I'm in trouble over deleted users

Hi

I thought I'd clean up my boss's Win 2k puter because it was slowing down so much, so I thought since I knew all the users on our network, and he had heaps more than that.

So I deleted a whole load of them.

And now his puter doesn' connect the network, and no internet. And most of his icons on the desktop don't show up.

I read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/840001 and totally don't understand any of it.

I mean like I put all the users back in from his Documents and Settings folder. I just totally don't get all that ManagedBy and MemberOf stuff.

We're all just in a Users Group called WORKGROUP. How hard is that?

But I remember last week I started the network and his puter had some kind of error like checksum or something, and said "CMOS CHECKSUM ERROR DEFAULTS LOADED" and told me to Hit F1 to continue.

I was thinking maybe if I could find those DEFAULTS LOADED defaults, and load them again? It'd bring my boss's puter back to before I deleted his stuff hey?

Please help, it's the weekend now, and I need to fix it before he gets back to work Monday. Or I'm totally cooked.

TIA

Cyn

The BIOS defaults loaded is generally when you reset the CMOS or load the defaults in the BIOS. That has got nothing to do with the users problem.

Sounds like you deleted all the profile folders and upon restoring them, lost all of their permissions. The best I can tell you is to look at the permissions on a user's profile that didn't get wiped and try to pattern that after their respective user account. Other than that, you've learned the first rule they teach in Windows administration - never delete users/computers, disable them first).

Waaaaah! All I did was go like Control Panel | Users and Passwords and then delete some users. That Microsoft http://support.microsoft.com/kb/840001 said how to get them back but I can't understand any of it.

I just thought loading the last defaults would bring the puter back to a few days/weeks ago.

No go hey?

Loading Last Know Defaults refers to the hardware. This isn't a hardware problem.

How much WIndows experience do you have?

What about system restore? Or is that just XP?

That artilce you are referring to uses Active Directory. If you are all in a Workgroup then you are not managed by a domain controller using AD.

cyndijames said:

Waaaaah! All I did was go like Control Panel | Users and Passwords and then delete some users. That Microsoft http://support.microsoft.com/kb/840001 said how to get them back but I can't understand any of it.

I just thought loading the last defaults would bring the puter back to a few days/weeks ago.

No go hey?

Click to expand...

The link you posted is for active directory.It sounds like to me that you are not on a domain but a workgroup.Which if you delete the users there under control panel in user accounts then u might be sol.Look under documents and settings on the c: there might be all the old user files.But they could be locked.

phantasm said:

Loading Last Know Defaults refers to the hardware. This isn't a hardware problem.

How much Windows experience do you have?

Click to expand...

Obviously not a lot. I'm sure you were just trying to help out but the important thing right now it to get his machine working again. Best thing would be to not do anything else to his computer, simply apologize to your boss and then get a professional to take a look at it.

It may be something simple, it may not.

But either way you don't want to be responsible for making it any worse that it already is. Believe me, I've made my share of computer mess-ups and you don't want to be worse off by guessing.


- Blackstar

I suspect your post for many reasons, however, I could be wrong so: do you do any backup?

I am suspect about this to but if really needing help please provide more info.But whatever you do stop where your at if you really dont know what to do in a case like this.This is a company computer not a friends machine.Please provide more info Thanks

You're right Blackstar -- not a lot.

You might be right -- just cop it sweet hey.

All my theories about defaults were wrong I guess so too bad . . .

Thanks evry1 for your effort

And now his puter doesn' connect the network, and no internet. And most of his icons on the desktop don't show up.

Click to expand...

This should be two seperate things - so it seems you changed more then you thought you did. However, we're pretty much guessing at what you did without more info, as mentioned before.
I guess the best line is to wait for more local help...

ps2cho said:

The BIOS defaults loaded is generally when you reset the CMOS or load the defaults in the BIOS. That has got nothing to do with the users problem.

Click to expand...

Usually, to fix that problem you just need a $3 watch battery on the Main Board. This has nothing to do with Windows.

If you got an external hard drive, use some data recovery software like Testdisk or Stellar Phoenix to see if you can find all the user profiles in Docs and settings that you removed. Recover their data onto that external drive (or where ever), then create those users on the local machine through the Local Users and Groups snapin (right click on My Computer, then click manage). Set it so the users have to change their passwords at logon, then move all their data into their profile folders in docs and settings, once they're created. Keep in mind that data recovery software can take all day, depending on how much data you need to restore. Be prepared to work all day long. And I'll assume your boss ain't giving you an ounce of overtime

The network issue is a whole n'other issue. Check to see if you're pulling an IP address, if you're using DHCP, if not, figure out what your static IP address and gateway should be, and set it.

It has to be monday already, so I'd say you ARE cooked by the time you read this.