Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r738ff783afaf8b3641e18f9f5a4825f8a471c375 -re94ab9297f8c77e5e3ce281b4ca49719c1cde5e2
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision 738ff783afaf8b3641e18f9f5a4825f8a471c375)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/actions/AuthoringAction.java	(.../AuthoringAction.java)	(revision e94ab9297f8c77e5e3ce281b4ca49719c1cde5e2)
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@
 					Iterator iter = forum.getMessages().iterator();
 					while(iter.hasNext()){
 						Message topic = (Message) iter.next();
-						if(topic.getCreatedBy() == null){
+						//contentFolderID != -1 means it is sysadmin: LDEV-906 
+						if(topic.getCreatedBy() == null && !StringUtils.equals(contentFolderID,"-1")){
 							//get login user (author)
 							HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
 							//get back login user DTO
@@ -211,16 +212,18 @@
 			}else{
 				topics = forumService.getAuthoredTopics(forum.getUid());
 				//failure tolerance: if current contentID is defaultID, the createBy will be null.
-				for (MessageDTO messageDTO : topics) {
-					if(StringUtils.isBlank(messageDTO.getAuthor())){
-						//get login user (author)
-						HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
-						//get back login user DTO
-						UserDTO user = (UserDTO) ss.getAttribute(AttributeNames.USER);
-						ForumUser fuser = new ForumUser(user,null);
-						messageDTO.setAuthor(fuser.getFirstName()+" "+fuser.getLastName());
+				//contentFolderID != -1 means it is sysadmin: LDEV-906 
+				if(!StringUtils.equals(contentFolderID,"-1"))
+					for (MessageDTO messageDTO : topics) {
+						if(StringUtils.isBlank(messageDTO.getAuthor())){
+							//get login user (author)
+							HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
+							//get back login user DTO
+							UserDTO user = (UserDTO) ss.getAttribute(AttributeNames.USER);
+							ForumUser fuser = new ForumUser(user,null);
+							messageDTO.setAuthor(fuser.getFirstName()+" "+fuser.getLastName());
+						}
 					}
-				}
 			}
 			//initialize attachmentList
 			List attachmentList = getAttachmentList(sessionMap);
@@ -281,16 +284,20 @@
 			forumService = getForumManager();
 			
 			//*******************************Handle user*******************
-			//try to get form system session
-			HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
-			//get back login user DTO
-			UserDTO user = (UserDTO) ss.getAttribute(AttributeNames.USER);
-			ForumUser forumUser = forumService.getUserByID(new Long(user.getUserID().intValue()));
-			if(forumUser == null){
-				forumUser = new ForumUser(user,null);
-				forumService.createUser(forumUser);
-			}
-			
+			String contentFolderID = (String) sessionMap.get(AttributeNames.PARAM_CONTENT_FOLDER_ID);
+			ForumUser forumUser = null;
+			//check whether it is sysadmin:LDEV-906 
+			if(!StringUtils.equals(contentFolderID,"-1" )){
+				//try to get form system session
+				HttpSession ss = SessionManager.getSession();
+				//get back login user DTO
+				UserDTO user = (UserDTO) ss.getAttribute(AttributeNames.USER);
+				forumUser = forumService.getUserByID(new Long(user.getUserID().intValue()));
+				if(forumUser == null){
+					forumUser = new ForumUser(user,null);
+					forumService.createUser(forumUser);
+				}
+			}			
 			//**********************************Get Forum PO*********************
 			Forum forumPO = forumService.getForumByContentId(forumForm.getToolContentID());
 			if(forumPO == null){
@@ -584,7 +591,9 @@
 		
 		//check whether this user exist or not
 		ForumUser forumUser = forumService.getUserByID(new Long(user.getUserID().intValue()));
-		if(forumUser == null){
+		String contentFolderID = (String) sessionMap.get(AttributeNames.PARAM_CONTENT_FOLDER_ID);
+		//check whether it is sysadmin:LDEV-906 
+		if(forumUser == null && !StringUtils.equals(contentFolderID,"-1" )){
 			//if user not exist, create new one in database
 			forumUser = new ForumUser(user,null);
 		}
Index: lams_tool_forum/web/jsps/authoring/message/topiclist.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r8009bc74a70f2f56078998c51016483e0f5c0036 -re94ab9297f8c77e5e3ce281b4ca49719c1cde5e2
--- lams_tool_forum/web/jsps/authoring/message/topiclist.jsp	(.../topiclist.jsp)	(revision 8009bc74a70f2f56078998c51016483e0f5c0036)
+++ lams_tool_forum/web/jsps/authoring/message/topiclist.jsp	(.../topiclist.jsp)	(revision e94ab9297f8c77e5e3ce281b4ca49719c1cde5e2)
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@
 					
 				</td>
 				<td>
-					<c:out value="${topic.author}"/>
+					<c:set var="author" value="${topic.author}"/>
+					<c:if test="${empty author}">
+						<c:set var="author">
+							<fmt:message key="label.default.user.name"/>
+						</c:set>
+					</c:if>
+					${author}
 				</td>
 				<td>
 					<lams:Date value="${topic.message.updated}"/>
Index: lams_tool_forum/web/jsps/authoring/message/view.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -re2752a42cc475f7524dc223c1fd712940c57b39a -re94ab9297f8c77e5e3ce281b4ca49719c1cde5e2
--- lams_tool_forum/web/jsps/authoring/message/view.jsp	(.../view.jsp)	(revision e2752a42cc475f7524dc223c1fd712940c57b39a)
+++ lams_tool_forum/web/jsps/authoring/message/view.jsp	(.../view.jsp)	(revision e94ab9297f8c77e5e3ce281b4ca49719c1cde5e2)
@@ -19,7 +19,14 @@
 			<tr>
 				<td class="posted-by">
 					<fmt:message key="lable.topic.subject.by" />
-					${topic.author} -
+					<c:set var="author" value="${topic.author}"/>
+					<c:if test="${empty author}">
+						<c:set var="author">
+							<fmt:message key="label.default.user.name"/>
+						</c:set>
+					</c:if>
+					${author}
+					-
 					<lams:Date value="${topic.message.created}" />
 				</td>
 			</tr>