Windows 10 Allowed Only Administrator to Remove it's Own Admin Rights

BlankMe · 18 Feb 2016

Basically, when I setup my system I run my primary user as an admin to install and set everything the way I like it. After a week or so I remove my primary user from the Administrators group. I then use the default Admin account (usually Administrator) to do any other major changes or installs.

I understand that he default administrator account is disabled by Windows and needs to be enabled, but my gripe is that windows has allowed my only active user, which happen to be in the local admin group, to remove it's own Administrative privilege.

Now I have a PC with one standard user and no way to enable my admin, or otherwise do any administrative actions.

HOW CAN I ENABLE ADMIN WHEN MY ONLY USER ISN'T AN ADMIN?
WHY WOULD WINDOWS ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR?

I've attached a couple screen shots showing my list of users, which will show the only active user and the other 3 disabled (icon shows down arrow); as well as my Administrator group showing the disabled Administrator user...which is disabled.

Please, anyone...what's the fix?

And I know I *should* have enabled the Administrator account BEFORE I removed my own admin...but I'm here now and need a fix.

Thanks,
BlankMe

Night Hawk · 18 Feb 2016

Hello BlankMe Welcome to the Ten Forums!

The first place to look for that type of information besides a Bing search would be the tutorial section! Administrator account - Enable or Disable in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

The guide there will take you through everything one step at a time while the primary user generally does see an active administrator account by default unless changed to a standard account at which time another account is created. Creating a new MS account is generally how that works with 10. In fact I going to see that enabled right now for you here on the second test build I control remotely for these types of situations.

First I will simply use Option One in the guide there to simply type in the basic command once I right click on the remote system's Start button and select the Command prompt(admin) option for the elevated command prompt option. That will prevent any UAC interactions.

Windows 10 Allowed Only Administrator to Remove it's Own Admin Rights-w10-hidden-admin-enabled.jpg

You will note the confirmation seen in the Team Viewer 11 window on the right monitor shows the command entered was a success.. The Hidden admin account is now active and is immediately followed by logging out of the admin account as shown in the guide as well and looking at two login instead of only one once this has been seen to.

Windows 10 Allowed Only Administrator to Remove it's Own Admin Rights-w10-hidden-admin-login-option.jpg

The first time this takes place will be like 10 has just been put on fresh all over again with the familiar welcome screens saying lots of great features to get excited about, etc. etc. blah blah blah Getting everything ready for you, etc. etc. while you wait for the "Let's Start. Here I have to clear off the Team Viewer gui as I watch the OneDrive update notification appear and then take a look in the Start>Settings>Accounts to suddenly see no profile picture and a new admin account waiting to be named!

Windows 10 Allowed Only Administrator to Remove it's Own Admin Rights-w10-hidden-admin-ready-use.jpg

Funny the existing user account is not to be found once you are logged into the Hidden System Admin made active. As you can see the process goes quickly without any large fuss but just a few steps depending on which option you choose to work with.

BlankMe · 27 Feb 2016

Thank you Night Hawk. The link you posted to Brink worked:
Administrator account - Enable or Disable in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

The option I needed was OPTION FOUR.

I used the disc with my windows installer, booted to it, and navigated to the option to launch a command prompt. From there all of the steps outlines in OPTION FOUR worked.

This allowed a system with no active Administrators to enable the built in admin account. Super happy about the fix :)

A side note...I wish Windows would add a prompt to notify a users they are about to remove admin permissions from the only local admin. Previous versions of windows did this...wish Win10 did the same.

Thanks again Night Hawk and Brink!

Night Hawk · 27 Feb 2016

That's great news! Glad to hear that worked out good for you!

Here I now have to resolve a rather interesting problem that came up after seeing the hidden system account enabled or was it due to some recent update? being the question as to why I was not able to browse to find a profile pic for the system admin as well as suddenly no longer being able to rename any folders at all new or existing ones. The folder renaming problem came up prior to seeing the system admin account enabled ruling that out of the equation however as far as the renaming goes and likely not for not being able to browse to grab a pic for the profile either. First find the actual cause and then the working solution!