dv7 Administrator problems

Got a weird problem only on the Administrator profile. Most of the programs simply won't start anymore. I double click on the icon, even on the actual executible file, and nothing happens. I try to start iTunes...it can no longer find it. I try to start Quicken, and pretty much anything else, nothing happens. All other profiles on my machine work fine and do not have these problems.

I've run virus scan (Norton), and nothing.

Anyone else seeing this, or can at least know what's going on? Is my Admin account corrupt?

Course of action? I've had this laptop for about 4 months now, and this behavior started this past week.

Thanks.

-M

 

First thing you should check is to see if the account you believe is the Admin account still IS the Admin account. Just because it WAS doesn't mean it still IS - someone could've changed it. Also check to see if the account type is still shown as an Admin account. Make sure too that someone isn't screwing with you and turned Parental Controls on, or that it got turned on by accident.

Another, more likely scenario is that somehow your User Account has been disabled, which is different of course than being deleted. Disabling means exactly what it implies, and so far everything you've described points to
a disabled account.

To check, follow this procedure:

1. Open Microsoft Management Console by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, typing mmc into the Search box, and then pressing ENTER. Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

2. In the left pane of Microsoft Management Console, click Local Users and Groups.

If you don't see Local Users and Groups -

If you don't see Local Users and Groups, it's probably because that snap-in has not been added to Microsoft Management Console. Follow these steps to add it:
a. In Microsoft Management Console, click the File menu, and then click Add/Remove Snap-in.
b. Click Local Users and Groups, and then click Add.
c. Click Local computer, and then click Finish.
d. Click OK.
3. Open out the folders by clicking on the drop-down arrow, then double-click the Users folder.
4. Right-click the user account you want to disable, and then click Properties.
5. On the General tab, select the Account is disabled check box, and then click OK.

Note: To enable a disabled account, follow the same steps as you would for disabling an account, but clear the Account is disabled check box.

The link to that MS procedure is at this link: http://tinyurl.com/3auwo6

The Administrator account (not a User account with Admin privileges, the actual Administrator account) is normally disabled by default. It's possible that a recent update changed it if you had it enabled. Microsoft is great at doing things like that.

If you have an idea when it started, bring up your Windows Update logs and see what updates were installed. Also, check your Event logs to see if there's an error preventing a key process from running.

1. Control Panel > Administrative Tools
2. Click on Event Viewer
3. Go through the Custom View, Windows and Application and Services logs to see if there's anything adversely affecting account operation.

 

Well I did a little searching, and actually my account is a user account with Admin privileges. So, I made another account and made that one have Admin privileges and then went back to my troubled account, and I still have problems. So it really isn't Admin related. Something is just plain wrong with my user account.

Hmm.

-M