missing user account

[ILovePizza]

my brother's standard user account went missing.. it disappeared in the welcome screen and in the user accounts (control panel) but the files and the user folder is still there...

please help T.T

 

[Anak]

Hi ILovePizza, welcome to 7F

Sounds like it may have been disabled somehow, use this tutorial to see if it has, and you can make the necessary adjustment there:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/181426-user-account-enable-disable.html

 

[ILovePizza]

Hello Anak ^^

i was trying to do that User Account - Enable or Disable tip but i wasn't able to find the account there...

so i check the properties of the user account folder in drive C and found a Unknown user account... i'm curious..is it a virus or error or something....

and thanks for welcoming here at 7F ^^

i always visit here when i have problems in my laptop..

 

[Brink]

Hello ILovePizza, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if doing a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated before your brother's account went missing may be able to help.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Anak]

Hello Anak ^^

i was trying to do that User Account - Enable or Disable tip but i wasn't able to find the account there...

so i check the properties of the user account folder in drive C and found a Unknown user account... i'm curious..is it a virus or error or something....

and thanks for welcoming here at 7F ^^

i always visit here when i have problems in my laptop..

A good bit of sleuthing on your part!

I was curious myself that is why it took a while to respond, and checked my user account. I also have an "Unknown User" account. :shock:

So in checking previous threads the prudent thing to do would be to run an anti-malware scan, but in all likelihood you will not have any infections.

There can be several reasons why the account is created, http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/157099-unknown-account.html#post1347612 I believe in my case is was from a previously deleted account.

One case here: http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/184141-unknown-user-account.html involved a Nvida Updater that when the program was installed it included its own account presumably to facilitate its updates :shock:

The suggestion was made to change the name to your user name, wait for a length of time, and if there were not any problems to go ahead, and delete it.
The reason you wait is like in the Nvida example it may be required by another program, but some users feel this is way too intrusive, and they will delete the account immediately without any ill effects.


If you can see the Account:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2974-user-accounts.html

If you can not see it in the user accounts applet in Control Panel.
http://www.sevenforums.com/system-security/9477-unknown-account-appears-windows-7-a.html#post410704

Some information on your missing account:
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/103325-user-account-missing-help.html

What is an S I D?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Identifier


I see Brink has posted, a system Restore is a good solution.

 

[stevieray]

Missing user accounts and unknown user accounts could definitely be caused by malware. If it was me, the first thing I would do is scan for malware three different ways:

Malwarebytes Malwarebytes : Malwarebytes Anti-Malware PRO removes malware including viruses, spyware, worms and trojans, plus it protects your computer
Superantispyware SUPERAntiSpyware.com - Downloads
ESET online scan: ESET :: Get a FREE Online Virus Scan

Do all three if you can -- some infections can hide from one or two of these antimalware programs, but not all of them. (For instance widgi toolbar and updater is not found by Malwarebytes, but ESET gets it right away. And widgi blocks real user accounts and creates it's own fake one.)