changing administrator username "user" to "administrator"

Hi guys!

I just bought a new comp which has a window xp oem license installed.
Normally I start installing XP from an empty hard drive and then assign
myself the username "administrator". Here however I have been given the
username "user", which is an administrator privilege account, by default.

When I try to rename to "user" to administrator XP prompts me that the
username is already taken. If I try to login as "administrator" my password
doesnt work. Question is - how do I change my name to "administrator" and how
did this happen in the first place?

Malke
Mon Aug 11 13:22:03 PDT 2008

Fillefilm wrote:

> Hi guys!
>
> I just bought a new comp which has a window xp oem license installed.
> Normally I start installing XP from an empty hard drive and then assign
> myself the username "administrator". Here however I have been given the
> username "user", which is an administrator privilege account, by default.
>
> When I try to rename to "user" to administrator XP prompts me that the
> username is already taken. If I try to login as "administrator" my
> password doesnt work. Question is - how do I change my name to
> "administrator" and how did this happen in the first place?

The reason you can't create a new user account called "Administrator" is
that there already is an account named "Administrator" on all XP
installations. It is the built-in Administrator account. Apparently you
were using the built-in Administrator account before. It is best practice
to leave the built-in Administrator account alone and create your own user
account for daily work. In theory, this account should be a Standard user.
In reality, with XP this is often difficult (as opposed to Vista where it
should always be done this way).

If you don't want the generic User, create your own user account and name it
anything you like except for "Administrator". Then you can delete the
generic User account or just keep it for emergencies.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Anteaus
Tue Aug 12 00:05:01 PDT 2008


I would add that standardising on 'user' is a good idea where no specific
'userization' is needed. It avoids all the hassles where a computer is
(needlessly) personalised, then the name changes with marriage, staff churn,
etc.

Standardising on Administrator is less ideal since that account cannot have
its priveleges changed.

"Fillefilm" wrote:

> Hi guys!
>
> I just bought a new comp which has a window xp oem license installed.
> Normally I start installing XP from an empty hard drive and then assign
> myself the username "administrator". Here however I have been given the
> username "user", which is an administrator privilege account, by default.
>
> When I try to rename to "user" to administrator XP prompts me that the
> username is already taken. If I try to login as "administrator" my password
> doesnt work. Question is - how do I change my name to "administrator" and how
> did this happen in the first place?

Malke
Tue Aug 12 06:22:07 PDT 2008

Anteaus wrote:

> I would add that standardising on 'user' is a good idea where no specific
> 'userization' is needed. It avoids all the hassles where a computer is
> (needlessly) personalised, then the name changes with marriage, staff
> churn, etc.
>
> Standardising on Administrator is less ideal since that account cannot
> have its priveleges changed.

Absolutely. As you say, if the OP has a business, using generic user
accounts is really important because people leave and it's so messy to have
user accounts in a particular person's name. Home users generally prefer
the comfort of using their own name.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

LeftFoot
Tue Aug 12 10:25:01 PDT 2008

The only circumstance in which I would think that "generic" user accounts are
okay is a case where you have multiple users who absolutely must use the same
account -- as in production floor control of machinery through a Windows
system that has to stay logged in to keep production processes running.
Otherwise, use of "User" as an account for everyone is very much not a best
practices idea. User accounts can be removed / tombstoned, and profiles can
be deleted.

It seems to me that, from a security standpoint and from a license control
standpoint, generic user accounts just don't work -- unless the business is
really, really small. And, in that case, if user turnover is high enough that
management of user accounts is a problem, the business has bigger problems
than dealing with obsolete user accounts.

"Malke" wrote:

> Anteaus wrote:
>
> > I would add that standardising on 'user' is a good idea where no specific
> > 'userization' is needed. It avoids all the hassles where a computer is
> > (needlessly) personalised, then the name changes with marriage, staff
> > churn, etc.
> >
> > Standardising on Administrator is less ideal since that account cannot
> > have its priveleges changed.
>
> Absolutely. As you say, if the OP has a business, using generic user
> accounts is really important because people leave and it's so messy to have
> user accounts in a particular person's name. Home users generally prefer
> the comfort of using their own name.
>
> Malke
> --
> MS-MVP
> Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
> FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ
>
>

Fillefilm
Tue Aug 12 11:38:01 PDT 2008

Hi Guys!

Thx for all your replies. You learn something every day, and I guess I will
settle with the "non-admin" username from now on:) Thx again!

//
phil

--
nothing here


"Fillefilm" wrote:

> Hi guys!
>
> I just bought a new comp which has a window xp oem license installed.
> Normally I start installing XP from an empty hard drive and then assign
> myself the username "administrator". Here however I have been given the
> username "user", which is an administrator privilege account, by default.
>
> When I try to rename to "user" to administrator XP prompts me that the
> username is already taken. If I try to login as "administrator" my password
> doesnt work. Question is - how do I change my name to "administrator" and how
> did this happen in the first place?