New (unwanted) Users (XP-Pro 5.1.2600)

Topic

New Reply

Hi Guys

Following a recent newsletter from Woody I was prompted to send him the following to which his reply was to suggest I asked here

Hi Woody

Reading your latest issue prompted me to go to user accounts on my XP-Pro setup and I was amazed to find two new user accounts had been setup (I

Reply | Quote

Replies

Richard

The same thing happened to my computer when my brother installed Visual Studio.NET. I personally wouldn’t delete them. VS.NET probably put them there for a purpose

I don’t know what then are for though.

Have you tried asking the .NET forum? They probably know more about it than me.

Reply | Quote

Thanks I couldn’t be sure it was VS. I’ll ask there.

Reply | Quote

Melissa I did try asking in the .NET forum but it seems the mods don’t like that sort of thing but they do have this real cool link thing which directs people back here.

MODs – Sorry if I broke the rules here I didn’t know better

Reply | Quote

you installed some asp utilities and sql server. they are needed to use the programs.

Reply | Quote

Oh OK so it is .NET. I just wonder what password has been set? Is it the same on every PC?

Reply | Quote

i’m not sure. it’s a system account and only the application can access it.

Reply | Quote

There is a well known accounting package I used to use that had a hardcoded back door user / password, when I found that out I ditched the package.

Reply | Quote

if you want to remove them, the uninstall the software that uses them…. otherwise you’ll have problems.

These special system accounts should be set to restricted user and if you are on a domain, they are local accounts – so they only have access to the local machine. Restricted users can only operate the computer and save files. Hackers can’t readily use the accounts – certainly no more than they can use the NT Authority/System account to gain access.

Reply | Quote

I see a bunch of added Groups, but only 1 added user account (SQLDE######).

Can th erpasswords be changed?
How to verify that the account is restricted/

P.S. This is on Windows 2000, but I see no point in starting a separate thread in the Win 2000 forum.

P.P.S. Since this topic applies to VS .Net, not a particular OS, I’d suggest that the thread be moved to the .Net forum.

Reply | Quote

mine are in the restricted user group, except for a couple who are in their own groups (_vmware_, OWS_something etc).

there is also the gpedit.msc – look under local polices, user rights assignment. i thought there was a 3rd place to look too – but forget tonight.

You can change the passowrd, but the program that uses the account won’t know what the password is and will fail.

Reply | Quote

Well, there’s not much we can do about them.

Reply | Quote

BTW – i think it belongs here. It’s not strickly related to VS.NET, but related any program that installs users. Sharepoint Team services, vmware, SQL, IIS…

It applies to the NT family of OS, both XP and 2K but most 2K users are familar with users and groups, while many XP users are new to the concept.

Reply | Quote