Administrator Account

How to Enable or Disable the Real Built-in Administrator Account in Vista​

   Information

In Vista, even though you are using an administrator account, you still run with Standard account privileges. When a program or a action by you tries to run with administrators rights, you must first give it permission before it is allowed. This is the User Account Control (UAC). The hidden real Built-in Administrator Account does not use UAC and is like the one in XP with full rights on your computer. For more information, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB942956

   Warning

If you enable the hidden Built-in Administrator Account, it is recommended that you do not use this account all the time since everything installed and running on your computer will also have full access to computer too. Instead, I would recommmend that you use it for administrative purposes only, and then use a Standard or normal administrator user account that is restricted for everyday tasks for better security.

   Note

• This will not delete your current account. It just adds a new account named Administrator that is the real administrator account in Vista.
• If you do not have any other administrator account on your computer, then you will automatically startup into the built-in Administrator account when you boot into Safe Mode.

Here's How:

1. Open a elevated command prompt.​

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2. To Enable the Hidden Built-In Administrator Account​

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command in bold below and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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net user administrator /active:yes​

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B) Go to step 7.​

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3. To Disable the Hidden Built-in Administrator Account​

WARNING: Make sure you are not logged into the built-in Administrator account when trying to disable it. You must be logged into a normal administrator account to do this instead. It will not work if you try to disable the built-in Administrator account while you are still logged on to it.​

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command in bold below and press Enter. (See screenshot below)​

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net user administrator /active:no​

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4. You will get the message, The command completed successfully. If not, repeat the step.​

NOTE: If you are still unable to enable the built-in Administrator account from here, then try this again in Safe Mode instead.​

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5. Close the elevated command prompt.​

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6. Log off (in Start Menu) and you will see your new built-in Administrator account next to your current account(s).​

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7. Click on the new Administrator account display picture icon and log on to it.​

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8. You should create a password for this account for better security.​

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9. You will then need to set up it's desktop preferences like any other account.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Logon Automatically at Startup in Vista
• How to Elevate Administrators UAC Privilege Level in Vista
• Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Built-in Administrator in Windows
• How to Turn UAC On or Off in Vista
• How to Create a New User Account in Vista
• How to Take Ownership of a Item in Vista
• How to Enable or Disable the User Account Control (UAC) Blacking Out of Screen in Vista
• How to Change a User Account Type in Vista
• How to Create a Password for a User Account in Vista
• How to Restore the Administrative Tools Shortcuts in Vista
• How to Start Vista in Safe Mode
• How to Rename the Vista Built-in Administrator Account
• How to Reset User Profile of Built-in Administrator Account to Default in Windows

 

[Brink]

Hello Learner,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you type this below (step 5) to enable the account in a elevated command prompt (Steps 1 to 4) ?

net user administrator /active:yes

It sounds like you just mistyped the command.


Shawn

P.S.
North TX

 

[Learner]

Hello Learner,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

Did you type this below (step 5) to enable the account in a elevated command prompt (Steps 1 to 4) ?

net user administrator /active:yes

It sounds like you just mistyped the command.

Shawn

P.S.
North TX

...duhhh, no...I typed in 'net user administrator /active:yes'
after . . . C:\Users\Barbara> after I clicked on the command to open . . . here is a snapshot of screen...well bless, can't get Snipping Tool to work here. Anyway, it's the first command line that appears and as stated before that's what I got. Didn't get past 1st step.
Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Learner,

Since you see C:\Users\Barbara, then you are not in an elevated command prompt. In a elevated command prompt you will see C:\Windows\System32 instead. Be sure to right click on cmd at the top of the Start menu white area as in the example screenshot, and click Run as administrator. Afterwards, type the command and it should enabled the built-in Administrator account for you.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ClancyMalloy]

Okay, now I know how to enable/disable the builtin Admin account. Is there a way to enable it only in safe mode? (Like WinXP)

 

[dr_amarendrakr]

Thanks for help

 

[Learner]

Learner,

Since you see C:\Users\Barbara, then you are not in an elevated command prompt. In a elevated command prompt you will see C:\Windows\System32 instead. Be sure to right click on cmd at the top of the Start menu white area as in the example screenshot, and click Run as administrator. Afterwards, type the command and it should enabled the built-in Administrator account for you.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks Shawn...I put an extra space in behind the / mark...when I tried again it went thru successfully.
I just love success!:D
Barbara (in SE Texas)

 

[Brink]

Thanks for help

Thanks Shawn...I put an extra space in behind the / mark...when I tried again it went thru successfully.
I just love success!:D
Barbara (in SE Texas)

Your welcome Dr. Amarendrakr and Barbara. I'm happy to hear it is working now for you.

Shawn

 

[Brink]

Okay, now I know how to enable/disable the builtin Admin account. Is there a way to enable it only in safe mode? (Like WinXP)

Hi Clancy,

Yes, you can have it set to work only in Safe Mode.

One way:
You can boot into another account for Vista normally, and when you boot into Safe Mode, log off and log on to the built-in Administrator account. I would create a password for the built-in Administrator account to prevent anyone with access to your computer from logging on to it though.

Second way: (Not practical though)
Disable the buil-in Administrator account to prevent it from being able to log on with in Vista. If all of your normal administrator accounts are deleted or not functioning for whatever reason, then when you boot into Safe Mode, it will boot into the built-in Administrator account automatically.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Learner]

OK Shawn...I "gotter done" yesterday, but somehow I must have messed up big time. Here's the sequence:

I had User#1 Barbara (as Admin), User#2 estxgran, and User#3 guest on my desktop, and only User#1 Barbara (me) was logged on.

I went ONLY thru step #1 (apparently), and now I have a new User/Administrator, which has no logon password, but worse than that, User#1 and User#2 are being shown as logged on.

Should I: print out these instructions and just start over, or do you need to back me out of this? ;>)

TIA...and bless you.

 

[Brink]

Hi Barbara,

It sounds like you may have switched user instead of logging off from user #1 & #2. You can log on to them again and then log off, restart the computer to log all users off, or use Task Manager (see link below for how) to log them off.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/133754-task-manager-users-log-off-local-user.html


The new built-in Administrator account you just created in this tutorial does not have a pssword by default. If you wish to keep it enabled, then you this tutorial will show you how to create a password for it like the others if needed.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/123349-user-account-create-password.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[sleepysophie]

Thanks for this Shawn.
I've been looking for a solution all day and glad I've seen your post in Microsoft community forum. This time I'll stick here first when troubleshooting.:D

~Carol

 

[Brink]

Your welcome Carol, and welcome to Vista Forums. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted out now.

Shawn

 

[kianlie84]

hi shawn,
thanks for the tips! really helps alot. =)

one question. if let say i try to run malware in vista 32. this is only for testing. is it really infected the registry? but i can see some dropped files and some changes in the registry.
thanks in advance

kianlie

 

[Brink]

Hi Kianlie, your welcome.

Malware can do a wide variety of things to your computer. It certainly could make changes in the registry and worse.

 

[abovesecret]

This is great stuff. Im actually enjoying tinkering with vista now. Just dont tell the wife that LOL. SHe loves XP Pro still.

 

[Brink]

LOL, afraid she will take over your computer.

 

[kva]

Is it necessary to activate and to change default password for Administrator ?

Regards,

 

[Brink]

Hi kva, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You would only activate the built-in Administrator account if you wanted to just use it, or use it to repair a normal default administrator account. It is not necessary though. The built-in Administrator account does not have a password by default, so if you do use it often, then you should create a password for it for extra security.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[kva]

Hi kva, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You would only activate the built-in Administrator account if you wanted to just use it, or use it to repair a normal default administrator account. It is not necessary though. The built-in Administrator account does not have a password by default, so if you do use it often, then you should create a password for it for extra security.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Can any malicious programs activate the built-in Administrator account ?

Thanks,

 

[PainlessTorture]

Hi kva, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You would only activate the built-in Administrator account if you wanted to just use it, or use it to repair a normal default administrator account. It is not necessary though. The built-in Administrator account does not have a password by default, so if you do use it often, then you should create a password for it for extra security.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Can any malicious programs activate the built-in Administrator account ?

Thanks,

No, because you need to elevate to do it. As long as you have the secure desktop active (greys out screen when asking to allow) no program will be able to elevate itself and that way they cannot activate the account.

Hope this helps