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Lead Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 9:35:19 PM
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| We get lots of posts stating that "I AM the Adminstrator! Why can I not do xxxx? Or Why do I keep getting security popups?"
The answer is simple -- you're most probably NOT the Administrator! Starting with Vista, MS decided to change the default account security policies such that after you create the initial account and then login, you are NOT logging in as the Administrator; instead, you are logging in as a general user that is a member of the Administrators group. Sounds like it's the same as being the Admin but it's not.
When you login as a general user, you will get UAC (User Account Control) popups. You can disable UAC, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still NOT the Administrator.
Logging in as the Administrator on a routine basis is not recommended. In XP, that opened the door to lots of malware. MS has closed this door somewhat in Vista with improved security policies, but leaving it open again by being the Administrator all the time defeats the very purpose of UAC. Thus, it's best to login as the Administrator only when really needed.
How to tell if you ARE the real Administrator:
To see if you ARE the real Administrator, click the Start button, enter "cmd", and press the Enter key. You will get a command window with "Administrator C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" in the title area, and in the body of the window, the directory will be C:\Users\Administrator.
If you are NOT the real Administrator, using the same sequence will yield a command window without "Administrator" in the title, and, in the body of the window, the directory will be C:\Users\{username}
So, if you really need to be the Administrator, you can use either of the following sets of steps to unhide the real Admin account:
To unhide the read Admin account, you can use one of several approaches:
(Note: for either of these to work, you account must be a member of the Administrators group)
A - Using the command window:
NOTE: If you are not comfortable using the command window and just want to quickly enable the Administrator Account, DOWNLOAD THE FILE ATTACHED to this post. Make sure to unzip it, then right click the file "Run as Administrator", a screen will flash and the admin account should now be a choice come next login.
1. Click on the Vista Start button, and type "cmd" in the Start Search box.
2. Right click on the Cmd returned on the search results pane above, then select Run as Administrator. (or, press Ctl-Shift-enter)
3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following text at the command line to set a password for administrator account. If you want to use a blank password for the Administrator account, skip this step.
net user administrator password
Replace "password" with the actual password string that you have chosen. Press Enter when done.Note that if your computer is a member of domain controller or has enabled complex password requirement in Local Security Policy, you will have to pick a really hard to remember password mixed with symbols.
4. Type the following command and press Enter to activate and enable the Administrator account:
net user administrator /active:yes
5. The process should completed with the following message:
The command completed successfully
If no success message is returned, repeat the process again.
6. Log off your computer.
B. Using Local Security Policy applet:
1. Click on the Vista Start button, then go to Control Panel.
2. Inside Control Panel, click on the System and Maintenance link, follow by Administrator Tools at the bottom.
3. An Administrator Tools window appears. From there, click on the Local Security Policy applet. Alternatively, type secpol.msc in Start Search box and press Enter.
4. Click Continue on User Account Control’s (UAC) Windows (needs your permission to continue) running Microsoft Management Console (MMC) dialog box.
5. On the left pane of the Local Security Policy MMC, expand Security Settings (should be opened by default), then expand Local Policies.
6. Click on Security Options branch.
7. Double click on Accounts: Administrator account status setting, then select Enabled radio button on Local Security Setting tab of Properties window.
8. Click on OK button.
9. Log off your computer.
C. Using Computer Management Console
1. Right click Computer, select Manage. Opens Computer Management console.
2. Expand Local Users and Groups folder
3. Expand the Users folder
4. Right click the Administrator entry in the center panel, select Properties
5. Uncheck "Account is disabled"
6. Click OK
7. Close the console or select File --> Exit
If any of these approaches work, you will have an Administrator icon picture appear on your desktop when you next login. Login to the Admin account and continue.
ASUS A832nSLI-Deluxe, AMD 64X2 4400 OC 2.4GHz, 2GB OCZ,
Running: Windows 7, Vista 32-bit, Ubuntu 9.04
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Administrator
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 11/9/2009 11:29:53 AM
Posts: 2,112, Visits: 2,281 |
| You can also type "secpol.msc" in the search box. Then navigate to: Local Polciy > Security Options > Administrator Account Status is the first one at the top, change it to enabled.
UPDATE: This only works in Vista Ultimate.
AMD64 X2 5200+ 2.60GHz | 3GB DDR 667 | RAID 0 SATA3.0 WD Caviars 320GB total | Foxconn MCP61VM2MA-RS2H Geforce 6100 nforce400 chipset | Vista Ultimate x86
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| | | | Vista Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/17/2008 6:36:07 PM
Posts: 16, Visits: 36 |
| I did the above step, the one with the cmd prompt and I DO get the line " The command completed successfully". However, when I log back on, there is no Administrator icon. Just the same two that were already there???!!!
I've tried this 4 times, and get the successful line, but no Administrator Icon when I log back on.
And I tried to install it via the other method, but again, just as when I tried before and I didn't have "Local Users and Groups"...I do not have "Local Security Policy Applet" in the Administrator Tools. And I did an in depth search for "secpol.msc" and it is not showing up anywhere!
WHY don't I have these things! Am I getting punked??!!...lol.
I have Vista 32 Home Premium. I own this computer, it's in my home..no other computers. This all started when I kept getting Error Code# 80073712 while trying to update Windows, and then problems just moved on to my printer. (My printer started printing poorly, got some reinstall disks, but you have to be the administrator to reinstall from the disks).
I am just so frustrated, I want to completely WIPE OUT my computer and reinstall Vista/Windows!! And start all over from scratch. (That's gonna be my next question!)
However, I am extremely humbled and grateful to everyone trying to help myself and others. Everyone has been so quick to try and help. So....
Thank You, Thank You! |
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| | | | Vista Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/17/2008 6:36:07 PM
Posts: 16, Visits: 36 |
| SUCCESS !!!
In looking for some other problems, I clicked on the Vista Forums tutorial by "Brink": Administrator Account
For the heck of it, I tried his same instructions about using the 'cmd' instructions to enable the Administrator Icon and have it show up along with the other accounts. The only difference was this line:
net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter
If you notice, there is an "/" and the word "active" instead of activate. This must have made the difference for me, because I got the icon up and going.
Now, if I can only find out about this missing "G" disk with the Administrator Password, all will be heaven!
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| | | | Vista Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/14/2008 8:27:12 PM
Posts: 10, Visits: 28 |
| I've tried all of the methods described, and when I try the command prompt method, I get "access denied system error 5". ??? Also, windows cannot find a secpol.msc, and no such beast is listed in the control panel. I'm running Vista Home Premium. Open to any other ideas...
HP Pavillion dv9500 Notebook
AMD Turion64 X2 Mobile TL-60 2.0GHz 2Gb RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
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Administrator
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 11/9/2009 11:29:53 AM
Posts: 2,112, Visits: 2,281 |
| bomber628 (1/27/2008)
I've tried all of the methods described, and when I try the command prompt method, I get "access denied system error 5". ??? Also, windows cannot find a secpol.msc, and no such beast is listed in the control panel. I'm running Vista Home Premium. Open to any other ideas...
Did you type "secpol.msc" in the search box in the start menu? I just tried it again and it works fine for me???
UPDATE: Apparently secpol.msc only works in Ultimate. Sorry guys.
AMD64 X2 5200+ 2.60GHz | 3GB DDR 667 | RAID 0 SATA3.0 WD Caviars 320GB total | Foxconn MCP61VM2MA-RS2H Geforce 6100 nforce400 chipset | Vista Ultimate x86
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| | | | Vista Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/17/2008 6:36:07 PM
Posts: 16, Visits: 36 |
| | Again, happily I had success with the command prompt method using the instructions using the word "active", etc. (Except for my problem now in not having this password reset disk it asks for!). HOWEVER, I also still cannot find "secpol.msc" just like Bomber. Running Vista 32 Home Premium, and I did an exhaustive search for it. Nothing in the search box, under Start menu..nothing in the advanced Search method, etc. I didn't even get an error...it's just not there. And I wonder why? Just curious. |
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Lead Forum Moderator
Group: Vista Forum Moderator
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 9:35:19 PM
Posts: 2,683, Visits: 2,837 |
| Redbird895:
The security policy widget is not included in the "Home" versions of Vista. I've located some alternative code for those versions but I'm waiting on a response from some folks testing it -- as I don't have a "Home" version to test with, and I don't want to post code until I know for sure that it works.
ASUS A832nSLI-Deluxe, AMD 64X2 4400 OC 2.4GHz, 2GB OCZ,
Running: Windows 7, Vista 32-bit, Ubuntu 9.04
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| | | | Vista Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/17/2008 6:36:07 PM
Posts: 16, Visits: 36 |
| I can understand that.
Thank You Goddess! |
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| | | | Vista Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2/11/2008 11:34:28 PM
Posts: 11, Visits: 25 |
| This might be off topic since I'm still new to Vista however it's something I've seen on every Vista machine I've dealt with...
What about going to My Computer > Right Click > Manage > Local Users & Groups > Users > then enabling the Administrator account? |
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