On the search area next to start type control panel then select user accounts and again select user account and you will see if you are an administrator to make any changes in the computer. If someone else is an administrator and you are just a user then you will need to contact the administrator to make changes and he/she will decide to make the changes.

 

OK, thanks. I did what you said and I am listed as administrator.

 

Why do you think you need to log in as administrator? Usually the first account created on a Win10 installation is an administrative account, which has all the authority you should need. Is this your computer that you initially logged into at setup time? Or, were you added by someone else to this PC? If the latter, we cannot tell you how to circumvent that.

 

It's my computer. I'm the only person that uses it. In the control panel>user accounts>user accounts, my name and email address are listed as administrator.

What happened is that when I was trying to follow some instructions on how to recover a lost file, I was told I have to be logged in as administrator to do that.
But I am administrator. So, I don't understand.

 

Hello, bizwiz2.

Your account, eniln, has administrator privileges. That is what is said in Settings > Accounts. So, if you sign in with this account, you actually sign in as Administrator.

The command you used (net user administrator /active:yes) is used when you want to enable the built-in administrator account. To do that, you must open a cmd window with administrator privileges, something you didn't do, and that is why you got the access denied error. This is a very powerful account, only used in very specific cases, to solve issues that cannot be solved using an "ordinary" administrator account. So, I strongly recommend you NOT to enable this account, using any command.

As to the system32 not showing in the cmd window you are trying to use, this is because you don't open it (the cmd window) as administrator. As I said above, that is the reason you got the access denied error when you tried to execute the command. To do that (open cmd as administrator), there are several ways. This is one simple way to use, when you need it:

• Press Windows icon key on your keyboard, together with the letter R.
• Type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as administrator.
• The window will open showing C: \Windows\system32

Let us know if you need anything else.

 

Ok, thanks. When I follow your instructions, a window pops up with a picture of the cmd window in it and asks if I want to allow this app to make changes to my computer. Not sure what that's about.

Also, something I just noticed. When I bought this computer, I thought the description said it has Windows 11 on it. But, if you look in the screenshot of the cmd window, it says it has Windows 10.0. That's why I wrote in my post that I have Windows 10. But, in settings>about, it says I have Windows 11. So, now I'm not sure what I have.

 

Also, something I just noticed. When I bought this computer, I thought the description said it has Windows 11 on it. But, if you look in the screenshot of the cmd window, it says it has Windows 10.0. That's why I wrote in my post that I have Windows 10. But, in settings>about, it says I have Windows 11. So, now I'm not sure what I have.

It is confusing but the build number for windows 11 (22H2) the latest is indeed as shown below.,

IF you look again at the cmd windows it does not actually say
Windows 10
as the cmd window only indicates the version number.
see this link and you will see the same reference as in your cmd window - for windows 11
Windows 11 - release information | Microsoft Learn

List of Windows Version Numbers (lifewire.com)

Windows 11 (22H2)

10.0.22621

AS I said - very confusing to many users.

 

Hello.

As to this:

Ok, thanks. When I follow your instructions, a window pops up with a picture of the cmd window in it and asks if I want to allow this app to make changes to my computer. Not sure what that's about.

Yes, you will allow it. But as I already said YOU DON'T NEED to enable the built-in Administrator account. Your account has administrator privileges.

As to your question about Windows 10 or 11, Mcboatmaster already replied to you:

IF you look again at the cmd windows it does not actually say Windows 10, as the cmd window only indicates the version number.

 

I can confirm with 99.9% accuracy that looking at the command prompt, that is Windows 11. You can confirm this by two ways: 1) in the search menu, type About your PC. In Windows 11 you will see it under Windows Specifications with a Copy button. or 2) type winver in the search box and press enter. A box will show up with the version.

As to the original issue, I wanted to make sure that we are on the same page. You are trying to have an account with administrative credentials in order to find a lost file? If so, can you confirm what you mean by lost files, as in how was it lost (i.e. accidental deletion), etc. As mentioned, there is no reason to enable the local administrator account to do any tasks that your current account should already be able to do.

Couriant

 

I can confirm with 99.9% accuracy that looking at the command prompt, that is Windows 11.

I can confirm it 100% as I posted with links

Works as intended by Microsoft
Windows uses the internal build number (as shown in Figure 4 [English only]) to differentiate between Windows 11 (Build 22000 and higher) and Windows 10 (Build below 22000).

Figure 4: Version identifier (ver) Top Windows 10, Bottom Windows 11

 

But, in settings>about, it says I have Windows 11.

No need for saying anything else.

I'll ask topic's move to the Windows 11 Forum.

 

Out of curiosity, are you running "cmd" as an Administrator? Click Start and type "cmd". Hold down Ctrl + Shift, then hit Enter.

For the record, you log in as a regular user, with the ability to elevate to Administrative privileges. It's like running "sudo" in Linux.

 

Courtneyc

Just in case you have not noticed the thread starter has no replied since 31 August, so I doubt you will get a reply

Running the cmd prompt as admin has in fact already been posted

To do that (open cmd as administrator), there are several ways. This is one simple way to use, when you need it:

• Press Windows icon key on your keyboard, together with the letter R.
• Type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as administrator.
• The window will open showing C: \Windows\system32