Windows XP User Account newb question

Okay, I just bought a laptop and I was trying to change the name from "administrator" However, there's no option for "Change my name" I created a new account, and there's no option for "Delete the account" either!!! I'm not sure why these two options do not show up unlike my desktop. Am I tripping?
Pls help!!!

 

um. ok first, what versoin of XP are you running? home or pro?
2. You CANT delete Administrator Account
3. You CANT rename Administrator Account, and as far as i know any other acount

you'd be best to make a new account w/ administrative privlidges and use it

 

I'm running XP Pro.
I'm running XP Pro on my desktop too.
And on my desktop I can rename the administrator's account, but can't delete.
Any other account (other than the primary) I can rename or delete.

 

You're Desktop must be running SP1 on XP Pro then, even though I've still never heard of being able to rename the administrator account. It's supposed to be there by default from windows so its not supposed to be changed (except the pass etc)

 

administrator account has always had the ability to be renamed in every version of windows i've used...

NT Server and Workstation 4.0, Win 2000, Win XP, etc.

 

Maybe you're right. My desktop could be running SP1.
Well, I guess I'll just give up on renaming the Primary account.
My biggest concern now is how to delete the other account that I made!!!
I can delete what I created right?

 

I finally figured out how.....

Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Local Users and Groups -> User -> Administrator -> Rename

 

when you go to 'user accounts' from control panel, you don't have an option to "change an account" > pick the account > "change my name" ?

 

Now that I've figured it out it really doesn't matter, but it really didn't show up in there. Don't know why. Thanks for your help guys.

 

DON'T RENAME THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT!!
Always leave it the way it was when you installed windows. Do this because if you have problems with your username, you can always log on to the Administrator account and fix them. Instead, just make the Administrator account invisible from the welcom screen (Logon screen).

you can do this by:

click Start--->Run--->Regedit

Explore to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList.
Note: There is a space between Windows and NT.

Add the username you wish to hide as a DWORD value. Set the value to 0 (zero). This will prevent the user from showing up on the welcome screen. You will need to press CTRL-ALT-DEL twice at the logon screen to get the old Win2K logon, to be able to logon to the account you've hidden. Adding a username and setting the value to 1 will cause that user, such as Administrator, to show up on the Welcome screen as well.

 

i don't think i understand the logic behind not renaming the admin account?

 

If you ever had a problem with an account you will be able to change it with the Administrator account. In other words, you can log on as admin and then make changes to the other accounts and their settings (forgotten passwords, virus, etc.).

 

ok, but how is that any different from just logging on with the renamed administrator account? by your reasoning, you could just create limitless user accounts "just in case"

or am i missing something?

 

i'm with drumfu on this one...I don't see any difference renaming your admin account. Its not going to make a difference what you call it, it will still have the administrative rights. You aren't supposed to use your admin account as your main account though.

 

yea, but if you rename it and use that as your "main account". Then if something happens to this "main account" then you won't have another account to use which has administrative rights in order to correct this problem. You may not get the point, but trust me it is an issue with some. However, it may not be an issue for other users.

I am not trying to start a flame war or anything, and i dont feel any of u are either. Thanks for not flaming this guy for his difference of opinion!

thats what makes this forum so great

 

Okay, i see what you are talking about. I thought you meant renaming the admin account while you have other user accounts. Yeah, I agree. You shouldn't rename your admin account just so you can use it as your main account.

 

The administrator account should be renamed. This is an added level of security that you can put on your system. This will make it much more difficult for a hacker to hack your system since most will probably try Administrator as the login name first. Just don't disable/delete this account.

-Vb-

 

Well if i renamed mine, i would rename it to something like admin. But a good point you have made vb. I would say from a security standpoint definately rename, but don't rename to use it as a regular user account.