Built-in Administrator Account - Reset to Default

How to Reset User Profile of Built-in Administrator Account to Default in Windows


information   Information
The built-in Administrator is the hidden elevated local administrator account that has full unrestricted access rights and permission on the computer.


A user profile is a collection of settings that make the computer look and work the way you want it to for a user account. It contains the account's settings for desktop backgrounds, screen savers, pointer preferences, sound settings, and other features. User profiles ensure that your personal preferences are used whenever you sign in to Windows.

A user profile is different from a user account, which you use to sign in to Windows. Each user account has at least one user profile associated with it.


This tutorial will show you how to quickly reset the user profile of the built-in Administrator account back to default in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

Note   Note
This will not reset a created password for the built-in Administrator account.

warning   Warning
:busted: Before doing this tutorial, be sure to back up anything that you do not want to lose in the C:\Users\Administrator folder to another location first since it will be deleted.

For example: Any saved music, documents, etc..... files.





Here's How:

1. Open a command prompt at boot.
Note   Note
If prompted to select an administrator account to sign in as, do not select the built-in Administrator account.

Note   Note

Reset_Administrator-A.jpg


2. In the command prompt at boot, type diskpart, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 4)

3. In the command prompt at boot, type list volume, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 4)

4. Make note of the drive letter (ex: D) for your Windows drive, type exit, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

Note   Note
The drive letter of your Windows drive will not always be the same at boot as it is while in Windows.


Reset_Administrator-B.jpg

5. In the command prompt at boot, type the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
RD /S /Q D:\Users\Administrator
Note   Note
Substitute D in the command above with the drive letter of your Windows drive from step 4 above.

Note   Note

If you had previously renamed the built-in "Administrator" account's name, then you will need to substitute Administrator in the command above with the new name instead.​
If your Windows uses a different language than English, then you would need to substitute Administrator in the command above with the translation for your language instead.​

Reset_Administrator-C.jpg

6. Restart the computer back into Windows, and sign in to any other administrator account other than the built-in "Administrator" account.

7. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

8. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

9. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Reset_Administrator_regedit-1.jpg

10. Under ProfileList in the left pane, look for a long SID key like below with 500 at the end. (see screenshot above)
S-1-5-21-593756035-3395987368-3679997531-500


11. Right click on the 500 SID key, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 9)

12. Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)
Reset_Administrator_regedit-2.jpg

13. Repeat steps 10-12 above for any other SID key with 500 or 500.bak at the end.

14. When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.

15. The built-in Administrator's profile has now been reset to default. The next time you sign in to the built-in Administrator account, it's profile will be recreated to a default state.


That's it,
Shawn



 

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Last edited by a moderator:
Hello Yasak, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Looks like it's not going to work anymore using this option. I'll update this tutorial in a bit for how to do so manually though.
 
Ok Yasak. The tutorial has been updated to do this manually for it to always work now. :)
 
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