help with unwanted, uninvited 'other user'

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by pauldamo, Dec 12, 2009.

  1. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    i had to recover with a backup,it worked, but now on my welcome screen i have my account and another called 'other user' which needs a password to access,I've never had a password for my account.I've only ever had just my account as admin,and guest is disabled.it doesn't show up in users accounts in the control panel.i thought maybe it could be the default admin account, but shouldn't that be called administrator not just 'other user'.I'd like to remove it or hide it if possible, any tips would be appreciated,thank you in advance.
     
  2. genuine555

    genuine555 MDL Expert

    Oct 3, 2009
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    I can remember this appearing when I had my pc join a domain a while back.
    Then you have the option "Switch User" below in the logon screen.
    When clicked, it will show the exact same thing.

    Maybe try booting in safe mode, and login to the default admin account. From there maybe you can fix it.

    Do you have the ctrl+alt+del option enabled maybe ? Try disabling it in gpedit.msc :

    Computer Config\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options\Interactive logon: Do not display last user name > Enabled

    Gen555
     
  3. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    uninvited other user

    thanks for the advice,i enabled do not display last user name and it actually hid mine and left the one i don't want,i cant even get in to the other one because it has a password.to scared to hide admin account from welcome screen because I'm an admin.i did a reg hack to hide 'other user' and it is still there
     
  4. kukubau

    kukubau MDL Addicted

    Dec 15, 2008
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  5. Dragy2k

    Dragy2k MDL Novice

    Mar 16, 2009
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    paul dont do that m8 as i cant log in remotely to ur machine .....grrr ... lol j/k
     
  6. ibeqa

    ibeqa MDL Member

    Sep 14, 2009
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    In XP, if you boot in safe mode, you could access master Administrator account (it is different from user Administrator). Now, from there I asume that you could remove the unwanted user. The problem is that I don't know does WIN7 has master Administrator (I never checked).

    Cheers
     
  7. genuine555

    genuine555 MDL Expert

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    #7 genuine555, Dec 12, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    Yes, win7 has that. You have to enable it though :

    type this in a cmd :

    Code:
    net user administrator /active:yes
     
  8. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    other user

    i activated the administrator,started in safe mode,but only see mine and the other user account on the welcome screen,in the control panel /users i had administrator and my account.
     
  9. Reviede

    Reviede MDL Novice

    Nov 7, 2007
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    ok. just to make it clear..
    there IS no other user account. it has no password cause it does not exist as a user.


    all this thing means is that you can login to a DIFFERENT account using that button.
     
  10. genuine555

    genuine555 MDL Expert

    Oct 3, 2009
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    #10 genuine555, Dec 13, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2009
    Yes, I thought you knew that...
    When in safe mode, click on the other user tyle,
    type administrator in the username, leave the pass blank and login.

    EDIT :
    If you want to remove that "other user" tyle, you will have to go into gpedit.msc :

    Computer/Windows-settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/Security

    set "Do not list last username" to disabled
     
  11. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    if i don't show last user account mine disappears.if i able the default admin it doesn't show on the welcome screen only in the control panel users,the other user doesn't show in the control panel,only on the welcome screen,I've tried activate admin on my laptop and it shows on the welcome screen but it wont show on my desktop when i do it there.the other user has a password which i didn't create the account or password it only showed up after i did a complete backup recovery.I've even set it in security that no one needs a password,but the other user does,I'll try typing admin in the name and see if that works.
     
  12. genuine555

    genuine555 MDL Expert

    Oct 3, 2009
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    you need to type "administrator", not admin. Leave the pass empty...
     
  13. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    other user

    when default admin is disabled and i type administrator as password for 'other user' it says my account is disabled,when i enable administrator, it and 'other user' are on my welcome screen,when i type administrator as password for 'other user' i get in to that account,but the administrator button doesn't need a password, and i can access that also,it seems the 'other user' is the default admin account as well, which needs administrator as a password,and when i disable built in admin,the admin disappears from my welcome screen but the 'other user' still stays there.this is so confusing.
     
  14. ibeqa

    ibeqa MDL Member

    Sep 14, 2009
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    Enable master Administrator, go to control panel than go to user accounts, from there you can check which accounts are runnin on your computer. From there you can disable any accout.
     
  15. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    other user

    didn't you read my last post i've done all that,other user isn't in control panel /users or anywhere else except in welcome screen,when master admin is enabled i have administrator and other user in welcome screen have to type administrator as password for other user and i log in as master administrator,the other account in welcome screen is master administrator as well but i don't need a password to log into that,they are both the same account but when i disable master administrator the other user account is still on the welcome screen even though it is the master administrator.
     
  16. genuine555

    genuine555 MDL Expert

    Oct 3, 2009
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    From re-reading all of this, I'm getting quite confused myself. What a mess this issue has become...

    What you need to understand is that "other user" isn't an account by itself, but merely a "portal" for other users/accounts to login.
    That's why it doesn't appear under control panel>useraccounts or anywhere else BUT the welcome screen.

    Why it is there ? normally when "don't save last username" is enabled in group policy, together with ctrl+alt+del option, you will have that "other user" doorway to login. Another scenario : when you join a domain, these two options in gp get enabled automaticaly, and you get the same result in welcome screen.

    Now the mystery is why isn't this solved when you disable those two settings in group policy ? It should...
     
  17. pauldamo

    pauldamo MDL Senior Member

    Aug 3, 2009
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    sorry about all this,i thought it was an administrator account,you are right it is a way in to any account,i thought it was a separate account because i only have one active account one called Paul,and on the welcome screen after the full restore i have Paul and other user.thanks for your help i think i have it worked out now.