When is an Administrator not an Administrator account .....

[Syncopator]

My log-in screen used to be bypassed. I would switch the computer on and, after they system sorted itself out, I would be taken to my desktop. There was only one user account in User Accounts, It had my name with Administrator underneath my name.

Now, after updates and one or two new applications have been installed, that doesn't happen.

I am presented with a log-in screen showing two log-ins, Administrator and My Name.

In User Accounts there is still only one account listed, it's got May Name with Administrator written beneath it.

However, of the two radio buttons lower down, the upper one, Standard user is enabled, the lower one, Administrator, is not.

Further down is a button marked Change Account Type.

If I click the Administrator radio button the dot appears in it, and the dot disappears from the Standard button. but the Change Account Type button is now greyed out.

I have, on the desktop, a few shortcuts. One of them is to Malwarebytes, which was recently uninstalled and replaced by an older version. I move such shortcuts to a desktop folder named "Cleaner's Cupboard" where shortcuts to other housekeeping software live.
I can't move this latest shortcut there. When I try to do so I am told that I need permisssion from administrators etc.

Trying to cut and paste it coughs up the same message.

How can I return the system, Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit, so that, ideally, there's only one account with full admin permissions, and I can again avoid the log-in palaver?

 

[Megahertz07]

Very suspicious behavior.
Administrator account is a high level and powerful account that is normally deactivated. Someone or a malware had it activated.
- Do a complete scan with your antivirus.

"I have, on the desktop, a few shortcuts. One of them is to Malwarebytes, which was recently uninstalled and replaced by an older version. I move such shortcuts to a desktop folder named "Cleaner's Cupboard" where shortcuts to other housekeeping software live.
I can't move this latest shortcut there. When I try to do so I am told that I need permisssion from administrators etc."

- I suspect of these new Malwarebytes version.Where did you get it?
- Uninstall it. Download and install Superantispyware SUPERAntiSpyware - Downloading File and do a complete scan.

To disable the administrator account, run the command as administrator on a CMD window:
net user administrator /active:no

Report

 

[Syncopator]

I download Malwarebytes software from the Malwarebytes web site.

I have done a complete scan with Kaspersky and no problems were found.

I downloaded SuperAntiSpyware too, and did a scan with that. Apart from 3 dozen tracking cookies nothing else was found.

I used to have it installed but removed it as it had some bad press. I was also suspicious how it, but no other program, discovered so many tracking cookies - every time I ran it. CCleaner never shows anything like as many, and I trust CCleaner more than I do SuperAntiSpyware. So I have uninstalled it again.

If I disable the administrator account how can I give my named account full administrator status?

 

[Megahertz07]

Your account doesn't have admin rights?
- Log in on the Administrator account.
- Open Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\User Accounts\Manage Accounts
- Change your account to admin.
- Log out as Administrator and log in on your account.
- Once you sure you have admin rights, disable the Administrator account.

 

[Syncopator]

Your account doesn't have admin rights?

I think that I made that clear in my first post.

I logged in using the Administrator option on the log-in page, but got exactly the same response as I did before.