Windows XP: Built-in Administrator account/profile damaged/corrupt

mro

I'm helping someone with a Windows XP Pro computer.

They only have 1 user account setup and unfortunately they have used the Built-In Administrator account as their 1 and only account, which is normally hidden and used as backup account.

Their account/profile, the Built-in Admintrator account/profile is damaged/corrupt, isn't working properly.


They keep getting error:
"Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file.
You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item"


In their account nothing is really working.

They get this error when they try to do almost anything, like:
-go to Control Panel & create new user account,
-access System Advanced Properties,
-can't start Microsoft Outlook etc.


I think this error is just a symptom of a damaged account profile.

I can't create a new user account as I get this error.


So the main Built-In Administratior account profile is damaged/corrupt and there isn't another user account to use and I haven't found a way to create a new user account with Administrator properties.


Any ideas or suggestions on things to try ?


.

John_Gray

Reinstall XP.

Neil_Jones

Create a new user account via Command Prompt as described here:
https://operating-systems.wonderhowto.com/how-to/create-admin-user-account-using-cmd-prompt-windows-0125689/

Note that when you do this and reboot the computer will log straight into it. You will only be able to get to the current Administrator account from Safe Mode so you'll need to copy any data from it.

that

firstly boot off a linux disk and copy all the c:\windows /s to c:\windows_backup. If you mess up, it is easy to copy stuff back from there. Make sure you have a copy, and don't write to it. Also back up that disk/

Thought (1) restore the old profile from backup

....(2) there is another account with greater rights than administrator - system. This account is not friendly, and you will probably have to use psexec

(3) There might be an old backup profile called administrator.

(4) fairly sure from the command line you can create a new user account

(5) there is something called 'MS Profile Edit tool' from MS, and yes they have pulled it, and no I do not have a copy

(6)if you rename the admin profile, think windows might still be able to upgrade it to 7?

(7) Only ever done this once... export the hive of a working machine of the same spec hardware and compare it to the hive of the non working machine and modify the faulty one. Yes you will loose the will to live. used hiren 15 - i hink as that had a reg comparrison tool and changer.

mro

Neil_Jones wrote: »

Create a new user account via Command Prompt as described here:
https://operating-systems.wonderhowto.com/how-to/create-admin-user-account-using-cmd-prompt-windows-0125689/

Note that when you do this and reboot the computer will log straight into it. You will only be able to get to the current Administrator account from Safe Mode so you'll need to copy any data from it.

Haven't tried that yet using command line.

But thinking I may have same problem that the only account available damaged Built-in Administrator account will get same error & won't have permissions to create new account.

Will see, will try that next.

.

that

would suggest you get a bootable linux disk, or winpe and rename the admin profile.

It is rare for the account to become corrupt, but profiles regularly become corrupt

poppellerant

Just a warning, but the last time I saw this was on a drive that was developing bad sectors. So it might be a good idea to image the drive using Macrium Reflect before anything else, to minimise the chances of data loss.

Johnmcl7

I would definitely agree with the above recommendation to make sure the data is backed up before you go any further as I've seen failing hard drives start with odd errors before getting much worse. I'd just go for a simple data back up first to ensure the data is easily accessible particularly when the the OS is not in a usable state.

John

AlSto

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-perform-a-windows-xp-repair-install-2624915

Browntoa

Use this bootable cd to add a new user

https://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Neil_Jones

mro wrote: »

Haven't tried that yet using command line.

But thinking I may have same problem that the only account available damaged Built-in Administrator account will get same error & won't have permissions to create new account.

Will see, will try that next.

.

The command line in XP works differently from later versions of Windows in which it doesn't specifically require Admin privileges to get stuff done, as opposed to Vista, 7 8 and 10.