Adding a password to the Administrator account 2

[DayLaborer]

On my home PC we have three accounts: mine, my wife's, and my kids'. The kids' account is a "limited account" and my own and my wife's are password protected administrator accounts. The other day, I started the PC in Safe Mode and three accounts showed: my own, my wife's (both properly password protected) and "Administrator" - without a password!

When I went to "Local Groups and Users" to add a password to the "Administrator" account, it warned me that doing this might wipe out files, permissions, etc. I do not want to mess up the Administrator account on my PC!!! Is it safe for me to add a password despite those warnings?

Please help...

Thanks.

 

[captaincrunch00]

You just right clicked on the Admin account and said "Set Password" right?

That is safe to do as far as I know, I've done it hundreds of times and not ever screwed up a PC.
The only thing is when you try to log on locally to the admin account you better remember that password.

 

[DayLaborer]

Yes, right clicked and "Set Password".

I completely forgot that account exists altogther - I always use my own (admin). Do I ever need it?

Crazy question: Can I delete it altogether, as my wife and I are both admins?

Thanks!

 

[captaincrunch00]

I really wouldnt delete it.
Just set it with a tough password and call it good.

You can rename it to something other than admin if you'd like, but I wouldnt delete it if I were you.

I'd delete the guest account though, that one can always go.

 

[DayLaborer]

Ok, I won't delete it. But am I missing something - when do I ever need it?

 

[linney]

To set a password for the built-in Administrator account, go to Safe Mode and log on to that account, and then set the password via User Accounts in the Control Panel. If you change or set passwords from your own Administrative account then that would cause problems to the Administrator built-in account if it has used encryption on any files. The same is true for changing passwords on any other user account but your own, if done by another administrative user, and not the actual user involved in the account.

With a second Administrative user in Home the ADMINISTRATOR is the built-in account it can only be accessed from Safe Mode, will only work from Safe Mode and will not be able to login or access anything in Normal Mode because of built-in account restrictions which confine the Administrator (Home only) to Safe Mode logon and use.

The ADMINISTRATOR account can never be deleted, disabled, or removed from the Administrators local group, ensuring that you never lock yourself out of the computer by deleting or disabling all the administrative accounts. This feature sets the ADMINISTRATOR account apart from other members of the Administrators local group.

290109 - Error Message: Unable to Log You on Because of an Account Restriction

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290109&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[captaincrunch00]

You'd need it when you go to the recovery console on the Windows reinstallation CD.

You may be able to use your other ones, but honestly, it's not easy to access, it'll be passworded, it should be good to go.

Heck, I delete that account here at work and make a different one, so chances are you wouldnt have a problem deleting it, I just dont want to be the reason your computer imploded.