[Hari Prahlad]

Hi,

 

We recently installed Windows 10 in our system.

 

As three people (wife, daughter, and I) operate the computer, I created two additional users.

 

Whilst doing so, I probably did something dumb and deleted the Administrator from the list of users.

 

Kindly help me get it back.  Nothing seems to work without "admin privileges."  ("To continue, type an administrator password, and then click Yes.")

 

Thanks in advance.

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Hello Hari Prahlad,

 

See if the refresh guide here helps any or alternatively make a note of my steps below;

 

A: The refresh option does not delete your personal data but may remove certain apps such as Chrome etc, I do however always recommend that folk back up any important data before carrying out a refresh or making any significant changes to the computers software or hardware.

 

1: Right click on the notifications icon, bottom right on the task bar then click on Open Action Centre.

2: Click on the All settings tab.

3: Click on the Update & Security tab.

4: Click on the Recovery tab to the left.

5: Click on the Get started tab.

6: Click on the Keep my files option.

7: Follow any on screen messages.

8: Post back with an update for us.

[phillpower2]

Hello Hari Prahlad,

 

See if the refresh guide here helps any or alternatively make a note of my steps below;

 

A: The refresh option does not delete your personal data but may remove certain apps such as Chrome etc, I do however always recommend that folk back up any important data before carrying out a refresh or making any significant changes to the computers software or hardware.

 

1: Right click on the notifications icon, bottom right on the task bar then click on Open Action Centre.

2: Click on the All settings tab.

3: Click on the Update & Security tab.

4: Click on the Recovery tab to the left.

5: Click on the Get started tab.

6: Click on the Keep my files option.

7: Follow any on screen messages.

8: Post back with an update for us.

[Hari Prahlad]

Thank you so much.  Will try right now.

[Hari Prahlad]

Hi phillpower2,

 

I managed to get as far as step #6 in your list.

 

I was then asked for Admin Password.  I don't recollect ever having given one or I've most probably forgotten the darn thing.  (Apologies.  I'm going to be 64 and am not as mentally sharp as I once was).

 

The on screen messages then said to log on with Windows password, which I assume is the Outlook.com mail ID password.

 

Back to Square One.

[phillpower2]

Hello Hari Prahlad,

 

The on screen messages then said to log on with Windows password, which I assume is the Outlook.com mail ID password.

 

 

It depends on at what point you were asked for the password, there are two ways of signing into Windows 10, local account and Microsoft account, if you have never created a new password to sign into a local account then your log in should be the email address that you used when first registering with Microsoft, if you are able to log into Windows using your email address it is possible that a separate admin password to sign into a local account has been created somehow.

 

Take a look at the tutorial provided courtesy of Brink here

[Hari Prahlad]

Thanks.  Will do now.

[Hari Prahlad]

Hello phillpower2,

 

Brink's guide is for local accounts.  I am still not able to figure out how to recreate the admin account.  Even the Microsoft Help page does not give me any clues as to how I should go about it.

 

I've saved the screenshots as JPG files on my desktop and am attaching them here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[phillpower2]

1. In the search field on the task bar by the Start tab, type in cmd
2. Wait for the results to be displayed.
3. Right-click no the Command Prompt result and select "run as administrator" from the context menu.
4. Run the command by typing net user then pressing Enter, this will display a list of all user accounts on the system.
5. To activate the inactive administrator account, run the command net user administrator /active:yes

[Hari Prahlad]

Hi phillpower2

 

I followed your instructions.  I get "Access Denied" as a result, both after Step #3 and Step #5.

 

Please see attachments.

Edited by Hari Prahlad, 29 August 2016 - 11:12 PM.

[phillpower2]

Hello Hari Prahlad,

 

We can see that you are recognised as having Administrator privelages so it does look like a password may have been set, got to be careful here so as not to breach the GTG Terms of Use which prohibits helping with bypassing BIOS and OS passwords, slightly differant scenario in this instance though as you are able to log in but cannot make changes, need to put my thinking cap on but meanwhile;

 

Try pressing Win + X > choose Command Prompt (Admin) if you get a UAC message asking if you want to allow this app to make changes to your PC Click Yes on User Account Control to run Command Prompt with administrator >  type net user command then press Enter let us know if this helps.

[Hari Prahlad]

Hello phillpower2,

 

There is no way I can click on "Yes" as the whole button is blanked out.

[phillpower2]

Did you happen to check the Show details tab to see what it said.

 

Lets try another approach, download then run the Windows All in One Repair (free)  from here, disregard the malware guidance but follow the other steps to the letter and in particular ensuring that you first create a new restore point and perform a proper Windows clean boot before running the repair, details for the clean boot here.

[Hari Prahlad]

Thanks a lot.  I can't thank you enough for investing so much of your time.

[Hari Prahlad]

Hi phillpower2

 

I managed to download the All in One Repair but could not run it because I was again asked for "admin" password.  Similarly, the Clean Boot process could not be initiated because the "Yes" button was blanked out, just as it was for the Repair Tool.

 

Kindly see the attached screenshots.  I sincerely apologize for being such a bugbear.

 

 

 

[phillpower2]

Best Answer

Hello Hari Prahlad,

 

Not good news I`m afraid as your only option now is a clean install of Windows 10, back up your important data first, if you do not have Windows 10 media already, follow the Using the tool to create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD or ISO file) to install Windows 10 on a different PC option here

 

Installation details are also provided at the same link but please let us know if you need any help along the way.

 

 I sincerely apologize for being such a bugbear.

 

 

No need for any apology as you have not been a bugbear, you have worked with me on this and I am sorry that we could not fix this without the need for a clean install, by inadvertently setting a password you have prevented changes being made to your computer which ironically is what a password is intended to do.