All users are the built-in administrator??


  1. Posts : 37
    Windows 11 pro
       #1

    All users are the built-in administrator??


    A friend is running Windows 10 x64. He can't run Edge or do several other things he wants to because Windows thinks he's running as the built-in administrator.

    Under C:\Users I found his account name and the Public and Default accounts, but there was no Administrator folder. I activated the Administrator account and logged in as Administrator, and the C:\Users\Administrator folder was created. I logged n as him and he still was the built-in administrator.

    I created a new user with administrator privileges and logged in as him. The new user also was the built-in administrator!

    He runs MalwareBytes every morning and deletes anything it finds. I ran HerdProtect and it found a few more things but nothing that looked especially bad.

    Help?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 5,169
    64bit Win 10 Pro ver 21H2
       #2

    I have come across a few situations where W10 thinks the built-in administrator account is activated when in fact it isn't. The only way of checking all the users is to do a Command Prompt check of all users:

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...dows-10-a.html
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #3

    I don't know for sure, but I think if UAC (User Account Control) is turned off, the user account behaves and is treated like the built-in Administrator account? Try turning UAC back on?

    User Account Control (UAC) - Change Settings in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 37
    Windows 11 pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    NavyLCDR said:
    I don't know for sure, but I think if UAC (User Account Control) is turned off, the user account behaves and is treated like the built-in Administrator account? Try turning UAC back on?

    User Account Control (UAC) - Change Settings in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
    I have UAC turned off on my Windows 10 computer and my account does not behave like the built-in Administrator. E.g. I can run Edge.

    I'll try the list of users but it won't change the situation.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #5

    I've seen two of these cases, Windows treating all user accounts as built-in admin. Both cases had one thing common: Windows 7 was setup with just one user account, user had then activated built-in admin, removed the original account and finally renamed the built-in admin and from thereafter used Windows 7 solely with this renamed built-in admin account.

    When this machine is then upgraded to Windows 10, it does not ask user to create a new user account but uses the exisitng one, in this case renamed built-in admin account. That's where the trouble starts; Windows 10 cannot run UWP apps as built-in admin.

    My solution and recommendation in both these cases was to clean install Windows 10.

    Kari
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 37
    Windows 11 pro
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Ugh.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    JonF said:
    I have UAC turned off on my Windows 10 computer and my account does not behave like the built-in Administrator. E.g. I can run Edge.

    I'll try the list of users but it won't change the situation.
    Thanks for the further information, I wasn't sure!
      My Computer


 

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