Windows XP SP3 keep default Administrator as only Administrator

3

I would like to have a setup where only the default Administrator account has administrator rights. I already enabled the default Administrator account to show up in the user management and login panel but I still can not delete/downgrade the other account I created during installation.

Edit:

This is how the user management panel looks like to me for the user I want to downgrade. enter image description here

Also the option to delete the user does not show up. I however do have the default Administrator account enabled via registry following this guide.

miceterminator

Posted 2012-08-13T14:13:02.400

Reputation: 133

Are you referring to the "Computer Administrator" account? Not simply a user with administrator privileges? – MrWhite – 2012-08-13T14:33:55.677

I refer to the default "Administrator" account created by windows which is normally hidden. – miceterminator – 2012-08-13T14:40:15.247

Do you have XP Pro or XP Home? – martineau – 2012-08-13T15:03:08.290

I have xp Pro oem – miceterminator – 2012-08-13T15:13:18.737

Answers

4

If you are using XP Professional, you can add and remove groups via lusrmgr.msc.

Otherwise, try command line:

net localgroup "Administrators" "miceterminator" /delete

(net localgroup will list all groups.)

(The whole "unhide built-in Administrator" part was probably unnecessary. Windows always shows the built-in account if no other Administrators exist.)

user1686

Posted 2012-08-13T14:13:02.400

Reputation: 283 655

mhm on german windows the "Administrator" group might be named different. However I managed to take the GUI way via the administration menu in the system settings. lusrmgr.msc is actually the shortcut to that menu very nice. – miceterminator – 2012-08-13T15:26:27.367

1

If you want to change the account type (and I assume you're not on a domain), please follow

  1. Open User Accounts in Control Panel.

  2. Click the user's account name.

  3. Click Change the account type.

  4. Click the type of account you want, and then click Change Account Type

More details

Dave

Posted 2012-08-13T14:13:02.400

Reputation: 24 199

I failed to describe my problem correctly. I am unable to follow exactly these steps. Because every other account type is greyed in. (See edit above) – miceterminator – 2012-08-13T14:31:18.127

1

When using the user manager in control panel in Windows XP it requires that you have one user who is a administrator in addition to the administrator account. If you want you can create a user who is administrator then disable that user. After that you will be able to make as many non administrator accounts as you want.

Otherwise you need to use one of the other options mentioned like lusermanger.mac or net localgroup by grawity

Scott Chamberlain

Posted 2012-08-13T14:13:02.400

Reputation: 28 923

1It doesn't require that. – user1686 – 2012-08-13T15:00:44.253

@grawity I made a clarification, but it does not show I made a edit. – Scott Chamberlain – 2012-08-13T15:01:37.697

1

Hit WindowsR and type control userpasswords2.

Click the user you want to change the rights to. Go to Properties then go to Group Membership and select Standard User.

Lucas

Posted 2012-08-13T14:13:02.400

Reputation: 11

Asked: 2012-08-13T14:13:02.400

Viewed: 4 499 times

Active: 2012-08-27T15:37:55.080