A "HIDDEN" user account on XP HOME

On XP-HOME:.... I arrived at a condition where one non-admin logon user-name
is missing from the logon screen, but which can still be used via
ctrl-alt-del. I would like to delete this user, but it does not appear in
the control-panel "User Accounts" dialog, either. Nor does it appear in the
"control userpasswords2" dialog.

Yet the original name and password work via the ctrl-alt-del logon dialog!!!

The user was originally a "LIMITED" user. I had used "control
userpasswords2" to rename my Administrator account on XP HOME. During the
course of the dialog, I accidently attempted to change this LIMITED user to
to "NORMAL". (This is apparently impossible in XP-HOME, and only LIMITED and
ADMINISTRATOR are possibilites, even though the "NORMAL" button was active).

After ending the "control userpasswords2" dialog, the user name disappeared,
as described above...

When logged on via ctrl-alt-del, the user is now shown as being a "guest"
account.

HOW do I DELETE him?

....

"artlgn" <artlgn@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F7AC6F55-6BDE-4193-ABB8-9FB11300EF68@microsoft.com...
> On XP-HOME:.... I arrived at a condition where one non-admin logon user-name
> is missing from the logon screen, but which can still be used via
> ctrl-alt-del. I would like to delete this user, but it does not appear in
> the control-panel "User Accounts" dialog, either. Nor does it appear in the
> "control userpasswords2" dialog.
>
> Yet the original name and password work via the ctrl-alt-del logon dialog!!!
>
> The user was originally a "LIMITED" user. I had used "control
> userpasswords2" to rename my Administrator account on XP HOME. During the
> course of the dialog, I accidently attempted to change this LIMITED user to
> to "NORMAL". (This is apparently impossible in XP-HOME, and only LIMITED and
> ADMINISTRATOR are possibilites, even though the "NORMAL" button was active).
>
> After ending the "control userpasswords2" dialog, the user name disappeared,
> as described above...
>
> When logged on via ctrl-alt-del, the user is now shown as being a "guest"
> account.
>
> HOW do I DELETE him?
>
> ...


While logged on with an account that is a Computer Administrator, open a command
prompt window (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe).
At the prompt, enter the following command substituting the correct name where
you see USERACCOUNT.

net localgroup users /add USERACCOUNT

Hopefully, you'll see an entry that tells you the command completed
successfully.
This should reinstate the problem account in the Control Panel -> User Accounts
applet where it can then be deleted.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

"Nepatsfan" wrote:

> "artlgn" <artlgn@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F7AC6F55-6BDE-4193-ABB8-9FB11300EF68@microsoft.com...
> > On XP-HOME:.... I arrived at a condition where one non-admin logon user-name
> > is missing from the logon screen, but which can still be used via
> > ctrl-alt-del. I would like to delete this user, but it does not appear in
> > the control-panel "User Accounts" dialog, either. Nor does it appear in the
> > "control userpasswords2" dialog.
> >
> > Yet the original name and password work via the ctrl-alt-del logon dialog!!!
> >
> > The user was originally a "LIMITED" user. I had used "control
> > userpasswords2" to rename my Administrator account on XP HOME. During the
> > course of the dialog, I accidently attempted to change this LIMITED user to
> > to "NORMAL". (This is apparently impossible in XP-HOME, and only LIMITED and
> > ADMINISTRATOR are possibilites, even though the "NORMAL" button was active).
> >
> > After ending the "control userpasswords2" dialog, the user name disappeared,
> > as described above...
> >
> > When logged on via ctrl-alt-del, the user is now shown as being a "guest"
> > account.
> >
> > HOW do I DELETE him?
> >
> > ...
>
>
> While logged on with an account that is a Computer Administrator, open a command
> prompt window (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe).
> At the prompt, enter the following command substituting the correct name where
> you see USERACCOUNT.
>
> net localgroup users /add USERACCOUNT
>

If turned out that the user was still visible with the NET USERS command,
although nowhere else. So I tried NET USERS <account> /DELETE, and it seemed
to work!

....

"artlgn" <artlgn@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4D9AC68D-445B-4236-B674-E1954AF572DC@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Nepatsfan" wrote:
>
>> "artlgn" <artlgn@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F7AC6F55-6BDE-4193-ABB8-9FB11300EF68@microsoft.com...
>> > On XP-HOME:.... I arrived at a condition where one non-admin logon
>> > user-name
>> > is missing from the logon screen, but which can still be used via
>> > ctrl-alt-del. I would like to delete this user, but it does not appear in
>> > the control-panel "User Accounts" dialog, either. Nor does it appear in
>> > the
>> > "control userpasswords2" dialog.
>> >
>> > Yet the original name and password work via the ctrl-alt-del logon
>> > dialog!!!
>> >
>> > The user was originally a "LIMITED" user. I had used "control
>> > userpasswords2" to rename my Administrator account on XP HOME. During the
>> > course of the dialog, I accidently attempted to change this LIMITED user to
>> > to "NORMAL". (This is apparently impossible in XP-HOME, and only LIMITED
>> > and
>> > ADMINISTRATOR are possibilites, even though the "NORMAL" button was
>> > active).
>> >
>> > After ending the "control userpasswords2" dialog, the user name
>> > disappeared,
>> > as described above...
>> >
>> > When logged on via ctrl-alt-del, the user is now shown as being a "guest"
>> > account.
>> >
>> > HOW do I DELETE him?
>> >
>> > ...
>>
>>
>> While logged on with an account that is a Computer Administrator, open a
>> command
>> prompt window (Start -> Run -> cmd.exe).
>> At the prompt, enter the following command substituting the correct name
>> where
>> you see USERACCOUNT.
>>
>> net localgroup users /add USERACCOUNT
>>
>
> If turned out that the user was still visible with the NET USERS command,
> although nowhere else. So I tried NET USERS <account> /DELETE, and it seemed
> to work!
>
> ...


The downside of that approach is that it doesn't remove the user account's files
or profile. Take a look in the C:\Documents and Settings folder. Unless you
deleted it already, you should still see a folder for that account. Also, check
Control Panel -> System -> Advanced page -> User Profiles. You may see an entry
for an Unknown Account.

Whenever possible, it's preferable to use the Control Panel -> User Accounts
applet to delete a user account. You will be given the choice of saving or
deleting the accounts files.

Nepatsfan