Deleted Admin Profile?

Hello everyone out there! I need help on a big problemo. Here it goes:

I currently have a DELL desktop running Windows XP Professional. Recently, I went into System Properties and accidently deleted a user profile. Unfortunately it was the ONLY user profile on the computer. When I turned off the computer, and turned it back on the next day, I was unable to log on. The user name I usually used was not functioning. I have researched this very thoroughly. I tried using admin and administrator, both with and without a password. Nothing. I then tried to leave it blank, and nothing. I have also tried F8, F12 (setup has a password, I don't know), and just about everything else!

What is going on? And how can I fix it?

 

When you hit F8 repeatedly during the Dell logo do you get safe mode options? If so try Last Know Good Configuration.

If that doesn't help then try Safe Mode. When you get to the login box (it sounds like you are using Classic login--where you type the user name rather than the Welcome screen) hit ctrl+Alt+delete twice in rapid succession. See if that brings up the Welcome screen with the Administrator account as an option. Basically, we are looking to see if the Administrator account exists.

 

I tried Last Good Configuration and nothing. I also ran diagnostics and it found no problem. Safe mode doesn't work either (I do use the classic windows log in). When I do CTRL+ALT+DELETE in rapid succession it has a grey box and not a welcome screen. Isn't that weird? This is a used computer that I believe previously belonged to a company...does that matter?

 

I'm not sure about the grey box. I'm unfamiliar with classic login--does it give you an error when you type in the wrong password or does it just ignore it and not give you a message?

Technically XP should not allow you delete ALL administrative accounts. It should warn you that you need at least one. How did you delete the account, did you do it from Control Panel>Users or did you actually delete the user's folder from Documents and Settings?

Do you have an XP installation CD?

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As far as the BIOS password that should be able to be removed by unplugging the machine and removing the CMOS battery for a minute or two. Then putting back the battery and plugging back in.
http://pctechnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cmos_battery1.jpg

 

If I do CTRL+ALT+DELETE twice, it gives me the grey box.When I type in the username and password it tells me that either the username or password are incorrect.

I believe I deleted this username by going to system properties and then user profiles.

I wish I had the XP installation cd! I don't since it was a used computer. I have read that it is possible to repair it if you have the installation cd.

I will try to remove the battery once I get home. What can I do once I do that?

 

Log into safe mode with command prompt and then type:

net user <enter> at the command prompt.

It should list what users you have on the computer.

 

I've tried logging on with Command Prompt but there isn't any change in the screen. Should there be? And if so, what should it look like?

 

I've tried logging on with Command Prompt but there isn't any change in the screen. Should there be? And if so, what should it look like?

 

That was my mistake. When you go to safe mode with command prompt, you still get the classic login box, correct?

Edit: When you press CTRL+ALT+DELETE twice type administrator for a user name and leave the password blank. Then press enter.

 

Ok. I will try that. I've done the same thing but NOT in safe mode with command prompt.

 

I tried everything listed and no use. I couldn't even erase the unknown setup password by removing the battery or by messing with the PSWRD button in the computer! I am currently completely locked out of my computer. Any other tips or suggestions? What about downloading a BOOT cd from a website and trying that...do you guys think that would work?

 

When you say setup has a password, you are talking about the BIOS password, correct? Sometimes it is required that you move a jumper on the motherboard in order to clear the password. I have come across where the password would not clear when removing the battery but would when the jumper was moved but that was for an intel board. What it the model of the Dell? What is this PSWRD button?

 

Yes I mean the BIOS password. (It was labelled PSWRD) It is an INTEL; do I have to push or move it? The only thing it had was a kind of cap covering it, and I only removed it. (Seems pretty stupid now thinking back on it!)

 

Hi, give the model number of the Dell (should be printed on the circle around the power button). That way we can find the procedure for removing the password.

I think some sort of boot CD will be necessary. If your computer boots from CD now, then you don't have to worry about the BIOS password. (Often a business computer with a BIOS password won't boot from CD for security reasons. But if yours does boot from CD then you don't have to remove the password now.)

 

If you want to start a download go with Trinity Rescue Disk scroll down to the selfburning EXE version if you are unfamiliar with burning ISO files. http://trinityhome.org/Home/index.p...ELF_BURNING_TRK&front_id=19&lang=en&locale=en

It looks like running Winpass without any arguments will remove the Administrator password pretty much automatically.

This NT_password editor is a smaller download and is another option. If you have a couple of blank CDs you could get both.

Basically, you will be trying to remove the password from the Administrator account so that leaving the password box blank at login will allow you to access the account.

 

Thank you for the advice. I'll give that a try later tonight, and let you know what happened. I really appreciate your efforts. My guilt about this is killing me! One more question: when I delete the password, will it matter that I can't find the appropriate username?

 

If you use Trinity and just run Winpass with no arguments then it will remove the password for the builtin Administrator account. That should then allow you to type Administrator at the login window and leave the password entry empty and hit OK to login on the PC. (We are fairly certain that the Administrator account is presently there but that it has a password that you don't know--so you are just removing the password.)

I'm not familiar with Trinity but I believe both programs will give information on the user names available. Something like this where it lists all accounts found although only two are actually useable John Doe and Administrator:

I would say run the winpass program and see if it gives an error. If no error than it should prompt to reset the Administrator password which implys the account is there. Let it reset. Then try to boot into Windows typing in Administrator for name and leaving the password blank and seeing if you have success.

Edit: For a list of current accounts running winpass -l would be the command to list all usernames.

 

It worked! Thank you. It turns out I changed the User Name somehow. It had the same password as before and once the User Name was revealed, I got in!

 

Excellent! Good work.

One thought is that you can try this link to change the password for the built in Administrator account so that it would be available in an emergency.

The other thing I wanted to point out is that there is a weird quirk in XP when you change an account name. It only changes the name on the Login screen and Start Menu. Your user files are still found under your old user name. So say your original account was named Bob, your files would be found under C:\Documents and Settings\Bob. Now, say you changed your account name to Joe, your files will still be located at C:\Documents and Settings\Bob rather than Windows having changed the Bob folder's name to Joe. Not something you usually have to be concerned about but something you might want to be aware of. If you didn't intend the name change you can always rename your account to the original name and things will match up.