Activate the Administrator Account in Vista [How To]

By Rich on October 27, 2008 (63 Comments)

Windows Vista hides the administrator account by default. This is done as a security measure. In this guide you’ll learn how to activate the administrator account in Windows Vista.

Enabling the Administrator Account

Vista Ultimate & Business Users

1. Press the Start button, right click on Computer, and select Manage

2. Click on Local Users And Groups

Activate the Administrator Account in Vista 1

3. Open the Users folder, right click on the Administrator account, and click Properties

Activate the Administrator Account in Vista 2

4. Now uncheck Account is Disabled and click OK

Note: To disable the account, follow the same procedure.

Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Users

Press the Start button, type CMD, right click cmd.exe and click Run as administrator
Type net user administrator /active and press Enter
Type Exit and the administrator account will now be active

Note: To disable the account, follow the same procedure and replace the command in step 2 with the following: net user administrator /active:no

About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix the problems he creates.

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Comments

Joel

What Windows Vista version is the one you are using to illustrate this tutorial? The reason I ask is because mine is Vista Home Basic and doesn’t have this feature on the list.

Very weird.
Joel

What Windows Vista version is the one you are using to illustrate this tutorial? The reason I ask is because mine is Vista Home Basic and doesn’t have this feature on the list.

Very weird.
Rich

I overlooked this. I’ve updated the guide. Thanks for asking
Rich

I overlooked this. I’ve updated the guide. Thanks for asking
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

I overlooked this. I’ve updated the guide. Thanks for asking
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

I overlooked this. I’ve updated the guide. Thanks for asking
Joel

What Windows Vista version is the one you are using to illustrate this tutorial? The reason I ask is because mine is Vista Home Basic and doesn’t have this feature on the list.

Very weird.
seef le roux

I have done this in home premium. NOW I get a log in screen with my account and an administrator account. This means that I now have to log onto my account everytime I boot or restart windows, plus I have no requirement to run an addisional accounbt called administrator. Please advise asap.
seef le roux

I have done this in home premium. NOW I get a log in screen with my account and an administrator account. This means that I now have to log onto my account everytime I boot or restart windows, plus I have no requirement to run an addisional accounbt called administrator. Please advise asap.
seef le roux

I have done this in home premium. NOW I get a log in screen with my account and an administrator account. This means that I now have to log onto my account everytime I boot or restart windows, plus I have no requirement to run an addisional accounbt called administrator. Please advise asap.
seef le roux

I have done this in home premium. NOW I get a log in screen with my account and an administrator account. This means that I now have to log onto my account everytime I boot or restart windows, plus I have no requirement to run an addisional accounbt called administrator. Please advise asap.
Rich

seef, follow the instructions under “Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Users”

Replace step 2 with the following: net user administrator /active:no
Rich

seef, follow the instructions under “Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Users”

Replace step 2 with the following: net user administrator /active:no
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

seef, follow the instructions under “Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Users”

Replace step 2 with the following: net user administrator /active:no
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

seef, follow the instructions under “Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Users”

Replace step 2 with the following: net user administrator /active:no
Sujan

i have home premium but can do nothing can u make it abit systematic ^^
Sujan

i have home premium but can do nothing can u make it abit systematic ^^
Sujan

i have home premium but can do nothing can u make it abit systematic ^^
Sujan

i have home premium but can do nothing can u make it abit systematic ^^
Rich

Sujan, where are you having trouble?
Rich

Sujan, where are you having trouble?
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

Sujan, where are you having trouble?
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

Sujan, where are you having trouble?
Sujan

i have windows vista home premium but is doesnot have that option as u said. when i go to computer management there is no folder containing (Local users and group)!!
and i have tried using cmd still don’t see administrator account ^^
Sujan

i have windows vista home premium but is doesnot have that option as u said. when i go to computer management there is no folder containing (Local users and group)!!
and i have tried using cmd still don’t see administrator account ^^
Sujan

i have windows vista home premium but is doesnot have that option as u said. when i go to computer management there is no folder containing (Local users and group)!!
and i have tried using cmd still don’t see administrator account ^^
Sujan

i have windows vista home premium but is doesnot have that option as u said. when i go to computer management there is no folder containing (Local users and group)!!
and i have tried using cmd still don’t see administrator account ^^
Rich

Sujan, when you follow the Home Premium instructions, what results do you get?

i.e. the command prompt wont open or you get an error message etc? I can find out what’s wrong, so just let me know where exactly you are having trouble.
Rich

Sujan, when you follow the Home Premium instructions, what results do you get?

i.e. the command prompt wont open or you get an error message etc? I can find out what’s wrong, so just let me know where exactly you are having trouble.
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

Sujan, when you follow the Home Premium instructions, what results do you get?

i.e. the command prompt wont open or you get an error message etc? I can find out what’s wrong, so just let me know where exactly you are having trouble.
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

Sujan, when you follow the Home Premium instructions, what results do you get?

i.e. the command prompt wont open or you get an error message etc? I can find out what’s wrong, so just let me know where exactly you are having trouble.
Sujan

command prompt opens but when i type the above instruction it says :system error 5 has occured.
Acces is denied.
But when i did it i saw new account ASPN.NET Machine Account.
i am sure it was not there before.But is is just standerd user account.
But i have not seen administrator account yet!!
Sujan

command prompt opens but when i type the above instruction it says :system error 5 has occured.
Acces is denied.
But when i did it i saw new account ASPN.NET Machine Account.
i am sure it was not there before.But is is just standerd user account.
But i have not seen administrator account yet!!
Sujan

command prompt opens but when i type the above instruction it says :system error 5 has occured.
Acces is denied.
But when i did it i saw new account ASPN.NET Machine Account.
i am sure it was not there before.But is is just standerd user account.
But i have not seen administrator account yet!!
Sujan

command prompt opens but when i type the above instruction it says :system error 5 has occured.
Acces is denied.
But when i did it i saw new account ASPN.NET Machine Account.
i am sure it was not there before.But is is just standerd user account.
But i have not seen administrator account yet!!
Rich

Did you run the command prompt as an administrator?
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

Did you run the command prompt as an administrator?
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

Did you run the command prompt as an administrator?
Sujan

i cannot use it as administrator. it is not activated yet but if u mean with administrator access account? then yes. i run it as administrator.

srry is taking way long discussion. haha i don’t want to activate it anymore ^^ but thx for ur reply. may b i m not getting idea just amature user ^^
Sujan

i cannot use it as administrator. it is not activated yet but if u mean with administrator access account? then yes. i run it as administrator.

srry is taking way long discussion. haha i don’t want to activate it anymore ^^ but thx for ur reply. may b i m not getting idea just amature user ^^
Sujan

i cannot use it as administrator. it is not activated yet but if u mean with administrator access account? then yes. i run it as administrator.

srry is taking way long discussion. haha i don’t want to activate it anymore ^^ but thx for ur reply. may b i m not getting idea just amature user ^^
Rich

No problem :)
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

No problem :)
http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

No problem :)
Andrew

this message appears when I enter the comand you gave.

net user
[usermane [password | *] [options]] [/domain]
username {password | *} /ADD [options] [/domain]
username [/delete] [/domain]
username [/times:{times | all}]

what should i do?
Andrew

this message appears when I enter the comand you gave.

net user
[usermane [password | *] [options]] [/domain]
username {password | *} /ADD [options] [/domain]
username [/delete] [/domain]
username [/times:{times | all}]

what should i do?
Andrew

this message appears when I enter the comand you gave.

net user
[usermane [password | *] [options]] [/domain]
username {password | *} /ADD [options] [/domain]
username [/delete] [/domain]
username [/times:{times | all}]

what should i do?
Rich

Andrew are you running the command prompt as an administrator?
http://www.mintywhite.com/tech/ Rich

Andrew are you running the command prompt as an administrator?
http://www.mintywhite.com/tech/ Rich

Andrew are you running the command prompt as an administrator?

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