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How do I get administrative privileges on Windows XP?

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I have a problem with my computer, recently I updated Windows from 2000 to XP professional, and now I can't see the 'Administrator' account and the account that I'm using doesn't have administrator rights. How can I configure the account that I'm using to have administrator rights?

The administrator account is still there, it's just hidden, presumably for your protection. But we can still sign in using it, and then grant your other, regular, account administrative rights.

But you will need the password for the 'Administrator' account. I'll assume you have that.

In Windows XP Pro, that Administrator account is not listed on the login screen, unless it's the only account on the machine. You can still log into it, though ... by rebooting into 'Safe Mode'. Press F8 when Windows begins to boot, and you'll be given a list of boot options, one of which is 'Safe Mode'. Select that, and the 'Administrator' account will appear on the login screen.

From here it's easy. Once you've signed in as 'Administrator':

  • Right-click on My Computer
  • Click on Manage
  • Expand Local Users and Groups
  • Click on Groups
  • Double click on Administrators
  • Click on Add
  • Enter the account name on this machine that you want to assign administrative privileges to
  • OK your way back out.

Now reboot your machine normally, and the account you selected should now have administrative access.

Related:

More articles about: Windows

Article Useful? Link to it from your own website; just copy/paste this HTML:

Article 8706 | Posted June 19, 2005

Recent Comments

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Ty: you want this article to regain access to the admin
account:
http://ask-leo.com/ive_lost_the_password_to_my_windows_administrator_account_how_do_i_get_it_back.html

Patrick: it sounds like you're infected by one of the many
viruses that play around with your administrative abilities.
You can try anti-virus software, but you may be looking at a
reinstall of windows.
http://ask-leo.com/how_should_i_reinstall_windows.html

Leo


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Posted by: Leo at May 12, 2008 10:53 AM

Hello, same problem as I saw listed above.
When i go to manage, the local users and group option is not there, and i am in a adminstrative account. This question is in a "Comments" section so should it be posted some where else?

Posted by: Warren M at May 15, 2008 03:41 PM

You can get a login prompt to the administrator account from the XP login screen by hitting ctrl-alt-del twice. This brings up the old win2k usename/password screen with administrator already entered in the username

Posted by: gordon at May 17, 2008 08:46 PM

My uncle accidentally deleted a program that somehow specifically targeted my account (the main one that's the only admin) so now i can get on the other limited ones but not the admin, it just freezes, blanks out and reboots. i have a lot of important stuff on that account that is more or less irreplaceable. I want to get my computer back and up asap but i don't how to do it without blowing my user data to oblivion.

Posted by: tim at May 19, 2008 12:59 AM

sir,
i read ur newpaper/neos letter . its good and for me daily i am following this incase if i got any problem.so kindly i give one small suggestion for neos give the site address also b eside that and also downloading the applications and software. In this u told forgot paasword of administrator and to remove it requires some software . so many of them they dont know how to download the softwae .so i kindly ask to u to give the free download sites of them. thank u.

Posted by: veda prakash at May 19, 2008 12:02 PM

Hi, i NEED help. In order to use a TCP optimizer to sped up my 100kb/s "broadband" i need administrative privelages. I am on the adiminstrator account and tried following your adive. However when i enter the manage section there is no "local users and groups" option, i don't know what to do. please help!

Posted by: higgins at May 31, 2008 11:02 AM

i am trying to install micro trand anti virus. it says that i need to be logged into admin. priv.

Posted by: tracie at June 1, 2008 12:36 PM

i want to protect my root drive so nobady can access the c drive only by login in administator we can enter in c drive. can you please tell how i can do that.
thanks

Posted by: atul at July 19, 2008 01:56 AM

In our company, recently all the admin rights on all pc were disabled. even i am unable to plug in usb drives. is there any way to break this restriction?

Posted by: R at July 23, 2008 02:13 AM

i am using xp sp2, with IE7,domain user,in the begining everything is well and quit. a month ago, there was a message in my desktop,your system is infected by virus, trojen like, i hve removed those by using trojen reover and other antivirus software, but now i am unable to connect my WIN server,42566 port not opening,also SFC command not working there is an error 0x000006ba, so wat to do, please advice me and mail me pls -thanks

Posted by: Joshua at August 21, 2008 01:48 AM

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