Click the link there that reads "Change security settings" (in Vista Beta 2) and "Turn User Account Control on or off" (in Build 5472 and beyond). If your goal in accessing the Administrator account is to ditch User Account Controls, a somewhat safer way to do that would be to stick with your account with computer-administrator privileges (the one that is not named Administrator). And when you're done, I strongly urge you to re-enable your user account(s) and promptly disable the Administrator account. So, have a look around, but don't move in. Your Administrator account should not be left enabled without a password. When it comes back up, it will just load the Administrator account, since you haven't set a password.įor security reasons, this method should only be used on a temporary basis. Close Computer Management and restart Windows. Follow the same steps to open Properties, but this time, click to add a check mark in the box labeled "Account Is Disabled."ĭouble check that your Administrator account is enabled. You should find at least one with computer administrator privileges. Look for account icons that lack the red disable mark. The second step - the trick - is to disable any other enabled accounts with computer administrator privileges in the Users area. (Remember: Don't set a password in Computer Management for the Administrator account.) Start by enabling the Administrator account in Computer Management just as described above. And also something you need to watch out for. There's a trick you need to know to make it work. So you get the full-fledged Administrator privileges in a normal boot mode, not Safe Mode. The second method allows you to log into the Administrator account just as you would any normal account. But for quick access to the Administrator account, this is about as good as it gets in Vista Beta 2. Running Safe Mode as Administrator both limits and extends your privileges. Choose the first option, "Safe Mode" and press Enter.Īfter a time, Vista will show you the log-in screen with two options, Administrator and Other User. Don't press Enter instead, press the F8 key, and you'll progress to the Safe Mode boot screen.
#WINDOWS VISTA PASSWORD FACTORY RESET WINDOWS#
Once the boot menu is showing, paused for your operating system selection, use the arrow or tab keys to select "Microsoft Windows" (the option that runs Windows Vista). You'll need to restart your computer and follow one of the following two methods to access Administrator.įor this method, you press F8 as Windows is starting up when the character mode part of the boot-up says something to the effect of "Starting Windows." In a dual-boot environment, you can do that from the boot menu. Remove the check mark from the "Account Is Disabled" box and click OK. The ones that have small red circles with an "X" through them are disabled.Ĭlick to select the Administrator icon, and then right-click it to open its context menu and choose Properties. On the right side of Computer Management, you should see icons for all of the user accounts created on your computer. Double-click "Local Users and Groups" to open it. Authorize UAC by clicking the Continue button.
Double-click the Computer Management item to open it. Open the Administrative Tools Control Panel. Start by booting your computer to Vista in your computer administrator account.
#WINDOWS VISTA PASSWORD FACTORY RESET HOW TO#
I will show you how to safely add a password to your Administrator account. So, please follow the directions to the letter. The result of the bug is that you will be completely locked out of your Windows Vista installation. And since Vista's clean-install setup program forces you to create a new user account with computer administrator privileges, everyone has to cross this hurdle in finding the built-in Administrator.īefore you take any steps to reveal Administrator on your computer, please be aware that there's a bug in Vista Beta 2 that can cause you serious woe if you create a password for your Administrator account in Computer Management. There's an added step that Microsoft hasn't documented and that isn't all that intuitive: Not only do you have to enable the Administrator account, you also have to disable all other accounts with computer-administrator privileges. Your obvious conclusion might be that all you need to do is enable the Administrator account, restart Windows and then log into the Administrator account. By default, the account is disabled, but you can enable it there. But the MMC-based Computer Management section of the Administrative Tools Control Panel does give you access to the Administrator account. You won't find the Administrator account in the User Accounts Control Panel. It's even possible to create an "administrator" account, with a lowercase "A." But that won't be the full-fledged Administrator account, it's just another account with computer administrator privileges.
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