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I tried to make a new user account for a child to use my computer. When trying to log in to this account, I get the message "Your account is configured to prevent you from using this computer. Please try another computer".

It makes no difference if I create the new account as a standard user or an administrator.

The two existing administrator accounts can log on with no problems, and can still log on if changed to standard user accounts.

I did some searching, but most advice relates to Active Directory (which I'm pretty sure does not apply, although I do not really know what Active Directory is). Other advice refers to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\CrashOnAuditFail, but I do not seem to have that registry key on my system.

My reason for creating the account was that yesterday my wife let the child (teenager) use her account, and some dodgy-looking software was installed. So I wanted to give him his own restricted account. I uninstalled the software, and cannot remember exactly what it was, although I remember one of the programs was some sort of VPN software. My virus checker is showing no problems, and I have now even done a system restore to before the dodgy software was installed.

But I still cannot log on with any newly created account.

Possibly related, I did have an old standard user account with parental controls that I had created last year for a different child. this account had very tight time limits. When I found I could not use a new account, I removed the time limits from this account, but the removal did not take effect. Control panel shows parental controls are off, but trying to log in gives the message "Your account has time limits that prevent you logging in at this time".

Can anyone suggest what the problem is and how I can fix it so I create and use new accounts?

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  • I would reinstall Windows.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Nov 3, 2012 at 1:29
  • Is this a work computer?
    – Usta
    Commented Nov 3, 2012 at 2:08
  • Sounds ugly, look In administrative tools (control panel) is there anything in there named Active directory?
    – Moab
    Commented Nov 3, 2012 at 2:29
  • Last ditch effort, back up personal files to an external drive and then perform a Windows System Restore, pick a date before the dodgy software was installed.
    – Moab
    Commented Nov 3, 2012 at 2:32
  • I don't understand it, but the problem has stopped! I haven't done anything to the computer since I posted this question. The computer has just been sitting here all day, turned on, but not being used except when I occasionally checked my email. Just now I tried again to log into the new account, and it worked. It seems to me that whatever I tried before posting the question must have had a delayed action. I had restarted several times, run virus scans, and done a system restore. When those actions did not work, I posted the question, and did not make any further changes or reboots.
    – timbp
    Commented Nov 3, 2012 at 7:57

1 Answer 1

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The CrashOnAuditFail key can be imported from a known good machine. After that, follow these steps to fix your problem:

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.

  2. In the Open box, type regedt32.exe, and then click OK.

  3. Click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\CrashOnAuditFail

  4. In the right pane, double-click CrashOnAuditFail.

  5. In the Value data box, type 0 (zero), and then click OK.

  6. Click Start, and then click Run.

  7. In the Open box, type secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy /enforce, and then click OK to apply the new security setting.

  8. Restart your computer.

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