Elevated Command Prompt

How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to open an elevated command prompt with administrator rights (Run as administrator) instead of the default command prompt without administrator rights in Windows 7.

   Tip

If you opened the elevated command prompt from a shortcut (ex: in Start Menu) and it opens to another location other than C:\Windows\System32, then right click on the shortcut and click on Properties. In the Shortcut tab, check to make sure that you have %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH% in the Start in field like below.

EXAMPLE: Elevated Command Prompt
NOTE: Notice how the elevated command prompt opens to C:\Windows\System32 and not C:\Users\(user name) as the default command prompt without administrator rights.



Here's How: 1. Do step 2, 3, 4, or 5 below for how you would like to open an elevated command prompt.

2. Use an Elevated Command Prompt shortcut.

OR

3. Open the Start Menu, click on All Programs and Accessories, right click on Command Prompt, and click on Run as administrator. (see screenshot below)
OR

4. Open the Start Menu, type cmd in the search box, and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER.

OR

5. Open the Start Menu, type cmd in the search box, right click on cmd.exe (at top), and click on Run as administrator. (see screenshot below)

   Tip

• If you are in a administrator account and get a log in prompt after doing any of the above steps, then click on the Cancel button and repeat the above step again. This will only do this for the very first time you try to open a elevated command prompt in Windows 7.
• If you are in a standard account, then you will need to type in the administrator's password to elevate the command prompt.

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Open a Command Prompt at Startup in Windows 7
• How to Open a Command Prompt in Windows 7
• How to Create an Elevated Command Prompt Shortcut in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Run a Program as an Administrator in Windows 7
• How to Enable Copy to Clipboard from the Windows 7 Command Prompt
• How to Use "Open Command Window Here" in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here" from the Context Menu
• Add or Remove "Open Command Window Here as Administrator" to the Context Menu
• How to Personalize the Command Prompt Window

 

[Brink]

That's great news Need4steer. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[ZaLiTH]

ZaLiTH, thanks a lot to you too. Appearantly you'll arrive to work and see that we figured it out somehow...

Well, whether I help or not, I do like seeing problems solved and situations understood. So in the end it was something so simple as the name of a shortcut...? I do tend to overlook the simplest possibilities though...

 

[need4steer]

ZaLiTH, thanks a lot to you too. Appearantly you'll arrive to work and see that we figured it out somehow...

Well, whether I help or not, I do like seeing problems solved and situations understood. So in the end it was something so simple as the name of a shortcut...? I do tend to overlook the simplest possibilities though...

You and Brick helped a lot. On top of your great help and knowledge, you made me keep understanding and keep searching.
Thanks a lot for both of you.

 

[ZaLiTH]

ZaLiTH, thanks a lot to you too. Appearantly you'll arrive to work and see that we figured it out somehow...

Well, whether I help or not, I do like seeing problems solved and situations understood. So in the end it was something so simple as the name of a shortcut...? I do tend to overlook the simplest possibilities though...

You and Brick helped a lot. On top of your great help and knowledge, you made me keep understanding and keep searching.
Thanks a lot for both of you.

That's what forums are all about..

 

[monographix]

run as admin makes no difference

When i right click "Run as Administrator" on the command prompt shortcut from the start menu, it opens a C:\users\<user>\ and not the System32 folder. (and then when i type "bcdedit" it doesnt recognize the command)

But when i right click "Run as Admin" on the actual cmd.exe in System32 (or just click open) it opens in the System32 folder (and in both cases, Admin or not, it runs "bcdedit")

What's possibly wrong with my system ?

 

[Brink]

Hello Monigraphix,

Are you logged in as standard user, administrator, or built-in "Administrator"?

Do you have UAC turned on or off?

 

[monographix]

i believe my user profile is administrator and i have UAC off

 

[Brink]

You might turn on UAC, and see how it works afterwards.

If it still doesn't work, then as a test, create a new administrator account, and try it while logged in the new account.

 

[Harald7]

In Elevated Command mode: how do I navigate to c:.../Drivers to change a *.sys file name?
I got a BSOD: I determined it was timntr.sys from Seagate DiscWizard.
I could not uninstall/repair DiscWizard in Safe Mode, so I renamed timntr.sys to timntrOLD.sys:
Now I cant get into Safe Mode, but can get into Command mode.
C: only shows two files..Help

 

[Brink]

Hello Harald,

You could type copy and paste the command below to go the the Drivers folder.

cd C:\Windows\System32\drivers


You could also use this below to add Open Command Window Here as Administrator to make it easy to do so by being able to right click on the Drivers folder and this option to open a elevated command prompt already opened at this location.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/47415-open-command-window-here-administrator.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Golden]

Hi Brink,

Another useful shortcut I discovered :

1. Place a shortcut to cmd on your desktop, or pin it to the TaskBar.
2. Hold down SHIFT+CTRL+ALT and click the shortcut/pin.
3. Accept the UAC prompt

An elevated command prompt is opened.

Regards,
Golden

 

[Brink]

Hi Brink,

Another useful shortcut I discovered :

1. Place a shortcut to cmd on your desktop, or pin it to the TaskBar.
2. Hold down SHIFT+CTRL+ALT and click the shortcut/pin.
3. Accept the UAC prompt

An elevated command prompt is opened.

Regards,
Golden

Hello Golden,

....or

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3718-elevated-command-prompt-shortcut.html

 

[Harald7]

Thank for all your help. Resolved my problem, see: http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-...boot-ok-desktop-then-bsod-driver-safe-ok.html

 

[Brink]

That's great news Harald.

 

[Golden]

Hi Brink,

Another useful shortcut I discovered :

1. Place a shortcut to cmd on your desktop, or pin it to the TaskBar.
2. Hold down SHIFT+CTRL+ALT and click the shortcut/pin.
3. Accept the UAC prompt

An elevated command prompt is opened.

Regards,
Golden

Hello Golden,

....or

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3718-elevated-command-prompt-shortcut.html

{face palm} Doh.

 

[Brink]

LOL.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

There is no end to the universe is there

My heavens I have to be honest Shawn and admit I was stumped by "elevated cmd" so found this tut.

Mate like the universe your knowledge is boundless - thanks so much

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome John.

 

[WindowPains]

A minor correction to an excellent webpage on an excellent forum:

This should probably read:

"7. In the Start Menu search box area type cmd, then right click on cmd.exe (at top), and click on Run as administrator. (See screenshot below)"

Thank you again

 

[Brink]

Thank you WindowsPains. Corrected.