Can't Delete User; now have two Admins!

[LMiller7]

I followed this to "computer management" level and then could not find "local users and groups" within this set of windows. Where did I miss something? I guess my question is how do I get to "local users and groups"? Thanks for your help with this.

The access to "Local Users and Groups" through Computer Management only exists in Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. This access does not exist in home editions. Aside from the limited options in control panel the only control over users and groups (at least with Microsoft supplied tools) is from the command line.

 

[Think Tank]

Hi ThinkTank: Here's the stuff that came up with that command you suggested:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\Paul>wmic useraccount get /value
 
AccountType=512
Caption=Office2010\Administrator
Description=Built-in account for administering the computer/domain
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Office2010
FullName=PK
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Administrator
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-3396899938-2915431147-3368781619-500
SIDType=1
Status=OK
 
AccountType=512
Caption=Office2010\Guest
Description=Built-in account for guest access to the computer/domain
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Office2010
FullName=
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Guest
PasswordChangeable=FALSE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=FALSE
SID=S-1-5-21-3396899938-2915431147-3368781619-501
SIDType=1
Status=OK
 
AccountType=512
Caption=Office2010\HomeGroupUser$
Description=Built-in account for homegroup access to the computer
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Office2010
FullName=HomeGroupUser$
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=HomeGroupUser$
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-3396899938-2915431147-3368781619-1002
SIDType=1
Status=OK
 
AccountType=512
Caption=Office2010\NeroMediaHomeUser.4
Description=
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Office2010
FullName=NeroMediaHomeUser.4
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=NeroMediaHomeUser.4
PasswordChangeable=FALSE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=FALSE
SID=S-1-5-21-3396899938-2915431147-3368781619-1006
SIDType=1
Status=OK
 
AccountType=512
Caption=Office2010\Paul
Description=
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Office2010
FullName=Paul Kemp
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Paul
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=FALSE
SID=S-1-5-21-3396899938-2915431147-3368781619-1001
SIDType=1
Status=OK
 
AccountType=512
Caption=Office2010\UpdatusUser
Description=Used to provide NVIDIA software updates
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Office2010
FullName=UpdatusUser
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=UpdatusUser
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=TRUE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-3396899938-2915431147-3368781619-1005
SIDType=1
Status=OK
 
 
C:\Users\Paul>

Excellent! It looks like you took your original Admin account, and renamed it to PK. Sometime before or after that, you created a new account calling it Paul Kemp. I believe you mentioned that "Paul Kemp" is an administrator account as well. If you wish to get rid of the original Admin account (now named PK,) simply type the following in an elevated command prompt:

wmic useraccount where name="administrator" set disabled=true

As others have mentioned, it cannot fully be deleted, but this will disable it from appearing in your login screen, as well as your user accounts page in the control panel. If you ever want it back (for whatever reason) simply type in an elevated prompt:

wmic useraccount where name="administrator" set disabled=false

Keep in mind that once you disable the administrator account, you will still have a %Systemdrive%\users\Administrator folder that you can send to the recycle bin now if you so choose. But since you used this account for some time, I'm guessing you have at least some documents in there that you would want to save over into a different folder before deleting it.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

A general use tip: before sending the PK account to sleep with the commands said above, rename it to "Administrator". Will ease eventual troubleshooting in the future.

 

[Think Tank]

A general use tip: before sending the PK account to sleep with the commands said above, rename it to "Administrator". Will ease eventual troubleshooting in the future.

I would have to disagree. If you are used to the account being named PK, you will remember that is the one you would like restored should you so desire. But if you are to rename it to Administrator, when you re-enable it, it might not occur to the user that it is the one that was disabled earlier thereby bringing confusion in troubleshooting. Perhaps you are correct, but this was the reason I did not advise it.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Yeah it all comes down to how good is his memory. Mine sucks so I prefer to leave it with its standard name, so I can remember more easily what is that thing in case it comes up in the future.