Hidden user accounts

JeffL · 06 Jun 2010

I am trying to create a hidden user account to be able to login to my young daughter's laptop without her knowing I have access. It has W7 home. I have successfully created an admin user acct and hidden it using RegEdit but of course W7 doesn't allow two inputs of control-alt-delete to bring up a login screen like XP did.

I saw some posts saying that I could login using safe mode but when I tried that it went to my daughter's login icon.

I also read somewhere that right clicking on a program and doing a "runas admin" would work but I can't get to the start bar without going through her login icon.

So, how can I create a way onto her (actually my) computer without having an icon on the desktop and tipping her off that I am monitoring her?

Thanks

Jeff

joel406 · 06 Jun 2010

How do we know that you want to monitor your "daughter".

Information such as you are asking puts everyone at risk.

Personal privacy is a right.

If you don't trust your daughter take the computer away.

zigzag3143 · 06 Jun 2010

JeffL said:

I am trying to create a hidden user account to be able to login to my young daughter's laptop without her knowing I have access. It has W7 home. I have successfully created an admin user acct and hidden it using RegEdit but of course W7 doesn't allow two inputs of control-alt-delete to bring up a login screen like XP did.

I saw some posts saying that I could login using safe mode but when I tried that it went to my daughter's login icon.

I also read somewhere that right clicking on a program and doing a "runas admin" would work but I can't get to the start bar without going through her login icon.

So, how can I create a way onto her (actually my) computer without having an icon on the desktop and tipping her off that I am monitoring her?

Thanks

Jeff

Jef while it is probably better that you tell her, there is an easy way. type cmd in search>rightclick and run as admin>type Net user administrator :enable. login as administrator. when your done type net user :disable, and poof its gone.

The exact syntax for net user (mine may be vague) can be found by typing net user /?

There is also a good tutorial on the topic in our tutorial section

Good luck

Ken

JeffL · 06 Jun 2010

Joel- I appreciate your concerns about privacy but what I am asking is how to perform a function that only an administrator can perform which means whether it is a child, employee etc, it would still be something I have the legal right to do. In other words, I don't see how the info would put anyone's privacy at risk.

Ken-I am not sure I understand what you are saying to do but I will try it. Is what you ask me to type something that I can do initially while I have access to the computer after someone has logged in, or can it be done from the windows screen before login?
Thanks

Bare Foot Kid · 06 Jun 2010

Hello JeffL, welcome to Seven Forums!

The tutorial Ken mentioned is at the link below.

Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable

mpcrsc562 · 06 Jun 2010

JeffL said:

I am trying to create a hidden user account to be able to login to my young daughter's laptop without her knowing I have access. It has W7 home. I have successfully created an admin user acct and hidden it using RegEdit but of course W7 doesn't allow two inputs of control-alt-delete to bring up a login screen like XP did.

I saw some posts saying that I could login using safe mode but when I tried that it went to my daughter's login icon.

I also read somewhere that right clicking on a program and doing a "runas admin" would work but I can't get to the start bar without going through her login icon.

So, how can I create a way onto her (actually my) computer without having an icon on the desktop and tipping her off that I am monitoring her?

Thanks

Jeff

This post will not further the discussion into what you're looking for, but I have a question: Why do you need to monitor her with her unaware? I'm not trying to beat on you... I'm just curious. I have two daughters, 7 & 4, with the 7 y.o. really beginning to learn her way around the computer I got for her (them). She uses it to play games 95% of the time, with the remaining time spent on sites like Barbie.com or Nickjr.com, but it is known that although it is "their" computer, it ultimately is mine--and as long as they want to use it, their usage will be monitored. Go foul of my rules and usage priviledges will be revoked. It's that simple.

So, I'm not getting on you for monitoring, just why must she be unaware?

I think that's a fair question, and again, I'm not trying to beat you down or condemn. :)

JeffL · 06 Jun 2010

Thanks Ken and BFK- I managed to get that option to work perfectly but unless I am missing something it still requires me to be able to access the start bar. Is there any way to login from the Windows 7 start screen (the one with the users listed- the one on which my admin icon is hidden) ?
thanks

JeffL · 06 Jun 2010

mpcrsc562 said:

So, I'm not getting on you for monitoring, just why must she be unaware?

I think that's a fair question, and again, I'm not trying to beat you down or condemn. :)

Hi- that is a legitimate question. With all my kids I give them the benefit of the doubt until they prove to me that they can't be trusted. Once they lose that I resort to more stealthy options. With my son, who knew when he knew he was being monitored he was guarded with his comments and I had nothing showing any illicit activity. After an incident when he was caught underage drinking and lying about it I switched tactics. When I monitored his usage without his knowledge (using XP) I found out he was using pot and was able to get him to see a substance abuse counselor to hopefully keep his drug use from getting past the "experimental stage". If he knew I was monitoring him I never would have found out about his drug use.

Hidden user accounts

Hidden user accounts

Joel and Ken

still confused