Deleting all accounts but the 'hidden' Windows XP Administrator Account

[syntaxuk]

A while back I remember modifying the registry so that the hidden Administrator account showed up on the welcome screen, as another account had become corrupted. I have sinced continued to use this account and its all set up with my preferences and so forth. However I have another administrator account that was created with the 'User Accounts' in the control panel, but I cannot delete it unless I create yet another admin account, but this then leaves that new account undeletable.

How do I delete all accounts on my computer and continue to use the Admin account I have now. I want to get rid of the shared documents and the extra annoying account on the welcome screen.

Thanks.

[puu777]

Hi
Do you have XP Pro or XP Home
you not going to be able to delete the account show in control panel if you log on as that user account that why you have to crated the new user account and log on to the new account and after that you can delete the one you have before that but again you will alway have one account.
it just like you not be able to delete the account if that account is the one you log on at that moment.
the admin account that build in with xp is called system admin..
the one you crated after you install xp will always be computer admin...
the system admin design by default to be use in safe mode or advance mode only, for every day use is better to use computer admin account
if you want to use the system admin account for every day use, you will have a risk if this system admin account is corrupted, you will not be able to do anything much in the system any more because you have no account to log on to try to fix the problem.
again we alway have a way around it
if you still really want to do it please reply !!!

[syntaxuk]

I have XP Professional SP2. I know I cannot delete an account im using, but as you say I am using the system admin account and not a computer admin account. It is the computer (user made) account I want to delete. I am aware that if the system account became corrupt I would be left with little choice but to reformat, so therefore is it possible to remove all traces of/hide the other account so that the shared documents and startup choice isnt there?

Thanks for your time.

[Navycross]

I am having the same issue, I just want all the accounts on my computer (save for the administrator account) off my computer...including the "computer admin accounts." Does anyone know how to accomplish this?

[syntaxuk]

If its not possible, then at the very least hide the accounts as if they never exsisted?

[Zxian]

It is possible to remove all accounts but the Administrator account.

To do this, you need to be logged into the Administrator account.

Log off all users to return to the Welcome screen.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del twice. A logon box should appear. Under name, type in Administrator (Admin will not work), and then type in the Administrator password.

Once you have logged into the Administrator account, you can access User Accounts from the control panel and delete all users from there.



Personally, I would NOT recommend doing this. I always have an account for myself and leave the Administrator account as it is. That way, if anything happens to my account, I can still use my computer to restore it to the way things were.

[Navycross]

Originally Posted by Zxian

It is possible to remove all accounts but the Administrator account.

To do this, you need to be logged into the Administrator account.

Log off all users to return to the Welcome screen.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del twice. A logon box should appear. Under name, type in Administrator (Admin will not work), and then type in the Administrator password.

Once you have logged into the Administrator account, you can access User Accounts from the control panel and delete all users from there.



Personally, I would NOT recommend doing this. I always have an account for myself and leave the Administrator account as it is. That way, if anything happens to my account, I can still use my computer to restore it to the way things were.

Tried it already, the system will not allow you to delete a computer admin account...you have to create another user account with admin priviledges and then you can delete the previous one. Its a stupid cycle because it still leaves me with the Administrator account and the computer admin account. I have been using just the Adminstrator account now for two years, the only reason I created the "computer admin" account was to delete a few things I normally wouldn't be allowed to Please let me find a way to dump this account, its driving me nuts! lol

[Navycross]

Here is the answer to our query friend...follow these steps:

Log into the Administrator account (normal windows startup). Go to start==>Control Panel==>Administrative Tools==>Computer Management==>
Local Users and Groups==>Users and delete any users you would like removed.

Worked for me!! Let me know if it works

[midhlaj]

Thanks..it worked.

[Machtyn]

Since I found this forum while looking for a similar solution on Windows XP Home, I decided to post a separate solution.

Problem: You cannot remove a user account because the directory (folder) for which that user is associated (in the C:/Documents and Settings/*) because the folder is either missing or corrupted.

Solution:
Click on Start
Click on Run
Type "control userpasswords2" and click OK
Select the user account you wish to remove
Click on the "Remove" button.

Basically, it's a form that most WinXP Pro and Win2000 administrators are used to seeing, but in XP Home it's harder to get to.

[Djtrickz]

how do i create a new account with all the same settings and documents of the admin account like an carbon copy so that i may keep the default account safely in case of a mishap. btw am new ere