XP pro Domain to workgroup

BuzzStPoint

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I got a PC that I am setting up.
I'm having an issue with user accounts.

One of the original accounts wasn't set up under workgroup.
I changed it to workgroup.
Now I can't log into this user.
I can see the user folder in the docs and settings, not no user in the users lists or welcome screen.

If I try to create a user with that same name, it will create a new user folder with "username.123-123" kind of name.

Now other users I make are missing items. for example, Accessories folder in start menu. I can see the folder in the "All users" folder tree for the start menu.

Wondering if it's a group Policy? But I don't see a plug in for that.
I know it would just be easier to blow it away and reinstall XP, but there's some nice software on this machine I want to keep.
 
Well there's several things that I have questions about and several things I think you are not understanding.

1. A domain user and a local user are 2 completely different things.

2. You can't change the domain/workgroup setting for users. It's a computer setting and either the computer is in a workgroup or a domain. It has nothing to do with the user.

3. When you get to the login screen, there will be a "log onto" drop down box. If you want to use local accounts, then you need to set this the the local computer. If you want to use a domain account then you need to set this to the domain name.

Can you give us a little better idea of what happened and if the computer is supposed to be a part of a domain or not.
 
Here's a little info.

This computer came from my wife's work. She always used the "domain" to log onto the computer. I was able to log onto the domain user at home before I changed to workgroup. There were a couple of "local" users as well but never used.

Since this computer became too troublesome for her, they purchased a new one and told her to get rid of it or take it home. So she did.

I did back everything up, so no worries there but just wanted to use it as a normaliezed computer. In the Computer Name area I dropped it from it's domain to workgroup to connect to my network.

If I can't get her user back it's not an issue. I have a backup of her files, but the issue is what's on the computer for a "new user"
Things are missing,

Start, all programs, accessories are gone (listed in all users start menu folder)
Display settings, No screen saver tab or power settings.
Same for a few Control panel icons.

It's like there is a master user above the administrator user accounts on the the local area of the PC.
 
The moment you change a computer to use a workgroup instead of a domain, you can't log into the domain users. The only way to get her account back is to re-join it to the domain.

As for getting the icons back, That does sound like a group policy but it's been so long since I touched that in XP I don't even know where to point you too.
 
Thats what I was thinking, But I can't seem to find any group policy. Closest thing I can find is Local Policy. Which wont do it.
Her user is fine if I can't get it back. I have all her data.
Not really wanting to reformat because of some neat software that's the pc that she uses at work. It will make it easier for her to work at home.
 
The moment you change a computer to use a workgroup instead of a domain, you can't log into the domain users. The only way to get her account back is to re-join it to the domain.
This.

As for getting the icons back, That does sound like a group policy but it's been so long since I touched that in XP I don't even know where to point you too.

This as well. However I would have thought that the GP would be gone when you change the computer back to a workgroup. If you login as the local admin or an account that has local admin rights (do you have an account with those rights?) are the things there?
 
Yeah, I had to offline the admin password but this account has the same issue except for the start menu. It has all folders there but they are empty.

When you find the folder tree, there icons are in the start menu folder tree.
When I get home I'm going to see if I can find the group policy.
 
In some cases, depending on how the folders were removed from the start menu, you may have to put the shortcuts back.

For instance, if you right click on anything inside one of the start menu folders (like accessories) you can choose delete and then you are presented with a warning that it will effect all users. The programs are not removed, but their start menu shortcuts are deleted (this is an easy way to remove the games folder or accessiories that an admin might need access to but that a normal user shouldn't).
 
Ok. So some of the missing items were in the Group Policy. I was able to get that loaded up and changed.

How ever it sees the Accessories and Admin tools folders are missing from all start menus for some reason. I can see the icons in the Administrator accounts start menu folder. But not in the actual start menu.

I've tried copying them over with no results. They'll be in the folder tree, but blank in the start menu.
Something is stopping this. Not sure what at this point. But for a computer for my youngest it should do just fine. So far no installs or other computer wide changes are prevented.
 
In vista and 7 I can make that appear with the start menu options.

In 7, I can do this by right-clicking the task bar and messing with the options on the "Start Menu" tab. Maybe it's similar in Xp.
 
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