{"id":1747,"date":"2016-12-08T01:07:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-08T00:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/borncity.com\/win\/?p=1747"},"modified":"2022-06-23T20:58:10","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T18:58:10","slug":"activate-build-in-administrator-account-in-windows-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/borncity.com\/win\/2016\/12\/08\/activate-build-in-administrator-account-in-windows-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Activate Build-in Administrator account in Windows – I"},"content":{"rendered":"

[German<\/a>]The most stupid thing for a Windows user happens, if he blocked himself from accessing the administrative account. Then all administrative tasks are blocked. Instead of \"reinstalling Windows\", there are ways to activate the build-in account \"Administrator\" and repair the system.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"This 'how to' shall work in Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (and its corresponding Server versions).<\/p>\n

Note: This is not a guide to hack third party computer systems, because this is illegal. I won't introduce password cracker therefor. The how to is just a \"last resort to avoid a Windows re-install, in case admin rights are lost\".<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Loosing the administrator rights<\/h3>\n

I've seen many forum entries, where users suddenly lost their administrator rights. Some has changed something within a user account, others are facing this behavior during a \"broken\" software installation. Also some users are reporting this issue after an upgrade to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. And I found several posts, where users changed a user account to a guest account and ending in lost administrator rights.<\/p>\n

Another case, I've seen many times within Microsoft Answers forums: Users tried to configure auto login using userpassword2 <\/em>command. And I guess, broken user profiles may be a cause for lost administrator credentials. Some users are reporting, they are no longer able to login using their existing account.<\/p>\n

In all cases it's strange, a user can't do anything requiring administrative privileges. But there is a build-in account named \"Administrator\" in Windows 7 up to Windows 10. This administrator account is disabled by default. But there are ways to enable the build-in \"Administrator\" account.<\/p>\n

Enabling Administrator via a registry hack<\/h3>\n

Because Windows doesn't grants administrator rights, we need to boot the machine using Windows PE (using a Windows install DVD\/USB drive or a system repair disk).<\/p>\n

1. Boot your machine with Windows RE (use a setup DVD or a system repair disk) and open command prompt window (see<\/a>).<\/p>\n

2. Launch regedit.exe <\/em>from command prompt windows, load the registry hive (see my instruction below) and alter the registry entry.<\/p>\n

The registry editor may be launched using regedit <enter> <\/em>within a Windows PE command prompt windows (see screenshot below).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

3. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE in the left registry editor's pane (see screenshot shown above).<\/p>\n

4. Select menu File <\/em>(here menu Datei, <\/em>because it's a German Windows PE) and select Load<\/em> hive<\/em>.<\/p>\n

5. Navigate within the dialog box Load hive <\/em>to the Windows drive (D:, E:, F: \u2026) and go to Windows\\System32\\config. <\/em>Select the file SAM <\/em>and hit the Open <\/em>button.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

6. Type a key name into the input box shown within the registry editor (name it \"Admin\" for instance).<\/p>\n

Registry editor will load the hive into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Admin<\/em> (if you named the key Admin).<\/p>\n

\"Registry<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Navigate to key SAM\\Domains\\Account\\Users <\/em>and select the key 000001F4<\/em>.<\/p>\n

8. Double click the entry F in the registry editor`s right pane and change the binary value shown at offset 0038 within the dialog box Edit Binary Value <\/em>from 11 to 10.<\/p>\n

\"Registry<\/p>\n

9. Close the dialog box via OK button, exit registry editor, remove the boot medium and reboot your Windows machine.<\/p>\n

Then your machine should load the installed Windows copy. In case of doubt, sevenforums.com has also a description<\/a> for the steps given above.<\/p>\n

Log into administrator account and repair the broken account<\/h3>\n

If things went well, you should see a new account entry Administrator <\/em>within the login screen (below is a Windows 7 login screen).<\/p>\n

\"Login<\/p>\n

Login to the new account Administrator<\/em> – the account Administrator <\/em>doesn't has a password by default.<\/p>\n