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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Alternative Operating Systems > Parallels, Windows XP, and User Accounts... Oh my!

Parallels, Windows XP, and User Accounts... Oh my!
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NormPhillips
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Apr 28, 2009, 11:30 PM
 
Hello,

I've installed Parallels 4 with Windows XP Pro SP3 on a MacBook Pro 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo with Mac OS X client v.10.5.6. Everything is great except for one small, but annoying problem...

I didn't like how Parallels originally setup the admin account to be titled Administrator instead of my name. Since I wanted it to be under my name, I originally tried in user accounts to change the name. There was no option to do so. Then, I tried to create a secondary user account with my name and delete the Administrator account. Logging into the second account under my name though didn't allow me access to delete the original account.

I figured I'd have no luck with that. So I then decided to delete the second account with my name. I couldn't find anything, except to go into CDocuments and Settings\ and delete the folder. Well, turns out that was a bad mistake. Not only does the account still exist, but the account won't load. Which wouldn't be that big of a deal, but whenever I use software that requires a log out and then re-login, it goes to the 'Norm Phillips' account rather than the 'Administrator' account. But of course, that account won't load... So as a result I have to "shut down" my Parallels environment and then do a "cold boot" of my Parallels environment.

Does anyone know how to fix this? Either by a) completely removing the 'Norm Phillips' account' or b) by repairing the account? Perhaps c) (ideally) repairing the 'Norm Phillips' account and being able to delete the 'Administrator' account?

Please let me know.

Thanks.
     
cwkmacuser
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Apr 28, 2009, 11:52 PM
 
Nope. Don't have much experience with Parallels or XP. Sorry.
Chris K.
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ibook_steve
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Apr 29, 2009, 02:17 AM
 
Wouldn't it just be easier to start over? Back up what you need and reinstall Windows and enter your name when you're setting up the admin account. There should have been a spot where you can enter this info during the standard Windows installation.

Steve
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ghporter
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Apr 29, 2009, 07:31 AM
 
The beauty of using a virtualization system is that nothing is "real" except your data. You can hose up Windows thoroughly, but just reinstalling it IN PARALLELS (which is a lot faster than normal) will fix it right up.

In the future, use the user management features of the OS to manage accounts, OK?

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
NormPhillips  (op)
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Apr 29, 2009, 09:39 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
The beauty of using a virtualization system is that nothing is "real" except your data. You can hose up Windows thoroughly, but just reinstalling it IN PARALLELS (which is a lot faster than normal) will fix it right up.

In the future, use the user management features of the OS to manage accounts, OK?
ghporter, I tried to. The user management features DID NOT ALLOW ME TO DELETE THE ACCOUNT. Only to create new ones. It did not allow me to change the name either!!!!

Originally Posted by ibook_steve View Post
Wouldn't it just be easier to start over? Back up what you need and reinstall Windows and enter your name when you're setting up the admin account. There should have been a spot where you can enter this info during the standard Windows installation.

Steve
It took me half a day to install XP, install anti-virus software, install all of the updates, etc. I'd like to avoid all of this if possible. Does anyone have a solution?
     
ibook_steve
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Apr 29, 2009, 11:59 AM
 
That's Windows for you.

Steve
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ghporter
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Apr 29, 2009, 12:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by NormPhillips View Post
ghporter, I tried to. The user management features DID NOT ALLOW ME TO DELETE THE ACCOUNT. Only to create new ones. It did not allow me to change the name either!!!!
If you were logged in as administrator, it should have. If it didn't, there's a major problem with permissions in your installation-and no tool that I know of to fix 'em.
Originally Posted by NormPhillips View Post
It took me half a day to install XP, install anti-virus software, install all of the updates, etc. I'd like to avoid all of this if possible. Does anyone have a solution?
That's WAY too long, especially with Parallels. Did you install like a bazillion updates and then SP3? That's not the way to do it-in spite of how MS offers the updates. Install the biggies first, and you will only need a few of the small ones. Then do the antivirus...

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
NormPhillips  (op)
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Apr 29, 2009, 12:58 PM
 
Thank you for your help ghporter.

Looks like I'll have to redo this installation.
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 29, 2009, 01:46 PM
 
log in as the/an admin, go to control panels > admin tools > computer management. Check out Local Users and Groups > Users and see if you can change the name here or tweak settings there that the users control panel item doesn't let you.
     
shifuimam
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Apr 29, 2009, 03:27 PM
 
You can change the name of the Administrator account under the Local Users and Groups panel, as Cold Warrior described.

You probably won't need to reinstall Windows entirely, if you can still log in with the original Administrator account. Log in, go to Local Users and Groups, and delete the account you created that no longer works properly. You can then create a new account for yourself or rename the Administrator account.

I would caution against completely removing an extra administrator account. You never know what can happen, and you'll be damn pissed if something happens to your user account and you have no backup account you can use to recover stuff.
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seanc
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Apr 29, 2009, 03:39 PM
 
So, it would be a bad idea to delete the Administrator account - it's useful for getting in when other accounts are broken/locked out.

Your NormPhillips account is broken because you deleted it's profile, this is the same as the home folder in OS X.

If you log into the Administrator account, you should be able to go to Control Panel, User Accounts, click on Norm Phillips, go into the properties for that account and select "Delete the account".

Then make a new NormPhillips account and use it instead.
     
Atheist
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Apr 29, 2009, 03:49 PM
 
There's really no need to delete the built-in Administrator account. I actually advise against it. I also advise against renaming it. Just change the password to something secure and then create a new user account with Administrator privileges. Use the new account and leave the Administrator account alone.

I'm guessing here but I can only imagine that attempting to delete the Administrator account from windows is similar to deleting the root user from Unix.

As shifuimam said, you should be able to delete the messed up "Norm Phillips" account via the Control Panel -> Users and Groups.
     
Art Vandelay
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Apr 29, 2009, 04:00 PM
 
Also, make use of the Snapshots feature. When you have a working setup, take a Snapshot. If you ever screw anything up or Windows screws itself up, you can roll back to that Snapshot almost instantly.
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NormPhillips  (op)
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Apr 29, 2009, 09:02 PM
 
I will repeat myself: The Users & Groups control panel has not given me the option to delete or change the name of ANY accounts. Please read all of my posts. I've reinstalled Windows since it turns out there's a problem with permissions. Thank you all for helping though.
     
Cold Warrior
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Apr 29, 2009, 09:29 PM
 
If it didn't give you that option, then that's because your permissions were borked. Your reinstall fixed it, but just for future reference, the Users and Groups section in Computer Management does in fact do this.
     
   
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