ASP.NET Machine account help.

[SouthernCross]

Hello, I followed someone's suggestion of using a Standard Account for everyday use. So I went to Manage user accounts. And found 3 accounts listed:
-Andrew
-ASP.NET Machine Account
-Guest

I assumed ASP.NET was part of Microsoft and was OK to use. So I set ASP.NET as the admin, and changed Andrew to a Standard User. Mistake. After a restart and some use, any UAC prompt requires a password for ASP.NET of which I do not know of. I've read that it generates random passwords. Also, I've tried safe mode to access Vista's back-up admin, it was a no go. Any help for setting Andrew back to admin?

-I cannot get through any UAC prompts.
-I cannot install most programs that require a UAC prompt.
-I do not have a Vista DVD due to it being pre-installed.
-I have not created a Recovery disc offered from HP. ...My fault.
-Safe mode does not show Vista's back-up Admin account.
-I run Vista HOME PRENIUM.

Any help?

[Computer Guru]

Hi Andrew, welcome to NST.

Have you tried using the Vista recovery DVD to use System Restore?
It doesn't matter if you don't have HP's recovery CD, you can download a copy of our recovery disc from here:
Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download The NeoSmart Files

[kairozamorro]

I might be wrong here (correct me if I am). I don't think system restore puts user accounts back the way there were. And I really can't see how the built in ASP.NET account could have been made the only administrator of the system. Windows is usally smart enough and prevents you from downgrading an administrator account.

Anyway, you well need to make that HP recovery disc (or obtain it) if system restore doesn't fix it. For future reference, this was a problem mainly with older versions of Windows. The purpose of Vista's UAC was to run every user as a standard user until administrative actions need to be performed. If still want to use seperate accounts anyway, either create two accounts for yourself or set the password for the Administrator account and use that for administering the computer.

[Makaveli213]

Kairo,

You have to remember that Vista doesnt use a dedicated Admin account for the user when they create it. The account is just a power user account with Admin Rights. The Admin account is actually hidden.

That is why you can reduce teh account to a limited account unlike in XP where the accoutn created is a Admin account.

Cheers,
Mak

[kairozamorro]

The admin account can still be used though. If not accessed through the GUI, you can use the command line to configure it. Besides, you could turn off UAC and use the two account method as you would in XP.

[Makaveli213]

Yes. But the truth is that the account that is created upon installing is not a true admin account and its permissions can be lowered. The Admin account can still be used by turning it on. If you can access the PC. Since this user cant there is no way for them to turn it on.

[Computer Guru]

Originally Posted by kairozamorro

The admin account can still be used though. If not accessed through the GUI, you can use the command line to configure it. Besides, you could turn off UAC and use the two account method as you would in XP.

Actually, in Windows Vista the "Administrator" account is set to "Disabled" by default (like the "Guest" account on Windows XP), so you'll have to enable it first, then use it.

[SouthernCross]

Hmm, seems the only way I'm able to fix this is too enable Vista's admin. I am able to use this computer as a Standard User. Maybe some of the suggested bottom solutions can solve this?

1) Use the Recovery CD provided by NeoSmart to run the CMD and enable the Vista Admin by typing in: Net user administrator active:/yes

2) Suggested by Jimmah, his site is down (http://www.jimmah.com) but I managed to get another copy of his instructions:

1 Click on the start orb. Write down your username (the name listed right below your picture on the start menu).
2 Place your Windows Installation DVD into your DVD drive
3 Restart your computer
4 When prompted, press a key on your keyboard to boot from the DVD
5 Select your language options and click Next (See picture)
6 Select the option at the bottom to repair your computer (See picture)
7 Select your Windows installation from the list. Make sure you notate what drive letter it is installed on.
8 Select the last option from the list to open a Command Prompt (See picture)
9 Type the following command, and press enter:

regedit

10 On the left, click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
11 Click the File menu at the top, and then click Load Hive
12 Open "computer"
13 Double-click on the drive that Windows is installed on (you wrote
this drive letter down in step 7)
14 Double-click on the folder called Windows
15 Double-click on the folder called System32
16 Double-click on the folder called Config
17 Click on the file called SAM and click Open
18 Type "Target SAM" into the box and click OK
19 Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder by clicking on the triangle next
to it
20 Expand the Target SAM folder by clicking on the triangle next to it
21 Expand the SAM folder by clicking on the triangle next to it
22 Expand the Domains folder by clicking on the triangle next to it
23 Expand the Accounts folder by clicking on the triangle next to it
24 Expand the Users folder by clicking on the triangle next to it
25 Click on the folder named 000001F4
26 Double-click the item in the right called "F"

You are now presented with an editor. You will see two columns: a list
of letters and numbers grouped in pairs on the left, with a list of
symbols on the right. We will only be using the list of letters and
numbers on the left.

27 Find the spot in the left column that says "11".
28 Click to the immediate right of the 11, so that the flashing
insertion line is to the immediate right of 11
29 Press backspace to make the 11 disappear
30 Using the keyboard, type the number 10

This should change the information in the left column from

02,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,80,8c,d7,b2,e9,97,c7,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,1f,ea,fd,ad,e9,97,c7,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,de,ad,60,9b,e9,97,
c7,01,f4,01,00,00,01,02,00,00,11, ...

TO:

02,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,80,8c,d7,b2,e9,97,c7,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,
00,1f,ea,fd,ad,e9,97,c7,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,de,ad,60,9b,e9,97,
c7,01,f4,01,00,00,01,02,00,00,10, ...

31 Click OK
32 Close regedit
33 Close the command prompt window and click on the 'Restart' button on
the window that gives you the list of options.
34 When your computer restarts, log in with the account named
'Administrator'. Use this emergency Administrator account to fix your
normal administrator account by using the user accounts control panel.

[Makaveli213]

Hello,

Just enable the hidden admin account.

How to enable the hidden Admin account in Vista

From there log off and log on as the Admin. Once you do that you can reset all accounts to what you want or jsut continue to use the Admin account and remove all the other accounts.

Cheers,
Mak

[kairozamorro]

Is the admin account's password blank though its disabled? Unless you have set it before, I think the system randomally generates a password for it. So even if you just enabled it, you would still not know the password needed to login under that account.

[Makaveli213]

The Admin password will be blank by default. Unless you set one up during install. Only the ASP.NET account does a random password which is the problem he ran into here. But for a prebuilt machine with Vista installed the Admin account password will be blank.

I have done this many times on various machines to get around having to use a user account to get a job done. The Admin account doesnt have UAC enabled either.

[SouthernCross]

I cannot enable the hidden admin account through the steps listed by Makaveli213, as both of those methods require a UAC prompt. I can run the CMD but it runs as a standard CMD prompt and is not elevated. Doing net user Admin.... active:/yes gives me a "Access is Denied" wording.

Typing in secpol.msc in search doesn't show up either.

[kairozamorro]

Alright, last resort then if you can't re-install and still are having problems. Go ahead and save yourself a headache by going here.

[Computer Guru]

Will detect and offer to unlock locked or disabled out user accounts!

That would do the trick

[Terry60]

Secpol is only available in Vista Ultimate, Home users (like me) don't have it.