Windows 10 disaster

[Glyn DaviesParticipant @glyndavies49417]

Hi I know this is a long shot, but I wondered if there are any computer experts here that might be able to help me. I recently activated, and then de-activated the Windows 10 hidden admin account on my PC. I then thought I’d make the machine even more secure by removing the admin privileges from my user account. Doh! Now I don’t have privilege to either activate the Admin account or restore admin privileges to my user account, so cannot run anything that wants to make any changes to my device. Is there any option other than a clean reinstall of Windows? Apparently Microsoft stopped creating restore point backups in Windows 10 some time ago. Can’t believe Windows allowed me to make such a disastrous change without dire warnings beforehand.

Thanks

[MichaelRParticipant @michaelr]

I don’t know much about computers but you may have to do a reinstall, you could try this

If you have another administrator account on your Windows 10 device, you can use it to grant administrative privileges to your account. But if you don’t have another administrator account, you can use the Command Prompt to regain your administrative privileges.

* Open the Start menu,
* Search for “Command Prompt,” and then right-click on it and
* Select “Run as administrator.”
* Type the following command and press Enter: net localgroup administrators [your username] /add. Replace “[your username]” with your actual username.

You should now have administrative privileges.

I found this on Microsoft help

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

AI is very good at answering this sort of technical question!   Give it a try, nothing to lose:

1. In your Browser activate ChatGPT by clicking this link. It will respond:

Paste in your question:

“I recently activated, and then de-activated the Windows 10 hidden admin account on my PC. I then thought I’d make the machine even more secure by removing the admin privileges from my user account. Doh! Now I don’t have privilege to either activate the Admin account or restore admin privileges to my user account, so cannot run anything that wants to make any changes to my device. Is there any option other than a clean reinstall of Windows?”

Well done you Glyn, the above provides most of the information needed for AI to get a grip, avoiding that well known trap “Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer”!

I won’t repeat what ChatGPT suggests here for a very good reason.  If ChatGPT’s first suggestions are unclear or don’t work, you can, and should, ask it to clarify.  You can also refine your question and add more detail etc, plus what happens when particular suggestions are followed.  Usually done via a second search box at the bottom of the result page:

 

ChatGPT remembers the original context. making it possible for the human and AI to collaboratively home in on the answer.  There’s a certain amount of skill in it.

Dave

 

[Glyn DaviesParticipant @glyndavies49417]

Many thanks for the replies. I’ve now spent hours going round and round trying to get the command prompt to activate the Admin account and every way I try gets me an access denied error. Tried from the start up menu and the boot recovery menu. Aaargh!!!

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

I have not used this but worth a try to recover a deleted admin account in Win 10

https://www.google.com/search?q=admin+account+deleted+windows+10&oq=admin+accoumt+fdeleted&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i22i30l2j0i5i13i30l2j0i8i13i30l5.13460j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[peak4Participant @peak4]

The second method here looks like a good possibility if you have access to another machine.

https://www.isumsoft.com/windows-password/accidentally-deleted-administrator-account-on-windows-10.html

Bill

[Author]

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