Windows 8 Administrator [The Perfect Damaging Loop]

Sectus

New Member
Messages
5
Well, my computer appears to be trapped in this perfect destructive loop. There exist no administrator accounts on my computer, and administrator access is required to elevate an account to administrator. Administrator access is also (apparently) required to use the command prompt to enable the built-in admin account that comes with the system. I've tried refreshing and reformatting my computer as well, but it appears admin access is required for that as well. Obviously, this is a very bad scenario. From what I can see, if a virus gets hold on my computer, I will be helpless to defend against it in any way.

This is all essentially my fault; I removed administrator access from my own account in order to set up 'family safety' options so I would force myself to go to bed earlier. Is there any possible fix, or am I doomed?

Thanks!
- Sectus.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    p7-1414
    Memory
    6GB DDR3 System Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 7560D Graphics
    Browser
    Firefox
Yes. Force it into Safe Mode and correct your mistake.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
Windows 8 doesn't seem to want to start in safe mode. Whenever I try to use start up settings, it just functions like a normal restart and sends me to the log in page.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    p7-1414
    Memory
    6GB DDR3 System Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 7560D Graphics
    Browser
    Firefox
I just tried booting from Safe Mode with several methods, using the control panel to get there and trying the shift + F8 method. None of these seem to work, which leads me to believe you need admin to access it as well. Is there perhaps a way to force my computer to give me admin?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    p7-1414
    Memory
    6GB DDR3 System Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 7560D Graphics
    Browser
    Firefox
Support would be appreciated.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    p7-1414
    Memory
    6GB DDR3 System Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 7560D Graphics
    Browser
    Firefox
This issue still isn't solved.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    p7-1414
    Memory
    6GB DDR3 System Memory
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 7560D Graphics
    Browser
    Firefox
Retail Windows or Pre-installed?
A clean install may be in order.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
This is pretty bizarre. I thought Microsoft was still encouraging people to run as non-Admins, but doing so has resulted in you being locked out of Admin access? Just wow.

I've always ignored their advice and used admin accounts, but on the subject of the built-in Admin account, I wrote this just yesterday:

http://www.eightforums.com/performa...ing-up-restoring-system-drive.html#post390897
As I recall, Microsoft surreptitiously disabled the hidden admin account that was formerly accessible pre-Vista with double-Ctrl+Alt+Del, which is what kept me out of the Vista system when my profile drive died; see, I wasn't even moving the entire Users folder, just my own Profile folder, and I was shocked double-Ctrl+Alt+Del didn't work when I needed it. Even though I stopped moving my profile folder after that experience, since then, I've always created a secondary admin account in case something goes wrong with the main one. I mainly use it when the Explorer icons get corrupted so I can delete my IconCache.db without having to kill Explorer.exe, but I like having it as a fail-safe above the system imaging level.


When I was refreshing my memory about double+Ctrl+Alt+Del, I ran across this Raymond Chen post from 2005:

The double-Ctrl+Alt+Del feature is really a kludge - The Old New Thing - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

He was wrong then, and apparently they've made things even worse. Although I don't like seeing it when I boot up, and I preferred "the kludge", I think the secondary admin account I've been creating should be considered mandatory, and Windows should warn you if there isn't at least one admin account you can access.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
I thought if you boot from install media you don't need to be able to sign on at all to get a command prompt...
It's true. However, The command Prompt that you get from the installation media is run under WinPE. It is not the same as the Command Prompt under your current Windows. If you boot from the installation media, with the SHIFT+F10, your command prompt would have a drive X: and under it it will have all the Windows, System32 etc... but it is Windows PE. Now if you boot it from the recovery USB, the command prompt from there is run under your current installed Windows and then you would have to put in the password as you login into Windows. That's why in my post, we need to run the elevated Command Prompt from the installed Windows and the way to get into it without a password or admin right is shown in these screen shots.

Hope this clears up the confusion.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro Prieview x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    MacBook Pro Core2Duo
    CPU
    T7600
    Memory
    3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon X1600
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 800
    Hard Drives
    40GB
    Keyboard
    Apple
    Mouse
    Apple
    Internet Speed
    Varies
    Browser
    Various
    Antivirus
    Defender
This issue still isn't solved.

Okay, have you tried accessing your bios menu? Or press the power button on your pc/laptop and hold it down to force shutdown....so when you start it up again it will ask if you want to boot in safe mode and other options.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Professional
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hewart Packard
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core Processor 4000+ 2.10 GHz
    Motherboard
    ECS Nettle2 1.0
    Memory
    2Gb DDR2
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dynex
    Screen Resolution
    1360x768
    Browser
    Internet Explorer
    Antivirus
    Avast
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