Installing Windows XP Pro as a single user

I have researched everywhere, and I cannot figure it out.
How do I install Windows so that there is only one user with full rights.

Whenever I install Windows, I come across the user name screen asking me to enter at least 1 user name. That user has limited rights. I end up having to delete the users, and relog as the administrator.

I want to just get rid of all users altogether. A single user. No welcome screens or logon screens. Just the sole computer user with inlimited rights.

Can anybody do that?

 

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Control Panel > User Accounts > Pick A Task.

Give your existing Account Administrator rights, job done. Any other accounts y'don't want, delete.

Auto Logon Start-up Procedure here

Done.

 

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I dont want to give the existing account admin rights. I want to get rid of all the accounts that are not the main account. The account that you create during windows installation is not the main account. I always have to end up deleting users in the computer management section. Then doing that controluserpasswords2 to do the auto logon.

Isn't there a way to just have a single account with all rights, and no complications like the old windows?

 

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OK I Already installed Windows XP Pro SP1 version included.
They made it mandatory that I type in a username.
I want to now kill the user, and everything associated, and have a single user which is the administrator.

 

When I installed my copy of XP Pro, it only created one account like the old windows. I like it like this, and I am glad I am not the only one. I suppose I can add more usesrs if I want to, but I don't. I think maybe you have to get the single user version of Windows.

 

As far as I'm aware XP requires at least one user account to be set up, once done it should be set up with administrator rights by default.

The actual Administrator Account - this is a separate thing from your Primary User account - is hidden at the welcome screen. To reveal it with XP Pro Press Ctrl+Alt+Del twice - this should prompt the Administrator Account to reveal itself.

Alternatively - you can use the following hack.

Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe

Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ SpecialAccounts \ UserList

Use the File, Export option to backup the key.

Right-click in the right pane and select New DWORD Value.

Type-in Administrator as the value.

Double-click Administrator, and assign a value of 1

Close Regedit

You can use this procedure to hide/show users in the Welcome Screen for any user account. Type the account name accordingly in step 5.

However. As far as I'm aware the Administrator Account is only used, generally, for Safe Mode operations. Where as a Primary User Account will set up a My Documents folder, organise all the storage and set-up files your system and third part programmes need for normal operation, the Admin account is just a bare bones piece of system space with the minimum necessary for operation.

Y'could try just deleting the Primary User Account if y'want, if the system lets you and you set up auto logon boot it down, see if XP boots up again....

If you wanted, but to be perfectly honest I'm not in the slightest understanding why.

(By the way, if that craps out, you'll have to logon through the Administrator Account and re establish a Primary like the one you deleted in the first place.)

Oh, and regarding auto logon. XP Tweak UI - rather than manually configuring XP to auto logon you can leave this handy set of system tools sort it out for you automatically.

Best I can do for you.

 

meh, seems overly complex, just install Linux.

* sits lazily by his perfectly tuned system and laughs evilly

 

Well then, since you've got time to put your feet up on account of possessing a perfectly sane operating system, perhaps you'd like to pop down to pseudo science - YouKnowWho is being awfully bitchy about you. I fear he may attempt to smack everyone with his handbag unless his honour is regained....

Chop-chop!

 

You cannot delete the Administrator account in Windows (2k,XP,Server2k, Server2k3). Nor can you delete the Guest accounts.

What you can do is make a user, stick him in the Administrators group and use that user to log into your system. That way you have unlimited rights like you want, and only one user on the system.

I noticed you mentioned going into Computer Management and deleting out the other system added users there. That's cool if you don't need them, however, like I have already said you CANNOT delete the Administrator or Guest.

Now about just booting up and skimming through the login procedures. You can do this if you have welcome screens on and only one user on the system that doesn't use a password. You should be able to just push the power button and the system take over until you are fully logged in.

 

well well
what goes on in here
ahh!
gossiping, spreading rumours, tattling, coyness
yup
sounds like a real bitch is hard at work

 

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Here's something that *might* work

click start> control panel > Performance and maintenance > Amministrative tools > Computer management


Shen you click on the computer management icon, expand the "Local Users and Groups", click on the "users" folder.... you should see a bunch of different accounts (like the "guest" account, and so on).

Right click all the accounts that you don't want, and delete them.
You might want to google the info on the weird esoteric accounts (like the aspnet account) just to make sure Windows doesn't need it for some reason.

 

Mmmm, should work. I wouldn't recommend deleting aspnet though, it's a tricklish bugger. A great lot of background stuff a person wouldn't want to know about without being on 30k a year beforehand can suddenly start throwing a wobbler just for not finding it - besides, it's a fairly integral part of Pro's set up, even if you're not using Pro's network features to the extent it's designed for.