I just checked one of my security tabs (on cmd window) and found so called Account Unknown. I am used to Vista and I've never seen this before. What kind of account is it? It it essentail for my WinSer2008? Can I remove it? This user has permissions for Read and Execute and Read but not full control. I tried to clear the boxes with permissions but they are dimmed and there is no way to remove the checks. I can check "denied" next to it. I tried but got a warning saying that in this case the user will be a member of two groups: one that allows and the other one that disallows the permisison. The denying permission will take precedence. I backed off because I did not know what I was doing.Please help.Thanks.AlexB

This sounds like an account that has been granted explicit rights on the folder you are checking but which has been deleted from the active directory. You can try to resolve the SID (using Syinternals' psgetSID tool) and verify if the account still exists; if it is no longer existing, you can delete it from the list under the Security tab.Regards,Salvador Manaois III MCSE MCSA CEH MCITP | Enterprise/Server Admin Bytes & Badz : http://badzmanaois.blogspot.com

Thank you Salvador. Should I also purge it from the Local Users and Groups directory (GUI)? I am speaking for Vista. I still don't know if a comparable arrangement exists in WinSer2008 though. In short, should I delete it globally?AlexB

I suggest you disable it for a period of time. If no one complains, and no services appear to be affected, then you can proceed to delete the account.Regards,Salvador Manaois III MCSE MCSA CEH MCITP | Enterprise/Server Admin Bytes & Badz : http://badzmanaois.blogspot.com

Sorry if i'm in the wrong place, this is my first post. After reading various posts in microsoft forums (like this), I figured I'd share my situation with the community to see if it applies.SETUP: Basically my XP system HDD crashed, taking with it accounts and everything. I had 4 HDDs in that configuration. Another internal HDD was used simply for files and contains no software orWindows components.However,I had a folder on that drive which I didn't want anyone accessing but my USER account.So while I'm getting my files back off the original system HDD, I migrated to Vista. I put the file-centric HDD back into the machine. When I browse to that one folder I can get into the directory to see the files (once Vista asks me to "continue" since I don't have permission to the folder), but I can't read the files themselves (copy, access, etc.)Your post and (this one too) talk about deleting the "Account Unknown." Is this advisable? In the security tab of the folder, I'm only seeing my new Vista account (which is recognized), and 2 "account unknowns" with their SIDs. I fear if I delete them there won't be ANY way to access the files. I'm assuming the best idea would be to just remove the old account information and give myself full rights.If it helps i know the username / password of the account that used to have the only access to that folder. I'm surprised there isn't a "Run As" command to allow me to get in there, just so I can get at the data.Any help is appreciated!

There should be account called "Administrators"among your Vista Groups' accounts. I presume it is better than Home Premium. Add your name to that account. Right click on the folder in question, Security tab, Edit, Add, Add your name to this display of user (window). Give yourself full rights, delete Account Unknown, Click OK and forget about it.The thread you quoted recommends creating a buffer: a group that will include you. That group in turn may be added to the group "Administrators" and the group, not you individually, may be added to the Edit/Add window. Thus your name will not appear explicitly but by proxy so to speak. This is what MS recommends. I do believe it is a good practice when there are a number of users having access to the computer and some of them may have the intersected rights. This will simplify control. If you are alone on your machine, forget about it. I add myself and it works fine: 4 Vista machines x 1.5 years.AlexB

Basically my XP system HDD crashedThat's XP. This is why I switched to Vista in August of 2007 and never looked back. I had exactly the same situation.AlexB