How to Enable the Built-in Elevated "Administrator" Account from WinRE

   Information

Theoretically if you don't have any administrator account, the built-in Administrator account should be available in safe mode (see also related articles). Sometimes due to any identified reason, the built-in Administrator may not to be available in safe mode.

This tutorial will help you to log on to the built-in Administrator in this case in Vista and Windows 7. It may also help if you forgot your admin password and you don't have a password reset disk.

METHOD I (work only for 32 bit systems)

1. Download this file enableadmin.exe, save it on your desktop, and unblock it.

2. Open a command prompt at boot.

3. In the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 5)

4. In the command prompt, type list volume and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 5)
NOTE: This will let you see what the drive letter is for your Windows 7 drive. It may not always be the C: drive letter at boot.

5. After making note of the drive letter, type exit and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

6. In the command prompt, type:

cd /d <boot partition>:\Users\<your account name>\Desktop

press ENTER

where <boot partition> is the drive letter where you installed Windows 7

and next type in command prompt

enableadmin


example:

here OS is on drive D:,the account name was John where this file has been placed so commands for this example will be:

cd /d D:\Users\John\Desktop

press ENTER

enableadmin

press ENTER

7. Restart computer,log on to build-in Administrator account and now you can try to fix problem dependce from situation -fix your account,reset password for your account or create new admin account.




METHOD II (work for all systems)

1. Open a command prompt at boot.

2. In the command prompt, type the command below and press Enter.

regedit

3. Click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (or HKEY_USERS - your choose. In this example I've chosen HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) .

4. Go to File menu and choose load hive option

it will open new window and in that navigate to drive where your OS is installed and go to <boot partition>\Windows\System32\config

in this example it is C:\Windows\System32\config

5. Choose SAM file and click Open

6. Next appear Key Name box,type the name whatever you want i.e REM_SAM

7. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\REM_SAM\SAM\Domains\Accounts\Users\000001F4 key and double click on string F,

it will open table with hexadicimal numbers


Build-in Administrator is disabled

8. In this table find 11 number (8th line,first column in table -images),click to the right of it,press backspace and the 11 disappear and insert the 10 in this place

Build-in Administrator is enabled

9. Close box,the whole regedit and restart computer.

10. Log on to build-in Administrator account and now you can try to fix problem dependce from situation -fix your account,reset password for your account or create new admin account.

   Warning

When finished repair you should disable build-in Administrator account (eventually create password for it).This account shouldn't be used in daily work.

Related Tutorials

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• Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable
• Administrator Account - Vista Forums
• Reset User Account Password - Vista Forums
• Password Reset Disk : Windows 7 / Vista
• User Account Password - Change from WinRE
• Password Reset
• How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable a User Account in Windows 7
• How to Reset User Profile of Built-in Administrator Account to Default in Windows
• Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Built-in Administrator in Windows