You may not know it, but there is a Windows User Accounts Control in Windows XP that allows you to do so much more with your users such as:
- Changing default ‘users must enter a password’
- Password changes and password reset
- Changing group memberships
- Changing ‘Secure Logon’ settings
- Advanced User Management
Worse part is that Microsoft seems to have hidden this very useful application away from its users. To get to it, create a new shortcut with the following target command:
"control.exe useraccounts2" (no quote marks"")
Or enter the same command in the ‘Run’ command in the start menu. The User Accounts window will pop up allowing you to make which ever changes you like. Its quite a powerful little tool that Microsoft didn’t even bother letting you know about.
Requirements: Windows XP Professional
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This is pretty far from hidden. If you go into the Control Panel and choose User Accounts, there you go. Anyone who’s picked up a “Windows for Dummies” book knows where this is.
umm that’s not entirely accurate. The User Accounts control panel in the settings of Windows gives you a basic (easy to use) interface with some basic features and settings on there.
This “hidden” control allows you to modify the admin account and specify whether you want to allow users to HAVE to type a password to start Windows.
Actually, the command is “control userpasswords2″.
right click my computer > manage > user acounts
not hidden at all!
Again, Innaccurate - not on all machines. When MMC starts on this machine there is no mention of any users.
XP by default has an administrator account that has no password on it. You can log in to it by, at the log in screen, holding ctrl+alt+del then type in administrator in the user name and leave password blank. You can also view the actual administrator icon if you boot into safe mode. Also with what they are saying, it’s accessible in control pannel. But can’t get to it from a limited account. Still not hidden, unless you you can’t tell an ethernet cable from a phone line.
lol how di ya config your user accounts till ya found this advanced-poweruserfeature on your xp-pro box ^^
-h
I think you will find that there about 4 or 5 other built in acounts for things like guest, remote support etc.
Also using the right hand click, and mangae on my computer will and should get you into most of the settings you need other than the ones in the control pannel
If you dont set a password on install of a windows xp box, a random one is given and you can not then change the settings unless the user you have is part of the administrators group.
I have posted an article detailing how to get round these problems and more on my site.
Very useful and informative blog. Recommended for all to see.
http://medsdrugs.blogspot.com/
If you go to cmd and type in “net users”, there are some accounts there that are hidden even in the control userpasswords2.