how to create a use account with administrator rights in XP

[edong]

This computer has been idle for many months because of a broken monitor. Now no one remembers the users' password. I can use the Guest account and use the internet but I cannot install any software because I do not have administrator rights. Is there a way to make the Guest account to have administrator rights? Or better still, create another user with adminitrator rights? This is the same PC that is the subject of my other post about the bad monitor. Thanks.

[guns1inger]

Ophcrack is a standalone linux distro (i.e. you burn it to CD then boot from it) that can crack any local XP account passwords, including administrator. It cannot break network/domain passwords. You can download it here : http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/download.php?type=livecd

You could also try this : http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=305

Not quite as clever as Ophcrack is this one : http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/ which is also a bootable linux distro, but smaller as it doesn't need to fit all of Ophcrack's rainbow hash tables. This one won't tell you the admin password, but it will reset it for you. Note : while this generally works very well, it does sometimes take 2 - 3 attempts to for the reset to take. Follow the instructions in the link (above), as this does not have a pretty GUI to handhold you.

[edong]

Thanks. In the meantime, those named in the users are searching the house and the office for their passwords. Will keep you posted.

[Dv8ted2]

You could boot into safe mode and use the hidden administrator account to remove the password. If there is one or more accounts on the computer, the admin account is usually hidden.

[TBoneit]

Administrator account does not show up on XP Home unless safe mode is used. One of the differences between it and XP Pro.

Except that the Administrator account can also have a password. It should have a password or the computer isn't very secure.

Another problem is that a new user may have to take ownership of a folder to view it.