I recently changed the user account settings on my PC, password protecting the main administrator account (the default "Administrator" setting) and adding a second account with administrator privileges, for my 8-year old to use (decided she was getting old enough I didn't want her to see everything on the administrator account).I came home today, turned the computer on, and the "Administrator" account did not appear on the log on screen. I have no idea what happened, and my mother and daughter (who were home all day), said it just appeared that way when they turned it on this afternoon. I went to the User Settings page from the Control Panel (logged into my daughter's account) and did not see it there either. However, just to see what would happen, I tried to create a new account with the title "Administrator" and a message popped up saying there is already an account with that name and I must choose a different name. This leads me to believe the account is still somewhere on the PC and has not been deleted.My main concern is accessing the files, folders and settings that were on the old "Administrator" account. I can access most of them while logged onto my daughter's account (since it has administrator privileges) by going through the Documents and Settings but there are some files I can't seem to locate, as well as protected files I cannot open.How can I restore the old "Administrator" account, along with all the saved settings? How can I access ALL of the files on that user account? Since the warranty on my PC is expired, HP apparently can't restore this for me.Thanks for any assistance you can offer!1 person needs an answerI do too

You haven't told us which version of Win XP you are using.With Win XP Home Edition, the built-in Administrator account is hidden by default. With Win XP professional, it does not always appear on the log-on screen, particularly if you have created accounts for other users.If you are using Win XP Home, try re-booting into Safe Mode. Hopefully, that will reveal the built-in Administrator account as one of the log in options. Having done logged on, you will be able to check and change any of the User Account settings (via Control Panel / User Accounts).If you are using Win XP Professional, you could use the same procedure (via Safe Mode). Alternatively, you could reveal the hidden Administrator Account, by pressing Ctrl/Alt/Del twice at the log on screen.However, that leads me to a separate topic. It is not good practice to log onto the built-in Administrator User account for day to day use. That User Account should be used to manage your computer configurations - and nothing else. It is preferable, to create your own personal User Account for day to day use. If desired, you can designate your personal account as an Administrator Account.Furthermore, I really don't understand why you have designated your daughter's User Account with Administrator privileges. That account should have been created with 'Limited' privileges only. Do you really want an 8-year old girl to have access to the inner workings of your computer?Ideally, you should have the following User Accounts on your computer:The built-in Administrator Account (not for day to day use)Your own User Account (with Administrator privileges)Your daughter's User Account (with Limited privileges)A built-in Guest Account (Limited privileges - and turned off by default)Other User Accounts (if required) "krelle81" wrote in message news:Email removed for privacy...I recently changed the user account settings on my PC, password protecting the main administrator account (the default "Administrator" setting) and adding a second account with administrator privileges, for my 8-year old to use (decided she was getting old enough I didn't want her to see everything on the administrator account).I came home today, turned the computer on, and the "Administrator" account did not appear on the log on screen. I have no idea what happened, and my mother and daughter (who were home all day), said it just appeared that way when they turned it on this afternoon. I went to the User Settings page from the Control Panel (logged into my daughter's account) and did not see it there either. However, just to see what would happen, I tried to create a new account with the title "Administrator" and a message popped up saying there is already an account with that name and I must choose a different name. This leads me to believe the account is still somewhere on the PC and has not been deleted.My main concern is accessing the files, folders and settings that were on the old "Administrator" account. I can access most of them while logged onto my daughter's account (since it has administrator privileges) by going through the Documents and Settings but there are some files I can't seem to locate, as well as protected files I cannot open.How can I restore the old "Administrator" account, along with all the saved settings? How can I access ALL of the files on that user account? Since the warranty on my PC is expired, HP apparently can't restore this for me.Thanks for any assistance you can offer!