Cannot switch from Administrator to standard user

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  1. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #11

    Jim8080 said:
    Bree: Missed your answer.
    My problem is I cannot sign out as administrator.....

    Read this tutorial: Sign out of Windows 10

    ... and this tutorial for what to do after you have signed out: Sign in to Windows 10
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 84
    win10
    Thread Starter
       #12

    Paul:
    Your approach worked. I went to the start menu, moved the cursor to the far left, and Administrator was there, plus my standard account name, which was not there earlier. I clicked on Administrator... I turned off the computer, restarted, and the startup screen listed both my standard account and administrator at the lower left. I clicked on my normal account, and it started normally. I checked the start menu again and Administrator is missing. The choice is missing when restarting.

    I'm ok now, but what happens if I need administrator again? Maybe it is something about my computer, an old refurbished Dell T3500 workstation.

    Ignoring security issues, there are other big differences between normal and administrator. File Explorer is different. Some of my other programs need to be partially set up again in administrator.

    Thanks to all who helped. I'll close this thread later today.
    Jim
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 18,044
    Win 10 Pro 64-bit v1909 - Build 18363 Custom ISO Install
       #13

    Hello @Jim8080,

    Jim8080 said:
    Paul:
    Your approach worked. I went to the start menu, moved the cursor to the far left, and Administrator was there, plus my standard account name, which was not there earlier. I clicked on Administrator... I turned off the computer, restarted, and the startup screen listed both my standard account and administrator at the lower left. I clicked on my normal account, and it started normally. I checked the start menu again and Administrator is missing. The choice is missing when restarting.

    I'm ok now, but what happens if I need administrator again?

    Excellent news, I am glad that I could help.



    You will just need to run these commands below.

    [1] Press the Win + X keys together > Command Prompt (Admin).
    [2] Type the command below into the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Enter.



    To ADD the Administrator . . .

    Code:
    net user Administrator /active:yes



    To REMOVE the Administrator . . .

    Code:
    net user Administrator /active:no



    I hope this helps.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #14

    Most of us here and probably over 90% of home users just run our normal everyday accounts as administrators. The first account created in Windows is an administrator by default so the standard home user is an administrator and likely does not even know the difference.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 84
    win10
    Thread Starter
       #15

    That's really interesting. Over the years, I have heard horror stories regarding security issues if Administrator is used. If I must use Administrator in the future, I'll consider remaining there instead of the hassle of switching back. Switching has problems, for example, I'll need to figure out how to move File Explorer.

    In my case, I purchased a refurbished Dell T3500 workstation, and was installing programs I normally use. I much prefer Office 2003 to the current version, and had installed it from old disks I have. Unfortunately, an EULA screen appears each time Word or Excel is started. It can be stopped, but Administrator must be used in the process. I used this computer to see if there were any problems when switching to Administrator.

    After the resulting fiasco, I searched online again and found Stop the Microsoft Office Agreement (EULA) from popping up every time you start Outlook, or Word or Excel – HelpMeRick.com – Technology help for everyone! which worked fine.

    Jim
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #16

    Jim8080 said:
    That's really interesting. Over the years, I have heard horror stories regarding security issues if Administrator is used. If I must use Administrator in the future, I'll consider remaining there instead of the hassle of switching back.

    The security issues were really bad in XP, where Administrator was an active account, the only account available after an install, and therefore commonly used by everyone as their main account.

    Things got better with Vista/Win7 when User Account Control (UAC) was first introduced.
    User Account Control - Wikipedia

    In Windows 10 the Administrator account is disabled by default. On first setup you are asked to create an account. This will be an administrator (not the Administrator) and is subject to UAC. Almost everything you do when signed in with this account is actually being run as a standard user, when you try to do something that requires admin rights you are asked to confirm that you really want to do so. With a little common sense (read the prompts carefully, don't just click OK automatically) it can be as safe to use a W10 administrator account as a standard account.

    You shouldn't really ever need to use the Administrator account, everything you need to do can be accomplished by an administrator account. It is best to leave Administrator disabled. If you want your daily use account to be a standard user, then create a new local account, make it an administrator, then you can demote your regular account to a standard user.

    It is vital to do it in that order, creating the second administrator account first. The one case where a user would need to enable Administrator is when they have demoted their one and only administrator account to a standard user, then wonder why they no longer have full control over the PC. It happens far too frequently. There are numerous threads here on Ten Forums asking how to recover from this mistake, and a tutorial to tell you how to.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 13,898
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #17

    Last week I gave an older Notebook to my 10-year-old granddaughter [probably will need it soon for keyboarding practice], set the main user as a Local Account with Administrative rights and her as a Local Account Standard user. With a Password on the main user and none for her the 2 choices show at the login screen.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 16,785
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       #18

    Jim,

    I agree with Bree. I have a couple of additional observations that I think are useful.

    Jim8080 said:
    That's really interesting. Over the years, I have heard horror stories regarding security issues if Administrator is used. If I must use Administrator in the future, I'll consider remaining there instead of the hassle of switching back.
    The main 'security' issue when logged in to the Built-in Admin account [the account that has the username Administrator] is that UAC is, by default, disabled. This means that anybody could execute anything behind your back without any notification ever appearing to warn you about it.
    In addition, the Built-in Admin account has, by default, no password.
    The Built-in Admin account exists for one purpose - to be automatically enabled at the Safe mode login screen if Windows detects that there are no other functioning Admin accounts on the computer.
    The Built-in Admin account is no more powerful than an Admin account you have created yourself.
    Whilst you could reset UAC & add a password for the Built-in Admin account you could avoid any need to use it by creating a spare, local, password-protected Admin account of your own for use in any troubleshooting you needed to do. Doing so allows you to leave the Built-in Admin account disabled and pristine. Personally, I have two such spare Admin accounts.

    Bree said:
    ... it can be as safe to use a W10 administrator account as a standard account.
    As Bree pointed out, most of us routinely use an Admin account all the time. I do.
    There are always claims that malware can silently give itself Admin permission to run if you are signed in to an Admin account whilst online.
    When I looked into this, about five years ago now, I found that setting UAC to its highest level ['Always notify'] thwarted all the then-existing malware of this type.


    Jim8080 said:
    I much prefer Office 2003 to the current version, and had installed it from old disks I have.
    Quite a few people keep using Office 2003 and you'll probably find useful guidance by searching the Office section of the forum.
    But do bear in mind that an out-of-support application is a target for malware because any newly-discovered vulnerabilities will always remain unpatched. I'm in the same boat as you; I use Office 2007. I reassure myself by remembering that malware has to penetrate the OS first. But keeping an out-of-support application remains a risk.



    All the best,
    Denis
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 15,442
    Windows10
       #19

    Berton said:
    Last week I gave an older Notebook to my 10-year-old granddaughter [probably will need it soon for keyboarding practice], set the main user as a Local Account with Administrative rights and her as a Local Account Standard user. With a Password on the main user and none for her the 2 choices show at the login screen.
    Problem is once the local account is selected and bboter to, it will always boot to that as no password. This behaviour seems to vary though.

    In any case, it is not too soon to encourage the young lady to use passwords.


    When I set up pcs like this for use with standard accounts for all but the main admin users, I also set a bios password, as it does not take the little "minxes" to learn how to get round admin passwords booting from a usb installation drive. Ok at 10 yrs old unlikely, but by 14 yrs old......
      My Computer


 

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