How to switch to different accounts?

i can not get to other user accounts when i try to switch to other users .the computer promts me to a screen that says the computer is locked up and only i as the administrder can unlock it.what is causing this to happen??

thank you randall

This question was answered on December 2, 2004. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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1 Log on to windows XP as a user with administrative rights.

2 Click start -> control panel -> user accounts -> change the way the users log on or off.

3 Make sure both check boxes are enabled ("use the Welcome screen" and "Use Fast User Switching") and click "Apply Options" Close the "User Accounts" form.

4 Click start -> administrative tools -> computer management.

5 Open the branches: system tools -> local users and groups -> users.

6 Create a new test user and place it in the local administrators group Click "create" to enable the user.

7 Log off.

8 Log on as the test user.

9 Open the task manager application (ctrl shift esc) -> select the "processes" tab -> enable the "show processes from all users" check box -> close task manager.

10 Log off the test user.

11 Log on as a user with administrative rights (but NOT as the test user!).

12 Click start -> administrative tools -> computer management.

13 Open the branches: system tools -> local users and groups -> users.

14 Open the test user's properties and remove it from the local administrative group, and add it to the local users group.

15 Perform a "switch user" action (by clicking start -> log off -> switch user or by clicking "windows logo keyboard button" L) The user's interface is locked and the welcome screen appears.

16 Log on as the test user.

17 Open the task manger -> open the "processes" tab You will see all the process of other logged on users (in our case? the user with administrative rights that was logged before and locked its interface) Note that the "show processes from all users" check box is NOT selected and even dimmed so you can't change its status

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Posted by Kareem of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on December 2, 2004

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