How do I get "Eric" off my user/administrative account and hardrive?

fofura

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Jan 29, 2010
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Okay, have patience with me. I set up a computer I bought so that I was the administrator for it along with a password. I keep finding that the old owner's name of the computer is everywhere as user ( he seems to rule the c drive ) and when I tried to get in to properties in the registry I was denied access. Hunh? I am not a techie, I am dangerous, but I went looking and I can't figure out how to get true control and, also, Eric has a folder ( MY stuff, photos inside) on the C: drive which bears his name as user, but not my name as administrator hunh??? call me stupid, but there are also a ton of things that seem kind of out of place...a bunch of eulas, software licensing stuff and info, all my program file folders. When I go to Performance logs and click on Administrator I am denied permission, then it says click to continue and be given permission and I am never given permission. When I go to the account section to manage users there is no sign of an Eric, just me as user and me as administrator... :eek:

I went to somewhere I can't remember how i got there, using administrator or user control maybe as a search, to try and change things but I don't know what I am doing, there is System, my name as a user, then my name combined with \Eric and then me as administrator and we are all given full access though I don't seem to have access even signed in as administrator. I have no idea....The screen for Local Disk (C Users Eric is clearly in his name. Why am I not kicking a*r*s*e on my own computer? How can I gain control? Make answers nice and eaaaaaassssyyyyyyyy please!
 

fofura

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Jan 29, 2010
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Well I don't think I need to go that far, I just can't figure it out as my computer is clearly in my name, I changed it and took over administrative rights and thought that was that...not so....I've gone to uncheck find /show hidden files and drives, nothing...messed in user accounts some more...there's no viruses on it, it had a clean install of windows 7 on it ...grumble grumble
 
Just because you have administrative rights you don't necessarily have access to all the files and registry entries. Access control lists can deny administrative access, and this behaviour is the default in the directory trees for individual user accounts.

You need to go into the directories that are blocked from you, take ownership of them, their files and subdirectories, and then change the access control lists to allow administrative access.

But I agree with MrLinux - if you don't do a clean install then there will always be questions about exactly what's what with the system.
 

fofura

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Jan 29, 2010
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Hey, thanks for the input! It's the middle part of your reply that is the issue for me..uh....I don't know how to do it unless someone walks me thru step by step in plain easy language. I open things and look, but: no understand--no touch, I just cancel or okay. I read the tutorials but if I can't understand what the implications of something are I won't follow the instructions, and they aren't always clear and logical. Christ I'm lucky to figure out when scroll lock or number lock is monkeywrenching a perfectly good typing session.....It's a nice fujitsu laptop, I'd really like to get it in good shape.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Is the Windows installation installed a genuine copy, with the Licence sticker attached to the Laptop?

If it is a clean legit windows 7 with licence then re-install using that licence key, takes 30 min or so and is easier than messing around with folder permissions and registry settings.

If it is a hooky copy of windows 7 as there is no Windows 7 licence attached to the Laptop, re-install with whatever OS licence is attached to the Laptop, be it XP, Vista ect...

There is no telling what can happen if this is the case and it would just be stupid to continue further if it is non genuine..
 
You take ownership by right-clicking on a folder in Windows Explorer, and:

- Selecting Properties
- Click on the "Security" tab
- Click "Advanced"
- Click the "Owner" tab
- Click "Edit"

Then you select the account you want as the owner and make sure that "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" is checked before clicking the OK button.

Once you have ownership, you need to change the permissions for administrators in security dialog box to allow yourself access.