Rename administrator account (Windows)

Module: Account Integrity

Supported Platforms: Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP

This check reports a problem if the administrator account has a disallowed name. The administrator account should be renamed to prevent it from becoming a break-in target. This account cannot be locked out. Use the name list to specify disallowed administrator account names that should be reported by the check.

The following table lists the error message for the check.

Table: Error message for Rename administrator account

Message String ID and Category

Platform and Message Numeric ID

Message Title and Description

Additional Information

String ID: ESM_RENAME_ADMINISTRATOR

Category: Policy Compliance

  • Windows 2000 (105900)

  • Windows 2003 (205900)

  • Windows 2008 (248900)

  • Windows Vista (228900)

  • Windows XP (200900)

Title: Rename administrator account

Description:Your system has an administrator account with a disallowed name. It can become the target of break-in attempts. Unlike other accounts, this account cannot be locked out because of repeated break-in attempts. Rename the administrator account to a site-specific name.

Severity: yellow-1

Correctable: false

Snapshot Updatable: false

Template Updatable: false

Information Field Format: [%s]