Administrator account has no privileges. - Microsoft Community

hi,

recently had laptop sent in repairs. ever since received laptop back, sole account on computer has had no administrative privileges, despite being existing account , despite being administrator. irritating means many of programs have been trying use not work, cannot access necessary files. has made both work , leisure on laptop incredible nuisance.

i don't know caused this, previous repairs keyboard hypothetically shouldn't have affected user account. every fix i've found , tried via google has been failure, i've reset pc factory settings no avail. i've made new administrator account , doesn't work, , done in safe mode temporary solution @ best or useless @ worse. don't know how fix short of sending laptop away again, i'd rather not until i've exhausted every other option.

thanks.

hello george,

issue such may occur if there settings related administrator account's privileges changed during repair of laptop. better assist concern, suggest enable the built-in administrator account on device reconfigure permissions of admin account. this, follow steps below:

1. open system recovery option menu on computer access command prompt:

   a. restart computer using computer's power button.
   b. do 1 of following:

   - if computer has single operating system installed, press , hold f8 key computer restarts. need press f8 before windows logo appears. if windows logo appears, need try again waiting until windows logo prompt appears, , shut down , restart  computer.
   - if computer has more 1 operating system, use arrow keys highlight operating system want repair, , press , hold f8.

   c. on advanced boot options screen, use arrow keys highlight repair your computer, , press enter. (if repair computer isn't listed option, computer doesn't include preinstalled recovery options, or network administrator has turned them off.)      
   d. select keyboard layout, , click next.
   e. on system recovery options menu, click command prompt (see screenshot below system recovery option menu).

   
   
   
   

2. enable built-in administrator account:
   
   a. on command prompt, type net user administrator /active:yes , press enter.
   b. should see message command completed successfully. once see message, restart computer , you'll see administrator account as choice.
   
   

3. configure privileges of administrator account:

   
   a. in search box, type netplwiz , press enter open user account.
   b. under users tab, select user account , click properties button (see screenshot below).
   
   
   
   c. click on group membership tab.
   d. choose account type: administrator. also, note can select other, choose number of different access levels, including backup operators, power users, , remote desktop users.
   e. click ok.
   f. click apply complete task , check if issue persist logging in regular administrator account.
   
   

4. after performing steps above, can disable built-in administrator account. this, follow steps below:

a. in search box, type cmd, , press ctrl + shift + enter.  
b. if user account control dialog box appears, confirm action displays want, , click continue.  
c. on command prompt, type net user administrator /active:no , press enter.

note: make sure logged on regular user account. 

let know if solution above works.

Windows / Windows 10 / Security & privacy / PC