Wireless printer install blocked by administrator

ajbob · 11 Mar 2018

I'm trying to connect my HP LaserJetM1217nfwMFP printer as a wireless one to my HP laptop running Windows 10. When I begin the Smart Jnstall process I am stopped by a window from User Account Control saying that 'An administrator has blocked you from running this app. For more information, contact the administrator.' Since this is my personal laptop, there is no administrator I am aware of. While doing any installations or set ups I have stayed away from anything asking about administrator status. How can I enable Smart Install to work?

rezpower · 11 Mar 2018

in your windows search type cmd and run Command prompt as administrator.
type "net user administrator /active:yes" (without quotes) and hit enter and restart pc.
on reboot log to the new account (admin) it has no password. (if it goes to old account then click on your own account and choose the new admin one). Under the admin account install your printer. Once printer installed and working run command prompt again and type: "net user administrator /active:no." and hit enter. Reboot.

ajbob · 12 Mar 2018

Added this command to "C: Users\owner>" (no quotes) and response was "System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied" (no quotes). Suggestions, next step?

EdTittel · 12 Mar 2018

Did you get an administrative command prompt window or the administrative PowerShell window when you fired off this command?
Cmd prompt window should look like this in the titlebar:

Wireless printer install blocked by administrator-image.png

PowerShell window should start with the word Administrator:

If you don't see those things, the command won't work. That's probably why. To launch cmd.exe as administrator, right-click cmd.exe in File Explorer, then select "Run as administrator" from the pop-up menu. To launch Administrator:PowerShell click <Windows-key>X, then select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the resulting pop-up menu.
HTH,
--Ed--

ajbob · 14 Mar 2018

Got the administrative command window. Sorry, can't copy and paste it. The Window says:
"Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.16299.309]
(c) 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

c:\Users\owner> net user administrator /active:yes
System error 5 has occurred.

Access is denied.

c:\Users\owner>"
I copied this with the exact capitalization and punctuation from my Command Prompt window. The only difference I can see is that your screen is running from "c:\WINDOWS\system 32>". I'm stumped.

Ben Myers · 14 Mar 2018

ajbob said:

I'm trying to connect my HP LaserJetM1217nfwMFP printer as a wireless one to my HP laptop running Windows 10. When I begin the Smart Jnstall process I am stopped by a window from User Account Control saying that 'An administrator has blocked you from running this app. For more information, contact the administrator.' Since this is my personal laptop, there is no administrator I am aware of. While doing any installations or set ups I have stayed away from anything asking about administrator status. How can I enable Smart Install to work?

Find the executable that starts the Smart Install, right-click it and select "Run as administrator".

Ben

EdTittel · 15 Mar 2018

I'm stumped. @Kari: do have any thoughts as to why OP is unable to activate the built-in admin account here?
Thanks,
--Ed--

Bree · 15 Mar 2018

ajbob said:

Got the administrative command window.... The Window says:
"Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.16299.309]
(c) 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

c:\Users\owner> net user administrator /active:yes
System error 5 has occurred.

...The only difference I can see is that your screen is running from "c:\WINDOWS\system 32>". I'm stumped.

That net user command has to be run in an admin command prompt, yours wasn't as indicated by the 'c:\Users\owner>' prompt.

Click Start, type CMD then right-click on the 'Command Prompt' search result and select 'Run as Administrator'.

ajbob · 15 Mar 2018

Tried what Bree suggested. Resulted in a pop up window on a grayed out screen stating;

"Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?

Windows Command Processor

To continue enter an admin user name and password"

At the bottom of the screen is a single click box on the right saying "No".

Bree · 15 Mar 2018

ajbob said:

To continue enter an admin user name and password"
At the bottom of the screen is a single click box on the right saying "No".

Oh dear @ajbob, you have BIG problems.

The absence of a 'YES' box means you have NO administrator accounts on this PC. This usually happens because users demote their only account from administrator to a standard account in the interest of safe browsing. This is a big mistake because you can no longer administer the PC. What you should have done is create a second standard account for safe browsing.

The only available fix now is to enable the built-in Administrator account from a command prompt at boot, sign in as Administrator then promote your account to an administrator (or create a new local account and promote that). Option Five in this tutorial.

Enable or Disable Elevated Administrator account in Windows 10

then...

Add Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10

Change Account Type in Windows 10