Create, Modify and Delete Accounts in Windows XP Professional

   Windows XP Professional provides two ways to create, modify, and delete user accounts: One is the User Accounts tool in the Control Panel and the other is Computer Management snap-in. The difference between the two is that the former provides a friendly wizard like user interface to manage with accounts and even a person with little knowledge can follow the steps and do the needful to manage the accounts on a stand alone computer. The latter is used by advanced users like system adminstrators who need to have more control over the management of working with user accounts especially in a domain.

   User Accounts Tools

  The User Accounts tool in the Control Panel as seen below is one of the tools used to create, modify, and delete local user accounts. Note the word "local". This means that the accounts created will be visible only on that computer where the accounts were created. The other type of accounts are created on a domain controller and can be accessed from anywhere. These accounts are not seen in the User Accounts Tool in the Control Panel.

   If you are logged on with an account that is a member of the Administrators group, the tools to work with accounts are visible and these can be seen only if the account has Administrative privileges. The the Pick A Task portion of the User Accounts tool allows you to perform the following tasks:

  • Change an account (which includes deleting the account).
  • Create a new user account.
  • Change the way users log on or log off.

    •    Changing an Account

      If you are an administrator, the Change An Account task allows you to make changes to any user account on the computer. The Pick A Task screen contains some of the following options that an administrator can perform. These tasks are explained below:
  • Change The Name. Changes the user account name of an account on the computer. You only see this option if you are logged on as an administrator because only an administrator can perform this task.
  • Create A Password. Creates a password for your account. You only see this option if your user account does not have a password. Only an administrator can create passwords for other user accounts.
  • Change The Password. Changes the password for your account. You only see this option if your user account already has a password assigned to it; you see this option instead of the Create A Password option. Only an administrator can change passwords for other user accounts.
  • Remove The Password. Removes the password for your account or any other account on the computer. You only see this option if your user account already has a password assigned to it. Only an administrator can remove passwords for other user accounts.
  • Change The Picture. Changes the picture that appears on the Welcome screen. Only an administrator can change the pictures for other user accounts.
  • Change The Account Type. Changes the account type for a specified account. Only an administrator can change the account type for a user account.
  • Set Up the Account To Use A .NET Passport. Starts the Add A .NET Passport To Your Windows XP Professional Account Wizard. A passport allows you to have online conversations with family and friends, create your own personal Web pages, and sign in instantly to all .NET-enabled sites and services. You can set up only your own account to use a .NET passport.
  • Delete The Account. Deletes a specified user account. You only see this option if you are logged on as an administrator because only an administrator can perform this task.

    •   Note

       When you delete a user account, Windows XP Professional displays the Do You Want To Keep "local_user_account" Files window. If you click Keep Files, Windows XP Professional saves the contents of the about to be deleted user's desktop and My Documents folder to a new folder called local_user_account on your desktop. However, it cannot save local_user_account's e-mail messages, Internet Favourites, or other settings. To save these settings, the user will have to use the export tools for Outlook Express and Internet Explorer to save the mail settings and Internet favourites.

       How to change the settings when logged as a limited user

      To change your account while logged on with a limited user account, complete the following steps:
  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts. The Pick A Task window appears.
  • Click the appropriate option for the modification that you want to make for your account and then follow the prompts on the screen.

    •    How to change the settings when logged as an Administrator

      To change an account while logged on as an administrator, complete the following steps:
  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
  • In the User Accounts window, click Change An Account. The Pick An Account To Change window appears.
  • Click the account you want to change. The What Do You Want To Change About "the selected_user" Account window appears.
  • Click the appropriate option for the modification that you want to make and then follow the prompts on the screen.

    •    Creating a New User Account

      Only administrators can create new user accounts. This option is only available on the Pick A Task screen if you are logged on with Administrative privileges. To create a new user account, complete the following steps:

  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
  • In the User Accounts window, click Create A New Account. The Name The New Account window appears.
  • In the Type A Name For The New Account box, type a user logon name (up to 20 characters), and then click Next.
  • The Pick An Account Type window appears. Windows XP Professional provides two account types: Computer Administrator and Limited. Select the appropriate account type, and then click Create Account.

    •   Note

      The name that is given for the new Account appears in the Welcome screen and on the Start menu. Hence it is important that the Administrator choose the appropriate name that will easily identify the user.
        
    Capability Administrator Limited User
    Change your own picture X X
    Create, change, or remove your password X X
    Change your own account type X -
    Change your own account name X -
    Change other users' pictures, passwords, account types, and account names X -
    Have full access to other user accounts X -
    Create user accounts on this computer X -
    Access and read all files on this computer X -
    Install programs and hardware X -
    Make systemwide changes to the computer X -

       Changing the Way Users Log On or Log Off

      Only administrators can change the way users log on or log off the computer. This option is only available on the Pick A Task screen if you are logged on with administrative privileges.

      These two options control how all users log on and log off the computer:
  • Use The Welcome Screen.This check box, enabled by default, allows you to click your user account on the Welcome screen to log on to the computer. If you clear this check box, you must type your user name and password at a logon prompt to log on.
  • Use Fast User Switching.This check box, enabled by default, allows you to quickly switch to another user account without first logging off and closing all programs. When you are finished, you can switch to the first user account.

    •    To change the way users log on or log off, complete the following steps:

  • Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
  • In the User Accounts window, click Change The Way Users Log On Or Off. The Select Logon And Logoff Options window appears.
  • Select or clear the appropriate check boxes.

    •    Options available when creating new User Account

      The table below describes the options available when creating a local user account.

        
    Option Action
    User Name Type the user's logon name. This field is required.
    Full Name Type the user's full name. You can include the user's first and last names, but you can also include the middle name or initial. This field is optional.
    Description Type descriptive text about the user account or the user. This field is optional.
    Password Type the account password that is used to authenticate the user. For greater security, always assign a password. As an additional security measure, the password appears as a string of asterisks as you type it.
    Confirm Password Confirm the password by typing it a second time. This field is required if you assign a password.
    User Must Change Password At Next Logon Select this check box if you want the user to change his or her password the first time that he or she logs on. This ensures that only the user knows the password. This option is selected by default.
    User Cannot Change Password Select this check box if more than one person uses the same user account (such as Guest), or if you want only administrators to control passwords. If you have selected the User Must Change Password At Next Logon check box, this option is not available.
    Password Never Expires Select this check box if you never want the password to change-for example, for a domain user account that a program or a Windows XP Professional service uses. The User Must Change Password At Next Logon option overrides this option, so if you have selected the User Must Change Password At Next Logon check box, this option is not available.
    Account Is Disabled Select this check box to prevent use of this account-for example, for a new employee who has not yet started working.
     
     
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