I changed my user status from Administrator to Power User not realizing that the Administrator role was not enabled. I have tried to run the cmd window as Administrator and use "net user administrator /active:yes". I get an error 5, access is denied. Any suggestions on getting back Administrator active or changing my role to administrator.

Hello,you can try to enable the Administrator account through the Local Users and Groups Manager.- Type lusrmgr.msc in the search box and press enter. - The Local Users/Group Manager console should run.- Click on "Users" and double click on the "Administrator" account.- Uncheck the Account is disabled box.- Click Apply/OK.I don't know if this will work.G'luck.If it was helpful, please vote! Si te ayud, por favor vota! W7 RTM x64 running along with Office 2010 x64 TP

HiGet to the console as given above but there are two types of administratorone is adminsistrator which is disabled and that is generally the casethe other which i think you want is administrators. (the difference being an "s" on the end).To set this in the lusrmgr.msc when it opens click on the users folder and find the account you want to modify.right click the account on the right hand pane and choose propertiesWhen the window opens you have a member of tab click on this.If administrators is not shown you can add administrators to the profile of the user using the add button.all the bestmalc

To up your status to administrator you must belogged on with and be using an account with administrator status. Enable the built in administrator account from "lusrmgr.msc" log off and back on with this account to up your personal account to admin status.

I have installed Windows 7 RC and, with the help of the forums, have sorted out a few problems which I would expectbearing in mind that this is a pre release version.I am just starting to install a few programs to explore what works and what does'nt etc. However, after inserting the CD/DVD and clicking install, I get 'access denied' 'log off and on again with administator rights'. Now according to my user account I already have administrator rights and secondly, there is no admin account to log on to.Now I have not yet tried the answers in the above posts (I will). The point I am trying to make is that in a few weeks time millions of new computer owners and others will be using Windows 7 'out of the box' and keen to get their software installed and working. I think they are in for a shock, don't you?

ADH, the reason for you there is no other admin account to log on to is because you are most likely using the built in administrator account as your primary account. It is recommended not to use this as a primary account and create a seperate account for every day use that can also belong to the administrators user group.

Hi Mr. SevenThanks for the advice. However the fact remains that I installed Windows 7 and ran it as many others will. What you suggest as recommended should be the default i.e. the log on window should have a default admin account (with default password), and a user account defined on installation. In any case it still looks like the admin or user status needs to be changed to enable easy loading of programs.The RC I am using is the Ultimate version. If I purchase Windows 7 it is likely to be a more basic Home edition which I believe does not have the same level of security. Am I therefore right in thinking that these problems are less likely to occur when accessing external drives and installing programs etc?

The administrator group will have better control overinstalling programs and other administrative tasks so the access problems you experiance will depened on the user group and user account control level. An administratior account has more authority than "run as" administrator. We would know more if different versions were offered to evaluate with the beta and RC.The log on window really should not include the built in administrator account to protect the integrity of this accountfor whenit is needed to perform a high secuity level action.

Hi Mr SevenWith your recommendations and the info of other posts I can now set things up. As a lone user I do not have to worry too much about security so it would be handy to have 'Admin' at login if absolutely nescessary but with a different password.Thanks again

I don't have an account with administrator privileges. That is the problem. I get an access error message. Thanks for trying.

I can't modify or activate user or administrators. Since I have no account with administrator rights, I get an access error. Thanks for helping.

As above, I don't have administrator rights, so can't change anything in the lusrmgr function. Thanks for the advice.

I don't have an account with administrator privileges. That is the problem. I get an access error message. Thanks for trying. If you don't have a an administrator acccount you may be out of luck. That's why in the future to avoidyour present situationis to make surewhen you install windows 7 if you are the sole user that you are have access to an administator account. itdino, that's why it was more of a sad but truefact than a suggestion or advise.

Can you restore your system to a date prior to the loss of your admin account?If you can, do it. RegardsRem

Hi before restoring try logging on in safe mode (f8 at start up) and see if you are presented with an administrator account there, If so you can create accounts and alter user settings in safe mode. Also before restoring you could try repairing with the windows dvd this should activate the built in administrator account (i think).malc

If you are not logged on to the computer with an administrator account you will not be able to change the user group of other users including the one you are logged on with. That computer may be permanently restricted and the only answermay beto re-install the operating system but keeping in mind that if you are the only user of the macihine it is your responsability to belong to the administrator group of users and always be logged on with an administrator level account.

Hi i still think you will activate the in built administrator account by inserting the dvd and booting from it then selecting repair.It may also be activated if you enter safe mode. I am talking about the top level administrator account which cannot be removed, it can only be disabled. Picking repair in the dvd boot up automatically selects this account.malc

Malc -If I you may be able to activate the admin accout from the dvd but this is the first I have heard of it. If you disable the administrator account and your personal account you will be permanently locked out. No safe mode will help you. If you can log on with standard account that was not disabled you will not be able to reactivate the adminisrtator account with it.

HiI am not sure about the safe mode option but its worth a try. The top level administrator account is the one that installs the system in the first place and will be enabled by the dvd even if it is disabled on the group policy on the live sytem which is its normal state.malc

Malc - can you explain or tutor the procedure for the dvd?Edit: Confirmed you can get back in with out reinstalling as long as there is the built in administrator account .I tried this procedure and it worked. First I disabled the built in administer account and my own account no accounts active. Locked out. Then I followed the instructions of this procedure using the DVD to access regedit and succesfully logged into the administator acount.It's the third method on the list titled "really difficult"http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Administration/locked_out_of_admin.aspx

Hi the way i understand it to be is that if you have an existing windows 7 installation on the system when the dvd boots and you enter the dvd you will be presented with a repair option and this option uses the inbuilt administrator account. As this account is normally disabled it must therefore enable it to do the repair.When the dvd runs enter the language and click next. Then click the repair option which will then present you with some recovery options which include repair install, command prompt, restore the system (which you could not do before because the administrator account was disabled). All these run under the inbuilt administrator account which is enabled in the recovery section. There may nowbe a possibilty to use the command prompt to access the policy and change the users account back to the administrator group as the user now has the privaledges of the top level administrator.all the best malc

The only way I could get back in was by using the dvd and editing the registry as was explained to meby the instuctions from that link.itdino - Print the instructions to "Option 3: The really hard way" and you maybe able to log in to the administrator account.http://www.jimmah.com/vista/Administration/locked_out_of_admin.aspx

Hi HorshackThats the way I would have done it. I was only trying to explain that there was no need to do a restoration and that you could enable the internal administrator account by using the recovery sector on the dvd and going into command prompt. Perhaps my method outlinedabove was not very well explained.The command prompt gives access to the registry editor. There is a another trick that can be tried in the recovery system. Explorer does not run inrecovery but if you type notepad at the command prompt then that will run. If you then go file open and chose all files not just text files then it acts like an explorer browser were you can bowse to an exe. If you right click on the exe you may be given the choice of running it. It does not work with all exe but it does work with some.Recovery does not allow you to run internet explorer either but if you have a portable browser such as firefox portable youmay be able to runthat as well.all the bestmalc

Wow that kool man,nice call malcp ^^ didnt no dat was possible!!!RR

thanks a bunch for the good responses, kudos to Horshack and malcp and jimmah.com. Option 1 method worked. I restarted and went into safe mode. The Administrator login appeared and I logged in. It was password protected with my admin password. I went to the user and groups and made the changes I needed. All the suggestions and time spent helping by everyone was greatly appreciated. I am a retired IT guy and really appreciate great technical assistance.