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Adding and removing users

Z

zigzag03

Senior member
I'll try and keep this short. A friend inherets a Win7 computer handmedown from his gf's small biz. It had various users; an Administrator account, a couple of Encontrol accounts, the account for the person who's machine it was. I would like to A) add a new user under his name with full admin priv, and B) get rid of the previous user's account, and possibly the Administrator account too. The Encontrol accounts deleted easily, but I don't want to delete the old user until I have a new user in its place.
When I try to add the new user, it tells me that the user is not part of the group and so can not be added, or words very close to that. I assume that this has something to do with a group policy, which I don't know how to handle.
Once I get this user added, if I can, I'd like to have the programs (Photoshop, for instance) that I have left on the hard drive available to the new user. Should I expect to go find the executable for these programs, set a shortcut on the new desktop, and have them work?
I'm going to guess that the biz had a small local network, 5 or six users maybe, with a server. I initially had trouble getting the thing to open web pages, until the troubleshooter told me DHCP was not turned on, which makes me think they, what, had a static IP? Or access controlled by the server in some way, like a group policy? Just guess here. Anyone got some insight into this? Many thanks, zz03
 
What user are you trying to do this under? I would start with the Administrator account, since one is visible, as the others could have limited usage.

Also, check system properties and make sure it isn't set to domain.

And honestly, it might be easier to just pull the Windows key, wipe the drive, and start with a fresh install.
 
Thank you I will start with the domain question, then see if I can access the Administrator account. I'm a little afraid to trust any key I might pull, with what, Keyfinder or one of the various utilities available? but you're no doubt right it will be much happier with a fresh install.
 
It really would be better to do a fresh install of Windows since you don't know what kinds of policies have been pushed to the machine from the domain, and what abuse the OS has been given by the previous users.
 
Am I to surmise, that the recipient of the PC, does not own the license nor the install media for the pre-installed professional software?

Because, otherwise, why not re-format?
 
I would say the the gf and her biz owns the software, and doubtless keeping the photoshop install would stretch the limits of the software license, but if she gives away the machine with a legit copy then to my thinking it shouldn't be an issue. However, it's not particularly important to the bf, who is simply trying to get into the mid-2ks from his old and failing Athalon XP machine. He's not a "computer guy" by any means. I just thought since it's on there it would be interesting to have to play around with. It's the only thing I'd try to save from the original setup. But my bigger concern will be pulling the key and reformating. I'm not confident that whatever key I pull will work on the reinstall.

BTW, I went with the networking forum with this because I felt the problem was based around a network setup, but if this post is in the wrong place please any admin feel free to move it where it would be more appropriate.
 
This free app has always done fine:
https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

Did they give you Windows install media? It's a bit odd (to me anyway) that a company would give someone a cimpany computer without wiping it first unless it were for use for that organization.

If you want to format, and they didn't give you Windows install media, the first thing you need to do is see what version of Windows 7 this is.
 
I do understand why you might think that, and as far as I know, she does have an IT company that maintains her stuff. But other than the actual user blowing out her pictures, everything else is still there. I guess they didn't think there was anything sensitive enough that it matters. This is 7 pro, and I've used magicjb before, along with a couple others. I just don't do it often enough to gain any trust in one particular program and have had it not work out at times. I know how to download an iso and get it on a stick and install it that way.
And I was wrong about just wanting to keep Photoshop on it, there is also an Office install that I know the bf wants to keep usable. So clearly we're flirting here with license issues. Did she replace the computer and use these licenses to install the software on the new machine, making the versions on this machine illegal? Maybe, I just don't know. Otherwise if she put fresh versions with licenses on the replacement machine wouldn't these be acceptable?
Nothing is easy, and no good deed goes unpunished.... Thanks everyone.
 
I'll have to ask him to ask her about any of these licenses, which is likely to be more trouble than it's worth, but I'll put it in his hands. I already have one woman to deal with in my life, he can deal with his! Have not got back to the machine since yesterday afternoon, when I went to add in his hd from his old machine, and was unable to find a) a matching drive caddy, and b) a right angle sata cable in my pile. So it's laying open on its side like a dead mackerel at the moment and I'm hoping to get back there after supper to check that aspect out. Thanks once again.
 
Well, switching from domain to workgroup was no doubt the next correct step in this painful process, but in doing so I can now only log in to the Administrator account; the user account is no longer available to me. Wish I'd pulled the key before I did that, but at least I learned something. And of course I don't have the password, so he's off to talk to the gf, who will talk to the IT folks, and I'm starting to think just bloody buy a win10 version and move on, but we're not done dancing with this thing yet! Film at 11.
 
Yes I get it. Hallelujah the bf got the gf to get me a talk with the it people, tomorrow. If that doesn't solve it I'm done and starting fresh. Again thanks to you all.
 
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