Invoking the hidden Aministrator account - Dire warnings

BobFairmead · 07 Aug 2012

Not a question, just an observation. It may help other frustrated Windows users out there.

I went from Windows98SE to XP-Home-32bit purely because I thought I was getting too far behind - 98SE had served me well, and I doff my cap to a superb Operating System. My move to Windows 7 64bit, though, was calculated in that I was aware that a 32-bit system could not use all of my 4 Gig memory. (I still dual boot XP/7 because 7 can't install some older progs that I still like and use.)

The changes in terms of user experience was in my eyes minimal - they aren't that different, and certainly not different enough to qualify as separate Operating Systems; they are just upgrades, but charged for as new. I was fortunate to miss Vista on my own machines, but I did encounter it on others', and my oh my.

Anyway, the biggest real difference (not just visuals) was User Access Control (UAC). In 7 I continually received messages telling me I couldn't do this or that because I didn't have the right privileges or permissions, which drove me crazy. I then learned about the hidden Administrator account. But every post relating to that warned that it was ONLY for emergencies, and warned of dire consequences should it be invoked, and best not use it at all. Just fuss, nonsense, kerfuffle, and panic-mongering.

Thing is, I had full control of everything in 95, 98, 98SE, and XP, and nothing died. So I invoked the Administrator account. After two days of nothing going wrong, and no refusals (joy), I deleted the original User Account, and now use only the Admistrator account, and without a password required at boot, either, as I'm the only person using my machine. It's been about 9 months now, and guess what, no problems at all. I have not blown up my computer nor caused it to crash regularly or even occasionally. Just back where I used to be, in control without the anger and frustration.

Ignore what anyone says to you about this control nonsense. Invoke the Administrator account, use it as your primary Logon, and get back your sanity, and your control of the thing you own - the computer, and make it do what YOU tell IT to do and not the other way around.

Even if you are a newbie it's just fascist to have UAC. I was a newbie once, and I never damaged my system, not once ever. If you do mess up, then simply reinstall, and don't do that wrong thing again. It's called learning and experience. You are never going to learn if you are not allowed to make mistakes.

I cannot without using the very foulest language I know to make you understand how deeply angry being told I was not allowed to do something (on a computer that I owned) made me. Livid, furious, spitting, vitriolic, murderous. My keyboard is a Dell, and, respect, because it has had to endure some serious finger punching that could snap steel girders.

Now, just calm as can be. I can do what I want, and can even override all the condescending warning messages - it still complains, occasionally, such as when I do stuff in the Registry, but then always does what I tell it to do. So much lighter of heart.

Take control back, ditch UAC. Invoke the hidden Adminstrator account and use it only.

If anyone answers this, they will probably issue the same dire, bleak warnings - ignore them, they just want to control you, and make you believe they know freedom better.

Brink · 07 Aug 2012

Hello Bob,

I believe that you have a misunderstanding of what the purpose of UAC is, and the built-in elevated "Administrator" account. They are actually designed to give you more control over your computer and security.

You will be placing your computer at a higher security risk by disabling UAC and always using the built-in elevated "Administrator account".

UAC doesn't prevent you from doing anything. It only asks you to provide your (administrator's) permission before allowing something to run elevated (run as administrator) and have full unrestricted access to everything on your computer. UAC can be quite helpful if something (ex: malware) tried to run elevated in the background without you knowing about it. If UAC is turned on to the top level of "Always notify", you will always know when something tries to run elevated. After all, what is just a second to click on Yes to allow it if you like, versus not having this bit of extra security. If you like, you can do some reading about UAC at the links below:

When you are logged in to the built-in elevated "Administrator" account, everything that runs will have full unrestricted access to everything on your computer. You will never get any UAC notices by default while logged into this account. This account should be used with caution because of this. Usually this account is used as a fallback account incase you should lose access to your normal administrator user account, or would like to make changes to system files as needed.

Nothing prevents you from doing what you like in a normal administrator account either. If you are denied access, then it usually just means that it's a protected system file to prevent anything (ex: malware) from modifying it since it is critical to the operation of Windows. Other than using the built-in "Administrator" account, you could just take ownership and grant yourself (the administrator) permission to access it.

Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums

Bob, it's truly up to you on how you would like to run your computer. After all, it is your computer. However, it is irresponsible to just advise people to disable UAC and always use the built-in Administrator account without providing information about the security risk of doing so.

pincushion · 08 Aug 2012

As Brink has said what we do is for us alone and I would not advocate simply on my own experiences. I have found that just using a normal admin account with UAC disabled has been enough for me and I too have had no problems over a considerable period. It probably is down to what you do with your system more than anything else so why take risks if you don't have to. I agree with Bob though and his reasons are exactly why I run my system as I do.