the title bar. If you can get this far, you are an administrator.
Type exit to close the command window or click close.

Tyro

"Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I bought a Vista computer for my wife last Summer. She (as the owner) had
> administrator priviledges, so I used her account to set up another one for
> myself, also as administrator. Recently there have been a number of
> things
> we could do anymore so I checked the account types, and both are set to
> Standard User, even though we are still listed as Administrators (along
> with
> our User Names and Password status) next to the icon on the user pages.
> In
> the Change Account Type screen where it lists the account as Standard
> User,
> if I check the the Administrator radio button the Change Account Type
> button
> greys itself out and won't permit a change. The only other account is the
> Guest account and it has not been activated. How can we recover from
> this??
>
> Ted Smith
>
>
>

Bless you. Have a wonderful night!


"Tyro" <> wrote in message
news:Sibal.12850$...
> secpol.msc exists in Windows Vista Ultimate which I use. I don't know
> about other versions. If you think it should be in your version, you can
> activate the command window as you did to get to the administrator command
> window, and type: sfc /scannnow. This will attempt to repair any system
> file problems.
>
> Tyro
>
>
> "Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
> news:#...
>> Ok then. That worked!! Now I just need time to experiment with it. May
>> have more questions for you another time though. Actually yes - Do you
>> know where I might be able to download a good copy of my missing file?
>>
>> Thanks Tyro
>>
>>
>> "Tyro" <> wrote in message
>> news:c6aal.12833$...
>>> When you enable the administrator's account in the command window or
>>> create a dummy administrative account (with password) from control
>>> panel, you'll see it at logon. If you enable the administrator account
>>> which has no password, simply change the password from control panel
>>> after you logon as administrator. The administrator account is no
>>> different from the administrative account you created for yourself using
>>> your wife's account except that its name is administrator. After
>>> enabling the administrator account in the command window, you can also
>>> change its password in control panel using your own administrative
>>> account. No, you have no need to run secpol.msc which works fine on my
>>> machine; I don't know why it doesn't on yours. Just practice a little
>>> with the new administrative account to make sure you can logon as
>>> administrator or the dummy administrative account you create before
>>> changing your account and your wife's to standard accounts.
>>>
>>> Tyro
>>>
>>> "Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> Thanks again Tyro,
>>>>
>>>> If I type in that line does the system create another
>>>> user/administrator account that shows up when we reboot? Where and
>>>> when do I see the (new?) account and create the password for it? I
>>>> read someplace that you could do something like that by running
>>>> secpol.msc. But my computer can't find that program. Do you know
>>>> where it is, and does your suggestion require that program to work?
>>>> Sorry if I sound a bit nervous about all this - I am.
>>>>
>>>> Ted
>>>>
>>>> "Tyro" <> wrote in message
>>>> news:Pu9al.12821$...
>>>>> There is also an administrator's account as there is in XP. In Vista,
>>>>> it is disabled by default. You may enable it by bringing up the
>>>>> command window as you did before and typing: net user administrator
>>>>> /active:yes. To disable the account, change the yes to no. By design,
>>>>> the administrator account has no password. If you activate it,
>>>>> however, you should put a strong password on it. Then you could change
>>>>> your account and your wife's to standard accounts which are safer,
>>>>> especially on the Internet. You can also create a dummy account with
>>>>> administrative privileges and use that as your administrator account.
>>>>> If you wish to do administrative things from your standard accounts,
>>>>> you'll be prompted for the password of the administrator account.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tyro
>>>>>
>>>>> "Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
>>>>> news:#...
>>>>>> Hello Tyro,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks. I had just posted again stating my suspicion that I had
>>>>>> interpreted
>>>>>> the Change Account incorrectly. Your suggestion confirmed that I
>>>>>> had. I
>>>>>> followed your instructions and indeed the cmd screen lists both
>>>>>> myself and
>>>>>> my wife as administrators. Thanks!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Tyro" <> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:7u7al.13835$...
>>>>>> Sounds like you might be misinterpreting something. If you are listed
>>>>>> as an
>>>>>> Administrator, you are.
>>>>>> Just as a quick check, click start, type cmd in Start search and
>>>>>> press
>>>>>> Ctrl+Shift+Enter. You should get the UAC window.
>>>>>> Click continue. If you're in a command window, you'll see
>>>>>> Administrator in
>>>>>> the title bar. If you can get this far, you are an administrator.
>>>>>> Type exit to close the command window or click close.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tyro
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:...
>>>>>>> I bought a Vista computer for my wife last Summer. She (as the
>>>>>>> owner) had
>>>>>>> administrator priviledges, so I used her account to set up another
>>>>>>> one for
>>>>>>> myself, also as administrator. Recently there have been a number of
>>>>>>> things
>>>>>>> we could do anymore so I checked the account types, and both are set
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> Standard User, even though we are still listed as Administrators
>>>>>>> (along
>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>> our User Names and Password status) next to the icon on the user
>>>>>>> pages.
>>>>>>> In
>>>>>>> the Change Account Type screen where it lists the account as
>>>>>>> Standard
>>>>>>> User,
>>>>>>> if I check the the Administrator radio button the Change Account
>>>>>>> Type
>>>>>>> button
>>>>>>> greys itself out and won't permit a change. The only other account
>>>>>>> is the
>>>>>>> Guest account and it has not been activated. How can we recover
>>>>>>> from
>>>>>>> this??
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ted Smith
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>

So are you saying both of your accounts do not have administration rights
and there is not other administrator account? Or are you saying that your
administrator password got changed? If it is any off these issues can help
you. But i need more details so I can assist you better.




"Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I bought a Vista computer for my wife last Summer. She (as the owner) had
> administrator priviledges, so I used her account to set up another one for
> myself, also as administrator. Recently there have been a number of
> things
> we could do anymore so I checked the account types, and both are set to
> Standard User, even though we are still listed as Administrators (along
> with
> our User Names and Password status) next to the icon on the user pages.
> In
> the Change Account Type screen where it lists the account as Standard
> User,
> if I check the the Administrator radio button the Change Account Type
> button
> greys itself out and won't permit a change. The only other account is the
> Guest account and it has not been activated. How can we recover from
> this??
>
> Ted Smith
>
>
>

"+Bob+" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:49:49 -0000, "Gordon"
> <> wrote:
>
>>
>>And I hate idiots like you who have NO concerns for computer security at
>>all.
>
>
> Your world must be very painful Gordon. Perhaps you could take some
> courses in self awareness and self improvement. You might enjoy your
> life more.


And people who disable UAC and run as Administrator on a daily basis, quite
often without a password are the MAIN contributors to all the spam, viruses
and Trojans with which the internet is infested.

Let me ask you - why are Linux boxes not zombies? Because people do NOT run
as Root (aka Admin) and have passwords.

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

You are truly pathetic Gordon. I pity you.

"Gordon" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "+Bob+" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> On Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:49:49 -0000, "Gordon"
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>And I hate idiots like you who have NO concerns for computer security at
>>>all.
>>
>>
>> Your world must be very painful Gordon. Perhaps you could take some
>> courses in self awareness and self improvement. You might enjoy your
>> life more.
>
>
> And people who disable UAC and run as Administrator on a daily basis,
> quite often without a password are the MAIN contributors to all the spam,
> viruses and Trojans with which the internet is infested.
>
> Let me ask you - why are Linux boxes not zombies? Because people do NOT
> run as Root (aka Admin) and have passwords.
>
> --
> Asking a question?
> Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
> your OS, Service Pack level
> and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

"Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
news:...
> You are truly pathetic Gordon. I pity you.
>


Oh. I'm quaking. I suggest you LEARN about computer security.
You are obviously TOTALLY ignorant about it.
--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

"Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
news:...
> You are truly pathetic Gordon. I pity you.
>


PS. It's attitudes like yours, that when I run Windows, I am forced to use
AV, Antimalware etc etc. Not to protect myself, but ignoramuses like you.
--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

On Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:58:33 -0000, "Gordon"
<> wrote:

>
>
>And people who disable UAC and run as Administrator on a daily basis, quite
>often without a password are the MAIN contributors to all the spam, viruses
>and Trojans with which the internet is infested.

I'll agree that un knowledgeable people might be safer with UAC on.
But that doesn't mean that everyone who shuts it off is a danger to
computer safety.

As for these folks being the main reason that viruses spread: instead
you can blame MS for a very poor architecture that they refused to
correct for many years. You can also blame them for major security
holes that they have introduced in conjunction with their plans for a
software takeover of the world. It was a long time before they valued
security over immediate profit and they still lean the other way in
many cases.

Security problems will continue to dominate until MS corrects their
architecture and stops doing band-aid approaches like UAC.

>Let me ask you - why are Linux boxes not zombies? Because people do NOT run
>as Root (aka Admin) and have passwords.

That, the fact that they have always had a better security
architecture, that they haven't valued profit over security, and the
fact that it's a much smaller target.

At long last, the unending thread!

Tyro

"Ted Smith" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I bought a Vista computer for my wife last Summer. She (as the owner) had
> administrator priviledges, so I used her account to set up another one for
> myself, also as administrator. Recently there have been a number of
> things
> we could do anymore so I checked the account types, and both are set to
> Standard User, even though we are still listed as Administrators (along
> with
> our User Names and Password status) next to the icon on the user pages.
> In
> the Change Account Type screen where it lists the account as Standard
> User,
> if I check the the Administrator radio button the Change Account Type
> button
> greys itself out and won't permit a change. The only other account is the
> Guest account and it has not been activated. How can we recover from
> this??
>
> Ted Smith
>
>
>