How to copy my profile settings to the default Administrator account

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  1. Posts : 38
    Windows 7/ Ubuntu
       #1

    How to copy my profile settings to the default Administrator account


    I need to replace the system's Administrator profile settings with my own -- or copy my profile to that account. (I know. It's dangerous. Bla bla bla! I built this computer myself and I run my other Win7-x86 computer this way. I NEED the extra access the account provides.)

    This is Windows 7x64 SP1 Ultimate retail.

    The problem is that when I fresh-installed Win7-x64 to this new computer I forgot to rename the Administrator account to myself and login to it by default. So I've put all this work into setting up my own account (part of the Administrators Group) and now want to see if I can transfer all of that work to the Administrator account after logging on to it.

    I can copy Appdata over without a problem. Libraries are easy to change too. I'm worried about registry settings, Tasks, visual settings, etc. etc. If possible this includes program installations but I'll add these later if necessary.

    Another reason I'm asking is because Win7 64bit has a lot more security restrictions than 32-bit. So many changes I've made, such as registry tweaks to enable video codecs, I haven't been able to apply to the Local Machine, or to All Users.

    I don't think I can use Windows Easy Transfer because it will simply create a new account named something like Me2, right?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #2

    Forget it.

    Completely unnecessary and can only be problematic.

    The built-in administrator account is seldom, and for most, never needed.

    I disable the account, and the Guest account.

    please go to a command prompt, that is, run cmd.exe
    run following two commands and upload the resulting files that will appear on your desktop:
    wmic sysaccount get Domain,LocalAccount,Name,SID,Status /format:table > %userprofile%\desktop\SystemAccounts.txt

    wmic useraccount list full /format:table > %userprofile%\desktop\UserAccountsFull.txt

    HOW TO UPLOAD
    Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums
      My Computer

  3.    #3

    I believe an Admin-level account with UAC turned off is the same as Built-In Administrator account. I can't see any difference and I run them both ways.

    This is not to say any but the most experienced users should turn off UAC. You know who you are.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 38
    Windows 7/ Ubuntu
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I need to use the default Administrator account.

    I can already tell you what my accounts are:
    Me: Administrator (no UAC)
    Guest: Disabled
    Administrator: Disabled (never logged in to, no folder.)

    Like I said, it's my system, I built it, my risk.

    I need to do many things with registry tweaks, video codecs, etc. etc. that are just easier with the access of the default Administrator. If I can't copy my profile settings over I will have to do a fresh-install again. Last resort I will go back to Win7 x86 because I'm just having too many problems configuring the 64-bit OS.

    And yes, the access is higher than the User administrator accounts.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 38
    Windows 7/ Ubuntu
    Thread Starter
       #5

    There is this article here: Fix a corrupted user profile

    However, it only refers to the profile folders. Like I said, that's not my problem.

    I want the settings in HKCU mainly.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 38
    Windows 7/ Ubuntu
    Thread Starter
       #6

    One idea I'm thinking about is:

    1. Make an Easy Transfer backup in my current profile. (Let's all it "Me".)
    2. Create a temp user account -- administrator type, no UAC. (Call it "Tempy")
    3. Reboot and log in to the Tempy account.
    4. Delete "Me" and all it's folders (My Documents are stored elsewhere, don't worry -- I will remap the Libraries before doing this.)
    5. Rename the default Administrator account to "Me," then enable it.
    6. Reboot and log in to the new "Me" account.
    7. Delete the Tempy account and all of its folders. Empty the Recycle Bin.
    8. Reboot and log in to the new "Me" again, just to make sure all is deleted.
    9. Recover my old settings by running Windows Easy Transfer and applying them "Me."

    Now the only account on the computer (other than disabled Guest) would be "Me," which is also default Administrator with all its higher privileges. It SHOULD have all of my old settings (missing a few installed programs.)

    The only question is, will Windows Easy Transfer try to create a new account instead of applying the settings to the default Administrator account?

    I think I'll try this in a Virtual Machine and see what happens.

    Anyone tried this, or have a better idea?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #7

    Any good reason why you have not complied with post #2.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 640
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #8

    Could you upload a reg tweak or give an example of something that you can't do in a normal Administator account with UAC turned off because I havn't found anything I can't do yet.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 10,200
    MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
       #9

    Any good reason why you have not complied with post #2?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 120
    7 Ultimate x64/7 Home Premium x64
       #10

    gregrocker said:
    I believe an Admin-level account with UAC turned off is the same as Built-In Administrator account.
    There are a handful of Registry entries that will give up ownership only to the default Windows Adminstrator, and not to a created member of the Administrators Group. Other than that, I haven't noticed any differences.

    Oddly enough, once ownership of those particular Registry entries has been taken by the default Windows Administrator, that ownership is then shared with the Administrators Group.

    I run normally as a standard user with UAC in the default setting, and the Windows Administrator account disabled.
      My Computer


 
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