Local Users and Groups in Vista Home Premium Not Available?
I am trying to add a user group, and the documentation seems to be wrong. I have round several articles, al ending up in a dead end. One article http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/02633470-396c-4e34-971a-0c5b090dc4fd.mspx tells you how to set up groups using mmc. By default the "Local Users and Groups" snap-in is disabled, and when I try to add it, I get the following error message: ---------------------------Local Users and Groups---------------------------This computer is running Windows Vista Home Premium. This snapin may not be used with this version of Windows. To manage user accounts for this computer, use the User Accounts tool in the Control Panel.---------------------------OK ---------------------------But the article specifically says: User groups in Windows Applies to all editions of Windows Vista. Is the documentation wrong? Or is there something wrong with my computer?
August 9th, 2007 5:58pm

Hi , Try the NET GROUP .... command and see if that works. Peter
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 9th, 2007 10:29pm

C:\Windows\system32>net group Sudoers /addThis command can be used only on a Windows Domain Controller.More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3515.C:\Windows\system32>net helpmsh 3515The syntax of this command is:NET [ ACCOUNTS | COMPUTER | CONFIG | CONTINUE | FILE | GROUP | HELP | HELPMSG | LOCALGROUP | PAUSE | PRINT | SESSION | SHARE | START | STATISTICS | STOP | TIME | USE | USER | VIEW ]I am only trying to create a local group
August 12th, 2007 8:26pm

Hi Neil, I agree that this is a problem, I have suffered it myself this very day - hence why I have found your post (in looking to see what others have done about it!). I think it very cheap of Microsoft to remove the facility to control user groups from Vista Home Premium, but it looks like something we will be forced to live with. I may one day make a free utility (if I get time )that enables users to fully control user groups & all users for Vista HPusers... but for now (if you still have a problem and if you dont I am sure others will use this post) consider this fix... You can still manageuser groups and list user groups even though the mmc control is resticted in Vista HP by using scriptingor 'net localgroup' (not "net group", this is forserverswith anactive directory domain) from an administrator privilages command prompt (Right click Start>Accessories>Command Prompt and select 'Run as Administrator'. A window appears asking for permission... click Continue.). eg. c:\Windows\System32>net localgroup /add Sudoers For a full list of options use:- c:\Windows\System32>net localgroup /?The syntax of this command is: NET LOCALGROUP[groupname [/COMMENT:"text"]] [/DOMAIN] groupname {/ADD [/COMMENT:"text"] | /DELETE} [/DOMAIN] groupname name [...] {/ADD | /DELETE} [/DOMAIN] The below is restricted in that it does not list all users, including system users. To do that, and list groups that users are in see the script at the end of this post. c:\Windows\System32>net users To use scripting... First you need to create the following script as a textfile on your hard disk (say your desktop)with a suitable name, say "creategroup.vbs " - note the .vbs extention - not .txt. You can do this by copy and pasting the script into notepad and using save as. But beware that notpad sometimes has a habit of sticking a .txt on the end, so you get "creategroup.vbs.txt" ... you may need to rename it if this is the case! Before saving... you need to change the "YourComputerName" in the script to the name of your computer. To find out your computers name, right click Computer on the desktop and click 'Properties'. Code Snippet ' VB Script Document BeginstrComputer = "YourComputerName" 'Change this to your computer's name! Set colAccounts = GetObject("WinNT://" & strComputer & "")Set objUser = colAccounts.Create("group", "Sudoers")objUser.SetInfo Next, you need to open a command prompt as an Administrator. Right click Start>Accessories>Command Prompt and select 'Run as Administrator'. A window appears asking for permission... click Continue. You now need to go to the location ofthisscript, creategroup.vbs, within this command console. If you put it on your desktop, type: cd %HOMEPATH%\desktop ...and press return. then type cscript creategroup.vbs (...return) (assuming you namedthe script"creategroup.vbs") This will create your user group, named"Sudoers". If you wanted to create a different group, you need to change the name in the script. If you want to check that it has been created, you can enumerate thought the groups & users with the following code... Code Snippet 'VB script Begin strComputer = "YourComputerName" 'Change this to your computer's name!Set colGroups = GetObject("WinNT://" & strComputer & "")colGroups.Filter = Array("group")For Each objGroup In colGroups Wscript.Echo objGroup.Name For Each objUser in objGroup.Members Wscript.Echo vbTab & objUser.Name NextNext Again, save it (say as "listgroups.vbs")and run it by using the above method, but typing "cscript listgroups.vbs" instead of "cscript creategroup.vbs". It will list all of your groups in Vista Home Premium. Regards, Nik
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 16th, 2007 1:13pm

Hello--"I agree that this is a problem, I have suffered it myself this very day - hence why I have found your post (in looking to see what others have done about it!). I think it very cheap of Microsoft to remove the facility to control user groups from Vista Home Premium,"It sure is! This is very annoying, since I cannot install VPN software without the advanced control."but it looks like something we will be forced to live with."Well, unless we give MS another $159."I may one day make a free utility (if I get time )that enables users to fully control user groups & all users for Vista HPusers... but for now (if you still have a problem and if you dont I am sure others will use this post) consider this fix..."Thanks for the fix. I'll try it. But I wonder: has anyone developed a utility yet?Thanks.
August 27th, 2007 5:58am

Neil, I just got the Toshiba Satellite Win Vista HP and that is one of the problemI have beside many others. I really don't know much computer i am just the user and I need help. As we knows the local Users and Groups is not accessable in the local comuter management besides that I can't even see it. I also cannot access the Documents and Settings folder in the local hard drive. The first day I was able to set up my profile and start running into many problem so I shut down the laptop. When I turned it back on the folder icon changed to like a shotcut folder and when I click on it the erro is the folder is not on c:] drive and not accessable. It is not the only folder the other folders like application data folder and all of the users (all users, default users were not accessable through the Documents and Settings folder but they are in the other folder in c:\ drive called 'Users' and my AmyE folder appears on the Desktop as well?!/! weird! The second thing is I can install driver for SMI helper driver either. I don't know what it is and where to look for the driver. I tried the disk that came with the pc not working. 3rd things is the prompt keeps coming up for me to instll the unknow hardware driver which I tried again not working. i llok in the device manager shown ? Ethernet controller twice. I think they are the wireless driver. I reinstalled from the recovery disk and it is not working!!!!! It keeps telling me to get the file from Toshiba value added program I did download from the home comuter and tried to install - deinstall previous version first athen reinstall ...Still not working... Got any idea to help me....Please? I can't return the machine it is passed 14 days and since I install other software applications on the machine I ddon't want to loose them ( Outlook 2003 full version & Acrobat Professional 8.0). I called Toshiba - they not really helpful and as usual the reply was i installed other programs on the pc and deinatll - reinstall to many times, can't really troubleshoot and off warranty - only the hardware. I didn't buy the 3 years warranty at the store either because it cause 1/2 of the price of the pc itself. i'm not cheap but just don't make a lot of money just to toss them away. Sorry - I need to aire out. Thank you and hope you can help. AmyE
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 28th, 2007 1:36am

Neil, thanks for sharing info on net localgroup and net users. I added a group to my Vista Home Premium machine but now I can't seem to figure out the command line options to put an existing user into the new group that I created. Do you know how to do that? Thanks
June 23rd, 2008 5:00am

Hello Jeremy, RE: Thanks: No problem Jeremy, pleased I could help. BTW, my name is Nik, Neil was the guy who first posted a question about this problem and I posted the answer Anyways, heres how to add a user to a group... The syntax of this command is: NET LOCALGROUP <<groupname>> <<user name>> {/ADD | /DELETE} Here is an example... I add alocal group calledniks_group and add a user (nik)(in an administratorsrun ascommand prompt windowsee above post for details). C:\Windows\system32>net localgroup niks_group /addThe command completed successfully. C:\Windows\system32>net localgroup niks_group nik /addThe command completed successfully. C:\Windows\system32>net localgroup niks_groupAlias name niks_groupComment Members -------------------------------------------------------------------------------NikThe command completed successfully. C:\Windows\system32> Regards, Nik
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 24th, 2008 7:25pm

Thanks Nik. I can now add groups and put users in groups from the command line. What I cannot figure out how to do, however, is give a group or a user access to remote logins. On a Vista Ultimate machine, there is a group called Remote Desktop Users, and any user in that group can make remote login connections to the machine via RDP. On my Vista Home Premium machine, there is no such "Remote Desktop Users" group. So, I created it and then added users to it. However, those users cannot connect to the machine via RDP presumably because I need to change some setting with regard to the "Remote Desktop Users" group to enable this access. Do you know how to change that setting or where it exists (in the registry or otherwise)? I believe it is part of the "local policy" for the machine, but with Home Premium, Microsoft gutted the ability to easily edit local policies, so I'm wondering if there is a way to do it manually with registry settings/etc.Thanks
June 26th, 2008 6:42pm

yes, i have this problem, i used the script above, and i forgot to rename Sudoers to the group name i wanted. does anyone know the script to remove said group? thanks in advance
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 29th, 2008 11:32am

Thanks Nik! Nice job. I was trying to Telnet into Vista but hadto add a user to the TelentClients group. I usedyour display group script and saw that TelnetClients was already there. So, I used the NET command as you described to add a user to the group and wham-o,I'm in.So, how/where did you learn to access the system like that? I'd like to know those things as well.Thanks Nik.
August 7th, 2009 11:28pm

I have a similar issue to JeremyLNY. How do I give a group permission to allow RDP?
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
December 19th, 2009 5:47am

Dear, Vista Home Premium does't support to the windows SERVER's
October 11th, 2010 5:52am

Dear, Vista Home Premium does't support to the windows SERVER's
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 11th, 2010 12:44pm

I did no script on my Microsoft®Windows®Vista™ Home Premium, I used a CMD.exe prompt as administrator, and, add and delete group(s) and user(s) in group(s)... I used commands for server 2008 "net localgroup" and "net user": http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725622(WS.10).aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771865(WS.10).aspx using MMC.exe doesn't work, snap-in "local users and groups" can not be use
November 7th, 2010 11:49pm

hi there. i am trying to define a homepath for a user. In the Previus version of Windows, if i created a new user, or used an old user, i could go in and define a home path ofr that specific user. Is there anyway i can do this, I need the user home directory to point to a certain path. Any ideas pleaseeeeeeeeee thanks
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 2nd, 2011 5:06pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics