Local System User Account

[Sadun89]

Who is the System User(Local System User ) in Windows XP?
What for it?
Can't we access it through limited user account...?
What are the more facilities provided by System User rather than Administrator Account?

[jingda]

System User sounds more like a Root user but i am not too sure. On mac its called a Root User maybe on User its called a system user. System User has more features than an adminstrative account. They can read, write or delete files. They can also change the overall settings and change admin settings. So to conclude, System User has a higher rank than an adminstrative user. System user, is normally the person who the laptop and register with it. Like installing the OS, and registering after that it is called the system user , most people called it Admin but it actually have two names.

[rohit.ps92@gmai]

Who is the System User(Local System User ) in Windows XP?
What for it?
Can't we access it through limited user account...?
What are the more facilities provided by System User rather than Administrator Account?

[jak0b]

A local system user is any user account on the local machine - local admin, local limited user account, and also the guest account, if it isn't disabled.

Local accounts are first point of validation for all "user right requests" on all machines by default. (otherwise they couldn't work without domain structure)

If a pc become member in a domain, Active Directory (AD) will also become part of the validation, but local accounts does not disappear, or get disabled.

:)

[jingda]

There is one called Root User right? that is the highest rank in the laptop and computer world.

[jak0b]

the root account on a windows system is named administrator.

[jingda]

Funny thing, my laptop has a root user and an admin account. Both are different accounts. But that does not matter any way. :)

[gerbil]

You could almost say that the System User(Local System User ) is the kernel, the heart of the OS itself. You can see the subsystems it runs via TM. It has most access/control. If you REALLY KNOW WHY you need access to the System User account then you use the well-known trick to start a System-privileged cmd console, stop explorer via TM and then use that System-privileged cmd console to start explorer as a System user. You are then fully dangerous. If you blow it all up, I don't want to know about it.
To completely revert to normal you likely will need to use a Restore point.

[Sadun89]

In this time I log to machine through System User.....
I don't know what are the more advantages than administrator....
(I got one thing..I can directly access "System Volume Information" folder using this without change any properties)

[jingda]

System User seems like it is not an admin account. Maybe something like a Root User. System User has the power to overwrite files and change admin user settings. YOu can only log in to system user unless you are the one that register with the computer.

[jak0b]

I'm sorry, I read your question as a local vs. domain "system user" :)

The LocalSystem "user" is not really a user, but rather the OS itself.
If I go to my "computer management" and look for user accounts, I can't see it on my own XP pro SP3 either, so I guess it isn't supposed to be accessible. :)

It is usually not used as a user, but if you need that kind of unlimited access, you can grant the access to "act as part of the OS" to a local user, in local security policies (control panel -> administrative tools -> local security settings, in XP pro).

So if you (or somebody else with access to your pc) have created a user with the name "system" or "local system", and granted it the right to act as part of the OS, then that could be the explanation on what it is.
If you haven't done that yourself, I suggest you run a malware scan ASAP.

It might also be a matter of updating your system, since I seem to recall that I have seen it at some time in the past, but I can't really remember for sure. ;)

Apart from that - The difference on an admin and the LocalSystem accounts, will of cause, as you mention, give you access to a few restricted areas, and options to kill any process you wish, and delete files "currently in use" probably. But those restrictions is in place for good reasons - most users and probably also most admin-users, would create more trouble than good, with that kind of unrestricted access.

Not to mention the security impact it would have if you got exposed to a virus or malware while logged in as "local system".
UNLIMITED access to everything - good luck on trying to hide your personal info (email login's, bank account info, anything really) in that scenario. :)

[order23]

SYSTEM user has more privileges that Administrator, but there is no "System" user you log in as. Run task manager and you will see processes owned by "SYSTEM"
There's a trick to logging in as SYSTEM
(http://techinterplay.com/system-user-account-in-windows-xp.html)
use at your own risk

[jingda]

System user is the person that first buys the computer and register with it and create an account. He could then create a lot of other accounts and give them administrative rights. The administrative account have most privileges but not as much as the system user.

[order23]

There is no login as system user. The highest privelege you can log on with is administrator. The system user is the SYSTEM. (Nothing to do with who bought the computer, or what accounts they create) as far as I understand it. Hence the "trick"

[jingda]

You're wrong. You know nothing about system user...

[order23]

OK, so I'm wrong. How then do I log in as system user ?

[gerbil]

Aw, heck. Most things in an XP computer happen under the auspices of an account, that is, some account or other will be responsible and carry out those actions. This is simply for security purposes.. responsibility. Account privileges vary greatly, restricted as to level and to area of action eg local service acc and network service acc. Microsoft has tightened the privileges of various accounts. But the System... that rules... it is what runs before you login, and after, it has the highest privileges. Except for the owner, who can pull the plug an toss the System onto the junkheap. No user account approaches that level of privilege or access.

[order23]

@gerbil That is what I was saying, but jingda seems to disagree.
I'm not trying to prove I'm rigtj or wrong, just want to get at what is the truth.
Using the trick above, however you *can* be logged in as "system"

[jingda]

@ Order23

The trick allows one to log in as system user and many people will assume that account have the higher privileges. But that's true, a system user rules, what most people don't know is that the first account created on the PC or laptop have the same privileges as the system user. Most people just do not know how to access this privileges.