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Resolved Question

Administrator

Aug 12, 2011 12:57AM PDT

Sometimes I get the message that I must get permission from the administrator to do something. This is my home computer, and doesn't have an administrator. How do I get around this!

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Best Answer

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Administrator
Aug 13, 2011 2:29AM PDT

I did take a look at some of this, but I do not need to have a user account or password as I am the only user. I don't need switching. It just seemed to me that there was way to much information that didn't have to do with my problem

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You do need and do have a user account
Aug 13, 2011 4:45AM PDT

but it's true that you may not have a password. You have a user name but apparently don't know what it is. A password is recommended but not a requirement. In fact, it's lack of a password that can cause some issues with Windows. There are some things that cannot be done without user authentication. This may or may not be related to the problem you are seeing.

I don't think anyone here can offer you any help without knowing more about your system. So far you've only offered a brief description of your problem. If you really want more help, please tell your OS such as Windows 7 Home, XP professional, etc. Also, if this is a brand name computer such as Dell, HP, etc., tell that as well. Also tell whether you set this up yourself or had it done for you. If someone else set up the PC and is still available to you, they might be the best person to go to. They could determine the user account name and type quite easily. The account type largely defines what functions you can and cannot perform on that PC.

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Administrator
Aug 13, 2011 5:56AM PDT

Yes, someone else set up my computer for me. I will do as you suggest and get him to help.
Thank you

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Answer
Admin
Aug 12, 2011 5:30AM PDT

You need to make sure that your User "Account" is of an Administrative-Level and not a User level. Otherwise, if you are signed into that profile you won't be able to do certain system-changing actions like installing programs and changing system settings. Let us know how it works out.

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Administrator
Aug 12, 2011 1:54PM PDT

How do I make sure that my User "account" if of an Administrartive Level?

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Answer
Some weekend studying. . .
Aug 12, 2011 6:20AM PDT

1. You can create separate accounts for each person that will be using the computer which allows each user to have their own document folders and settings such as the wallpaper, Start menu, visual style, and so forth. You can create and configure user accounts with the "User Accounts [Q279783]" tool in Control Panel, but is not available on a computer that is a member of a Domain.

2. For a thorough understanding, please read through the TechNet article, "User Data and Settings Management - User Profile Structure" that also includes the "Step-by-Step Guide to User Data and User Settings.

3. "You Cannot Select the "Make This Folder Private" Option (Q307286)," that occurs for either of the following reasons:

• The folder is not in your user profile (Drive_letter:\Documents and Settings\User_name, where Drive_letter is the drive on which Windows XP is installed and User_name is your user name). The Make this folder private option is available only for files in your user profile (the My Documents folder and its subfolders, and the Cookies, Desktop, Start Menu, or Favorites folders).

• The Windows folder is located on a drive that is formatted with the FAT or FAT32 file systems. The "Make this folder private" option requires the NTFS file system.

4. "HOW TO: Assign a Mandatory User Profile in Windows XP (Q307800)."

Note: When a user with an assigned mandatory profile logs off from a computer any changes to the profile are lost.

5. After upgrading a system from Win9x or Millennium Edition to WinXP Home or Pro and if user accounts were not set up initially, the "Fast User Switching" feature is not turned on by default.

6. Your attention is specifically directed to the article "How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP (Q316434)."

7. The article [Q308577] discusses and describes the process of how to set up hardware profiles which is a set of instructions that tells Windows which devices to start when you start your computer or which settings to use for each device. By default, every device that is installed on your computer when you install Windows is enabled in the Profile 1 hardware profile. If there is more than one hardware profile on your computer, you can designate a default profile that is used every time you start your computer. You can also have Windows prompt you for which profile to use when you start your computer. After you create a hardware profile, you can use "Device Manager" to disable and enable devices that are in the profile. When you disable a device in a hardware profile, the device drivers for the device are not loaded when you start your computer with that profile.

8. "Delprof.exe" is a command-line utility that can be downloaded and which you can use to delete user profiles on a local or remote computers running Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003, when using the graphical interface proves futile. You must be logged on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to delete user profiles.

9. The article [Q332003] states that when Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Service Pack 1a (SP1a) has been installed, Windows adds a new feature that is named "Set Program Access and Defaults" to the Add or Remove Programs tool. You can use this feature to change the default programs that you use for certain activities on your computer, such as surfing the Internet, sending e-mail messages, playing CDs, or talking with friends by using an instant messaging program. You can also specify which programs are available from the Start menu, the desktop, and other locations.

Caveat: You cannot specify different defaults for different users. The Set Program Access and Defaults feature applies to all users and you cannot specify different default programs for different users or remove access to programs for only some users.

10. The article [Q837115] describes the symptom of slow logging off a computer with user profiles (which can occur if Windows or third-party programs such as printer drivers or virus scanners do not stop and release resources when logged off), that you may find certain recorded event messages in the event log, and suggests that users experiencing this problem download and install the User Profile Hive Cleanup Service module:

A roaming profile does not reconcile.

You reach the registry size limit (RSL).

You take a long time to log off, and you receive the following message:

Saving settings . . .

11. If you are a member of the Administrators group, you can use the "Set Program Access and Defaults (820291)" feature to specify the default program for certain activities, such as Web browsing, sending e-mail messages, or playing media files. You can also control how the program's icons, shortcuts, and menu entries appear. For additional information about how to specify default programs, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
"How to Change Your Default Programs and to Enable or Remove Access to Microsoft Windows and Non-Microsoft Programs (Q332003)."

12. Supplemental reading:

Note: If you created a new user account and you are logged on as the new user, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms since being logging on as the new user, the account logged on to will not be displaying the expected information without first having been setup completely (click Start, Log off, and then log on as the original user account for the usual display):

• Your desktop wallpaper may be missing, and icons that used to be on your desktop may also be missing.

• Your custom sounds may not play when events occur that previously used your custom sounds.

• Your Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail messages may be missing. If you search for your e-mail messages by searching for .dbx files, you may be unable to find these files on your computer.

• Your Microsoft Internet Explorer favorites may be missing.

a. "Mail Folders, Address Book, and E-mail Messages Are Missing After You Upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP (Q313055)."

b. "How to Copy User Data to a New User Profile (Q811151)."

c. "How to Create and Copy Roaming User Profiles (Q31447Cool."

d. "HOW TO: Create a Custom Default User Profile (Q319974)."

e. "Error Message: "Windows Cannot Load the Locally Stored Profile" (Q812339)."

f. "Availability of the CopyProfile command-line tool to copy a Windows user profile on a Windows XP-based or a Windows Server 2003-based computer."

g. "The Desktop.ini File Does Not Work Correctly When You Create a Custom Default Profile (Q321281)."

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Answer
Administrator
Aug 12, 2011 1:54PM PDT

Oh this is way too complicated for me!

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Doesn't have to be that complicated
Aug 12, 2011 8:40PM PDT

Maybe information overload isn't always helpful but you didn't give anything in the way of details about your machine or your knowledge level so no one can know how to give the best reply. Basically, you first need to find out what type of user account you have on the PC. If using a version of Windows, the account types might vary some. Basically, there are 3 types. One is "administrator" level. Another is "user" or "limited" and the 3rd type is "guest". If you go to Control Panel/Users, you should find your account name and it should tell you which level you have. It will likely already be an administrator account or limited user. Even an administrator account can occasionally see the message you've noted. This can often be rectified by changing a "user account control" (UAC) setting or just ignoring the message in some cases. When this is happening to you could also offer a clue. If you would care for further help, you might check your user level as mentioned and give more details about the message you receive and what you are doing when this happens. Good luck.

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Administrator
Aug 13, 2011 2:19AM PDT

Sorry I should have known to include more information. I use Windows XP. I have been trying to make a disk of my Family Tree Maker data as I'm thinking of getting a new computer. Family Tree told me that I cannot use the backup option as it is now 'outdated' and would not reload on the new computer. They said that I have to export the file to a disk. When I tried this it wouldn't accept the disk in my F drive (I don't know why as I used this same type of disk for my backup) It suggested I export it first to another folder. I did this and then tried to export it from the C drive to the disk in my F drive and that's when it said in effect, that I needed the Administrator's permission. It gave no indication how I do that. I clicked on ok but nothing else came up.
I went into the User file and it only lists administrator and Guest. It says nothing about a Limited user.

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I don't understand why somebody . .
Aug 13, 2011 12:17AM PDT

would ask a question wanting to know something and then be reluctant to check out what the instructions has to offer. You don't have to change anything but something may tickle that gray matter and even be recalled sometime in the future should the problem arise again. Give each paragraph a shot by reading and following the suggestions, you might learn something.