Windows 7 UAC: Where do I type the Administrator password???

I've been diving into Windows 7 lately (Release Candidate 1, Build 7100), and it's my first real introduction to User Account Control on my own equipment. I've been running XP on my primary desktop and laptop, having let Vista pass me by, after demoting my Steve login account to a Standard (not Administrator) account, UAC gave the most bizarre prompt:

You can click around on this all day and never get anywhere: there is no place to type the password, and it completely boggled me for a time (it might invite you to use a smart card, but that won't have a place to enter a password either).

In my zeal to run as a limited user, I neglected to first enable the Administrator account before downgrading my own. Admin is disabled by default because the user created during installation is an administrator, and this reduces the attack surface some.

So I had essentially locked myself out of my own system, having no accounts that have working Administrator access. That part is my own fault, but the UAC prompt surely did not help me: asking for a password with no place to enter it does not seem like a good experience, and I suspect many will blame UAC instead of themselves for this.

Comments

[Jose]

DID YOU FIGURE OUT A FIX?????

[Will Fleenor]

I have the same problem. No active administrator account and no place to type the password.

[Steve Friedl]

As far as I know, you have to reinstall Windows 7; there's no workaround that I've heard of

[BC]

no need for reinstalling, just restart in safe mode (F8) then choose the 3rd option (cant remember the title) after that u'll be able to see the "Administrator" account in the welcom screen, just cklick it and u're in!

[Patozeu]

Sorry to say that BC, but you would have to tell me how you did it.

I indeed hit the F8 key at starup, was prompted with some choices, but even by booting in safe mode, you are logged in the guest account.
Basically you are still lokced outside your own home.

I know because I did the same mistake and I'm searching how to get out of it.

[BC]

after you hit f8 you will be pronpted to choose a start option, choose "safe mode with command prompt" (this is the 3rd one). after windows starts you should be able to see the Administrator account on the wellcome screen.

ps: i run win 7 pro

[Doncampbell]

I ran into this same problem. It turns out that no password is set for your administrator account. Here's what you need to do.

1) Boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt. It will not give you a choice of users, but logs you in directly to your normal user account.

2) Once the command prompt comes up, hit ctrl-alt-del and switch users to Administrator. Once the command prompt comes up for administrator, enter this command: net user administrator /active:yes

3) Now hit ctrl-alt-del again and restart the computer. When it comes up it will log you in to your normal account again. This time switch users to your Administrator account. It should not ask you for a password since no password is set.

4) From here, go to User Accounts and set a password for your Administrator account.

5) Now switch users back to your normal user account again. Now when you perform actions that require elevation, it will actually give you a place to enter the password.

This issue occurred for me as part of the default installation flow for a new Windows 7 Pro install. Amazing - I can't believe they shipped with this problem.
-Don

[Ben]

Ran into the same problem after hiding the admin account so it wouldn't show up on the login screen. To fix I opened a cmd prompt and then typed.
runas /noprofile /user:computername\admin cmd

It prompted for the password and opened a new cmd prompt as admin where it let me run regedit and delete the key to hid the user account.

[S. G.]

Ran into the same problem after hiding the admin account so it wouldn't show up on the login screen. To fix I opened a cmd prompt and then typed. runas /noprofile /user:computername\admin cmd

It prompted for the password and opened a new cmd prompt as admin where it let me run regedit and delete the key to hid the user account.

Exactly the same situation I put myself into.
Thanks for the fix.

[Lenny Chew]

I am having same problem. I followed the prompt as outlined above and did get to the registry editor but need some help on what to do next. I not sure what I am looking for to delete the hide admin user account key.

thanks in advance,

Lenny

[hunterboy01]

i have done everything as stated above. however, when i am asked for the password, the cursor is not letting me type it in. I am typing the password and nothing is happening/cursor not moving

[asdf]

a note to add;
I just opened Computer Management and a UAC box appeared this time with a field to type my password and it let me in.
It apparently is different when trying to access different "restricted operations"

[Troubled]

My admin account is hidden as well from editing the registry...only problem is when I try and access an elevated cmd parental controls blocks everything. I can do nothing with the user account and can't get into the admin account due to the restriction of the parental controls. Any ideas how to get around this?????

[Chatø]

I ran into these problems, but with a little help from live cds, and some knowledge, you can get access back. Google and download "Offline NT Password and Registry editor." It should be an iso. Burn that to a cd or create a bootable usb from it. It's a great tool to have, plus it's free. only downside it that it's text based. No gui, sorry. Boot into that, and reset the password. :D It's a bit tricky to figure it all out to the beginner, but it's very doable. You'd be surprised at how easy it is to break into a computer.

[Michelle]

Thank you so much to Doncampbell. I spent hours trying to fix this and your instructions worked a treat. :)

[P J]

yes excellent help from Don Campbell.
Though I'd note if when you return to login now have to chose between two logins, yours and the admin, you log in on the one called administrator and open an admin cmd and then execute

net user administrator /active:no

That means the account is switched off as you logout, so on the next login it is no longer on the longin screen.

[shai]

i just did what Mr.DonCampbell sugessted. and it really works!! thanks to him. Patience was really needed. i actually spend more than an hour in this. but it came up successfully!!

just take note of this: net user administrator /active:yes

[there's a space between administrator and (/) ] ok? and place it on the Administrator, not in your normal account!! as well said above.

that's all.

and again THANK YOU SO MUCH MR.DONCAMPBELL.

[cop3R7k]

How to fix UAC can't enter password, UAC type an admin password bar missing or do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer? yes disabled on your admin account problem.

First you need to create a backup on everything in your library to your hard drive by cut&past option.

First restart your PC and tap F8.
Now you have to run on safe mode and then start menue> type> CMD> click or enter.

Now you have to type in CMD: NET USER ADMINISTRATOR /ACTIVE:YES

NOw restart you PC and login as the built-in Administrator account

Delete the account you have created, first download IObit UNLOCKER @ IObit.com and delete it with IObit unlocker,

Now you have deleted your account you must create a new account and log off your built-in Administrator account.

Now you have to go to your new account and Open CMD now type it again as NET USER ADMINISTRATOR /ACTIVE:NO

you are done.

[bipin]

Thank you so much BC. It worked for me. Press F8 in the beginning of PC start up. You will be provided with various login options. Select the one that says 'Safe mode with command prompt'. In the command prompt type [ net user administrator /active:yes ] without brackets and hit enter. You are good. Thanks again!!

[Carlos]

just restore to before it stared happening

[Rogério]

Missing control account warned not changing, because as normal password administrator is not quite like repair begins just use the administrator strange.

[Pbien16]

Mr. Doncampbell, I did everything you wrote and when I wrote the command on the command prompt and pressed enter, it's said system 5 error occured , access denied. How do I fix this?

[Jeremy Becker]

I worked through this and in the process my original user account (not titled administrator, but given admin permissions) is now not an active user.
Is there a way to get that user back? the files are there on the hard drive.

[LUCY]

I can safely go to safe mode and then safe mode with command support. When I press it there is no command prompt so I am unable to type in anything. Still cannot retrieve my password and locked out of my computer/ Any ideas?

[bigmindsky]

@ben
Thanks so much for the fix. It saved me a lot of trouble!