Summary: If you have the password for the administrator account, you can easily elevate any other login account to have administrator privileges.
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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.
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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':
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Right-click on My Computer
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Click on Manage
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Expand Local Users and Groups
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Click on Groups
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Double click on Administrators
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Click on Add
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Enter the account name on this machine that you want to assign administrative privileges to.
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OK your way back out.
Now reboot your machine normally, and the account you selected should now have administrative access.
Related:
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I've lost the password to my Windows Administrator account, how do I get it back? It turns out that resetting an Windows account password is frighteningly easy, as long as you have access to the machine.
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I've lost my Windows Password! How can I log in? If you have lost your Windows password there is no way to recover it, but all is not lost.
Article C2373 - June 19, 2005
But still i could not get administrative privileges on this system. So guide me some other ideas to do so. Thanks in advance.
Posted by: kumar at December 24, 2009 9:47 PMHi, my name is trisha and I need help. I have tryed to download the Adobe Flash Player but it stoped and then it said that I need to go to Administrator and then I did everything on there, Then I got this code number 94173. Then I end up here do you think you can help me I hope so. Thanks
Posted by: Trisha Fleming at January 9, 2010 8:02 PMI'm trying to use a DVD burning program to backup my entire harddrive, but every time I select that option, I get a message saying "Drive backup is only available for users with administrative rights. Please contact your system administrator or log in as an administrator." But even after I log in as an administrator, I keep getting this message!
Is there any way for me to make my computer or this program realize that I am logged in as an administrator and stop giving me that message?
Posted by: Julian at January 14, 2010 6:01 AMHello
Posted by: Cam at January 27, 2010 10:10 AMI am having a problem with my windows xp home edition .I recently had to completly re-install the operating system ,everything went well .as i was trying to update some of the drivers ( found I could not access a properties tab for the monitor ,even loged on as adminstrator ????
If you forget the administrator’s password but still can log on Windows with other user names that have administrative privileges, you may follow the instructions below:
Right click the computer icon on your desktop, select Manage, find Local Users and Groups, unfold Users folder, right click Administrator, click Set password… in the menu comes up. Click Proceed in the dialog, in the pop-up, enter a New Password and confirm it. Your administrator’s password is successfully reset.
Guest account may help to log onto Windows, but it has no privilege for you to do the above to reset the administrator’s password.
If you forgot all user passwords and failed to log onto Windows, there is no other way but to format the OS and reinstall Windows, or resort to sort of software tools to crack windows password and log onto Windows. These programs cost some bucks, but are worthy and better than to reinstall the OS causing consequences. The most popular programs are Windows Password Reset 7.0 etc. Generally, these programs are easy to use though turn out to be a scary command prompt to newbie. But do relax and you can fully manipulate.
Posted by: Linky Wu at February 3, 2010 5:30 AM