Some settings are controlled by system administrator? wtf

[dazzlaa]

Has anyone seen this happen on their own computer?

I was trying to adjust some defender settings last night but kept seeing red text everywhere saying I could not change the settings. I also could not synchronise my profile, although it says I am the system admin as I am the only user of the computer.

I have recently reset windows back to default so I am doubting a virus could have taken over my PC in just a couple of days but this seems to me like there is a stealth admin account?

 

[mysticsniper]

Some of the systems before Win 10 used a Syskey, this utility was removed, lots of video's online from tech support scammers.

Go into your computer management and check to see what accounts are listed.

I don't use an admin account to access my personal computer, I introduced RBAC a long time ago.

 

[Murphy]

Something has set a policy, type gpedit into search to run local group policy editor, in that go to computer configuration, right click on administrative templates, then filter options and where it says select the type of policy setting to display click on the configured drop-down box and select yes, click on OK and then go to both the computer and user all settings folders and see if anything is listed in the right hand window.

If both computer and user configuration all settings folders don't list anything as being configured then something could've set the policy directly in the registry, that would make it harder to find as even though most policy settings are stored in the same place (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft) not all setting are so using a web based GPO search engine may help in narrowing the exact location down.

 

[OldKitMan]

have you ever installed/logged into a company outlook account or a school microsoft account? These will have an option about having to sign in less or something and that installs some organisation level settings onto you device. It's very easy to do unintentionally.

 

[Mel_P]

Something has set a policy, type gpedit into search to run local group policy editor, in that go to computer configuration, right click on administrative templates, then filter options and where it says select the type of policy setting to display click on the configured drop-down box and select yes, click on OK and then go to both the computer and user all settings folders and see if anything is listed in the right hand window.

If both computer and user configuration all settings folders don't list anything as being configured then something could've set the policy directly in the registry, that would make it harder to find as even though most policy settings are stored in the same place (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft) not all setting are so using a web based GPO search engine may help in narrowing the exact location down.

Does this only apply to Win 10 Prof. - "group policy editor . . . " ? Thanks, Mel

 

[Murphy]

The Local group policy editor program (MMC snap-in)? Yes. For other versions of windows without the Local Group Policy editor program you have to edit/create the registry keys/values that the program would normally create/edit yourself.

Either that or use one of the many guides available on the internet to add/enable the "GPEdit.msc" to Home versions.