Windows 10: User Profiles vs User Accounts - Phantom Account is Mucking Up Log-In

Hello,

I just upgraded a laptop to Windows 10. I wanted to get rid of the Admin Privileges dialogue boxes and questions - 1 account, always Admin, never prompted about it. I also wanted to get rid of all password prompts and lockscreens.

Essentially, I want a laptop I can pick up and when the screen comes up, it's at the desktop. I understand that elevated privileges is a more secure system, but IMHO it's a clumsy solution that puts all the onus on human input and wastes time.

After contacting tech support, I was given a registry script written by Mr. Brink, linked from this site:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"PromptOnSecureDesktop"=dword:00000000

I blame myself for loading it without knowing more about it. Not every wrench fits every nut.

I'm not 100% that the behavior came from this script: but I now have a strange problem.

In User Accounts, there is only a single admin account. However, in User Profiles, there is a profile listed as DESKTOP-O7D42SF\ - and it's file size is about 90 MBs.

The problem behavior is that when I start my computer and it gets to the login screen - it behaves as if I am a user called Other User and it prompts for a password. When I switch to the admin account, there is some kind of major lag in the keyboard and it's difficult to enter the password. Once past the log-in - everything reverts to a normal OS, and those admin prompts ARE gone. But that moment of instability won't do.

There was no way to delete the User Profile from that dialogue box, so I couldn't test if that profile was causing trouble, and I don't know enough about that particular registry entry to manipulate it for testing.

So, I'm looking for a clue. I can do a Sys Restore and wipe the registry change, but I'd like to know more about what's going on, why Permissions and Local Policies seem restricted, and how can I clean up my load and OS so that I never get another prompt about access. Oh, and can I run Windows 10 without being logged into MS servers for some handshake they require?

Thanks in advance for any input.

:)

 

Phantom User Account

What "user list" are you talking about specifically? Where exactly do you see this extra account?

There is "User Accounts" applet in Control Panel. There's "Users" list in Computer Management applet. There is user list that drops down from your name in Start Menu (if you have Fast User Switching enabled). There is user list on Welcome screen (for interactive users). There is a list of user profiles in Advanced System Settings... Etc etc etc.

Do you see that mysterious user in all of these places? Some of them? Just one of them?


Anyway, what you are seeing must be this

oymlgoleopw user account - ESET Beta Products for Home Users - ESET Security Forum
Unknown User Account - ESET Smart Security - ESET Security Forum

The account is created by Anti Theft feature of ESET Smart Security, if you have that feature enabled.

 

How to Delete Phantom User Account?


I have what seems to be a phantom User Account in my Users Folder. It is not listed when I go to Settings/Accounts
but it is showing up in Windows Explorer. It has one of my APP DATA Folders, as well. How do I delete what seems to be an unnecessary Account Folder?

 

New Account/User Issues

Hi,

When you create a new user account, Windows uses the Default user profile as a template to construct the files for the newly created user account. You might be experiencing issues creating new accounts due to a corrupt Default profile. To
resolve the issue, we suggest reinstating the Default folder in the
Users directory by following these steps:

• Log in as an administrator.
• Open the C:\Users folder using Windows Explorer.
• Rename the Default user profile folder to Default.OLD.
• Download a zip of C:\Users\Default from a Windows 10 installation that doesn't have this problem.
  
• Unzip the non-corrupt Default profile into C:\Users.
• Try logging in to the new user account and check if the problem is resolved.

Let us know how it turns out.