# How do I ask my Windows XP... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536 "2009-03-15T17:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/1 "2009-03-15T17:52:24Z")
who’s the administrator (the alleged BIG IMPORTANT GUY who owns the computer) And if it isn’t me, how do I change it to me ( who’s actually small and unimportant)?. Problem: Had the computer in the shop for tweaking. It comes back and I now can’t make some changes, like going back to my Home Page, calling for closing tabs when I shut down my browser. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/2 "2009-03-15T18:12:35Z")
On the welcome page press CTRL+Alt+Delete and it will come up with a login prompt. Type in Administrator and Enter - no password unless some idiot has set one. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/3 "2009-03-15T18:16:29Z")
> [@Myglaren](#): > > On the welcome page press CTRL+Alt+Delete and it will come up with a login prompt. > Type in Administrator and Enter - no password unless some idiot has set one. What if XP is set to auto-login? eta: Further to Myglaren’s reply: Once you’re logged in as administrator you’ll be able to use control-panel : users to ‘upgrade’ yourself to administrator. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/4 "2009-03-15T18:21:55Z")
> [@Myglaren](#): > > On the welcome page press CTRL+Alt+Delete and it will come up with a login prompt. > Type in Administrator and Enter - no password unless some idiot has set one. I did what you said but don’t get a login prompt. I got the welcome page. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/5 "2009-03-15T18:25:53Z")
Hang about and I will look on an XP machine. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/6 "2009-03-15T18:36:20Z")
Damned thing has just gone haywire. Been on for a few days but crashed a few times, couldn’t log in at all and now it won’t finish booting. Generally the CTRL-Alt-Del will bring up a login box that will allow you to log in as any profile holder and as Admin, which is otherwise generally hidden. - you actually have to type it in first time it is used. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/7 "2009-03-15T18:38:06Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > and I now can’t make some changes, like going back to my Home Page, > calling for closing tabs when I shut down my browser. These sound like browser settings, not user privilege problems. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/8 "2009-03-15T18:48:35Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > These sound like browser settings, not user privilege problems. True, but I am not allowed even to do those things. I wonder if the guy who tweaked my system, named a new admin to make changes and forgot to revert to me. If I’m wrong, how do I make browser changes, please? I told it FireFox) (today) time and again to go back to my Home Page. Won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/9 "2009-03-15T19:09:48Z")
Unless it has been hijacked. Unlikely but not impossible. If you have Spybot Search & Destroy ([Download.com](http://Download.com)) run the Immunisation tool if XP will allow it. Also on the advanced mode, download the Safer Networking Hosts File. You may also try starting Firefox as administrator, right click on the icon on the Programs list and select “Run As Administrator” if that option is available. ---
**Author:** ![Bagistan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Bagistan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bagistan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/10 "2009-03-15T20:02:03Z")
To check who’s administrator on Windows XP Professional: [ol] [li]Right-click **My Computer** and select **Manage**.[/li][li]In the window that opens, click the plus sign next to **Local Users and groups** in the left pane to expand the category.[/li][li]Then choose **Groups**.[/li][li]Double-click **Administrators** in the right pane.[/li][/ol] Now a window will open, listing (the user names of) all administrators. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/11 "2009-03-16T00:07:39Z")
> [@Bagistan](#): > > To check who’s administrator on Windows XP Professional: > [ol] > [li]Right-click **My Computer** and select **Manage**.[/li][li]In the window that opens, click the plus sign next to **Local Users and groups** in the left pane to expand the category.[/li][li]Then choose **Groups**.[/li][li]Double-click **Administrators** in the right pane.[/li][/ol] > Now a window will open, listing (the user names of) all administrators. In the course of this short, but excellent tutorial of yours, I discovered that: 1. I’m an Administrator 2. And so was Kodak :smack: How? You’re asking me? (Removed the friggin’ thing) 3. I am also a User - which by definition can’t make changes. (Removed me as a User) Seems FireFox has bugs and I might not be able to resolve the problem on my own. I have sent in a question and hope to hear from them. Thank you, **Bagistan** for the enlightenment!! ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/12 "2009-03-16T18:16:55Z")
Put yourself back in Users. Permissions in XP are cumulative, so if you are in the Users and Admins group, you have the rights of both. Another quick way to dtermine if you have Admin privileges in XP: Right click the Start Menu. If you see “Explore All Users”, you have Administrator access to that PC. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-ask-my-windows-xp/489536/13 "2009-03-16T18:29:06Z")
> [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](#): > > Put yourself back in Users. Permissions in XP are cumulative, so if you are in the Users and Admins group, you have the rights of both. > > Another quick way to dtermine if you have Admin privileges in XP: Right click the Start Menu. If you see “Explore All Users”, you have Administrator access to that PC. Will do exactly as you say. And very soon. Thanks for the advice.