Xp: My Admin Account Is Defective


Recommended Posts

Apparently something is interfering with my XP Home Admin account. I have my notebook set up like this for 2+ yrs:

XX has a limited permissions account for surfing

I have a limited permissions account for surfing

I have a full permissions Administrators account for maintenance

I was advised that doing my surfing on a limited permissions account was a secure way to help safeguard my computer in case I run into a hostile script on the web. The theory being that installations would not be as possible if the PC is accessed via a limited permissions user account. Not sure how valid this is but I was given this advice by the manager of a community college PC dept who is responsible for 700+ user PCs on campus so I figured it could not hurt.

Here's the problem:

I thought I downloaded a new version of Skype into my downloads folder last week, with the intent I'd manually install it later. (That's my usual MO - download the program into the download folder and then later scan and install it, doing any remove needed at that time. But I keep getting the prompt on boot up that there is a new version of Skype available, so I figured I'd better get it installed and stop the annoying prompt.

Today I used my Admin account to uninstall the older version in Add/Remove programs. To my surprise there were actually 2 versions of Skype installed, so somehow this new version was installed rather than just being downloaded to my pending folder for manual install later. When I tried to uninstall on the Add/Remove programs list, it tells me I need to be an Administrator to do that! Duh! I am already an Administrator.... but my computer doesn't seem to know that!

Frustrated, I figure, heck, I'll just make a new Admin account with full permissions for myself and fix this little problem. No deal, I got the same shut down prompt refusing me admin privileges using the brand new Admin account as well.

I have no idea what to do and I'm hoping someone here will have some advice. I haven't tried to find anything at MS because every time I search there I find nothing applicable to my problem and when it does return some result, it's almost undecipherable to me.

Fingers crossed someone here will have a lead for me on this....

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...