User Accounts

Question

When I try to access user accounts, I can't.  I am able to go to Control Panel, but I cannot click on the User Accounts button.  I have also tried clicking the icon at the top of the start bar, but I cannot open the page.  If I click on something else, like Appearance and Themes in Control Panel, that opens, but User Accounts will not.  What can I do?

RoadiJeff · Answer

Are you signed on with an account that has system administrator privileges?

bschoep · Answer

Yes I am.  Both accounts have administrator privileges, and on both I am unable to open the user account page

bschoep · Answer

Does anyone have any suggestions?  I am not able to delete an account, change a picture, or just open the window.

maxd · Answer

A more direct route (that also may not work), from Start|Run: control passwords

maxd · Answer

That may be a clue to your problem, the fact that it won't run the command. Try a few others. control passwords2 services.msc I'm logging off so someone else may jump in with *the* answer.

bschoep · Answer

I can open the services.msc, but after that I don't know what to do.  I looked for familiar words, but nothing looked like it could be related to control panel or user accounts.  The control passwords2 just closes the box again.

bschoep · Answer

When I try it (assuming you mean to type it the way you wrote), and click OK, it just shuts the box down.  I've tried browsing for something, but I dont really know where to look.

maxd · Answer

Don't worry about services(.msc). I was just seeing what would run. It appears as if the problem is limited to user accounts only. That said, try these things in order til you get success.

from Start|Run, enter this command:

nusrmgr.cpl

If that flashes too go that file (find it in System32 folder), right-click on it and choose "Open with Control Panel"

If Users Account doesn't open still, right-click the nusrmgr.cpl file again, select "Rename" and call the file nusrmgr.cpl.old

Restart computer (this may not be necessary) and attempt to access UAccounts via the control panel. If no go, run an updated virus scan and post back. Talk to you tomorrow.

bschoep · Answer

So I did all that and nothing works.  I used an up to date virus scanner, and there are no viruses or anything.    When I click on the icon, the tower makes a sound like it is trying to start, and the hourglass shows up for a second, but then it stops. Message Edited by bschoep on 02-05-2006 12:18 PM

maxd · Answer

Message Edited by maxd on 02-06-2006 10:13 PM

maxd · Answer

This may well fix it even if the error messages (in the link) don't show for you. You may get some kind of warning when you run it which is as it should be but run it anyway. It can't hurt; trust me. If this doesn't work a Repair Install (don't go there) likely will.

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/olereg.htm

bschoep · Answer

I am trying to do it and Norton AntiVirus popped up saying a malicious script was detected.  It is high risk and the computer has been halted.  I clicked 'stop this script', because I dont know what it means.  Is it alright to run still?

maxd · Answer

It's considered malicious cause it writes to your registry and some malicious stuff does that. If you right-cllcik on the file itself and scan for viruses you'll see it's clean of those. I tested it on my machine before giving you the go-ahead. So Allow the whole script to run, yes.

bschoep · Answer

So I did that, and a box came up saying 'OLE registration fix completed'  I tried to click user accounts and still nothing.  I tried restarting, but still nothing.  Why is this happening? Is it something that I did or does it just happen?

maxd · Answer

It doesn't just happen. It could be an issue of permissions, path corruption, or other unknowns. Could be avirus but mot likely; you should run a full scan however-just to rule that out. An appropriate registry edit would probably fix the problem but I can't find the exact one.

You are using XP Home, right ?
You don't use a password to log on, right ?

1. Try System Restore; go back as far as you can to see if you can get it working.

2. Logon on in Safe Mode. Select the Administrator account with a blank password.

(To reach Safe Mode:

restart computer, start tapping the F8 key as soon as the keyboard light begin flashing. Keep tapping til you get the Advanced Menu. From there select "Safe Mode".)

If you can't access User Accounts from the 'Admintrator's Safe Mode' then it's wouldn't appear to be a permissions issue.

Windows General

User Accounts

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