Windows 7 UAC problems - can't do anything!

EddScott · 6 Sep 2010 at 17:50

Friend has given me her laptop to have a look at.

I've never used UAC as it seems to be a royal PITA. However, UAC on her laptop is preventing her from doing just about anything. I've tried turning off UAC but when the UAC message box comes up "yes" is always greyed out. If I choose run as admin I get the same message. Can't edit the reg, can't get a command prompt.

Tried loading in safemode as I assume logging in as admin should allow me to alter the other users but she has forgotten the password.

What can be done? Without the admin password I'm a bit stuck.

Andrew Moore · 6 Sep 2010 at 17:51

run CMD as admin and disable UAC from there.

Andy

Beerbaron · 6 Sep 2010 at 17:53

or

control panel> User Accounts> Change User account settings

Mattus · 6 Sep 2010 at 19:11

Assuming she's running on a limited account, the problem isn't UAC. The problem is that she's forgotten her admin password. That's how UAC's supposed to work - you need admin credentials to make changes.

EddScott · 6 Sep 2010 at 19:12

Can't do either of those. Right clicking and "Run as administrator" gives me the same message - tried cmd, regedit, msconfig.

The UAC message box in every instance says - "Type in administrator password and click yes" theres no box to type in a password and Yes is greyed out.

Can't change user account settings either.

Mattus said:
Assuming she's running on a limited account, the problem isn't UAC. The problem is that she's forgotten her admin password. That's how UAC's supposed to work - you need admin credentials to make changes.

So what to do if she can't remember the password? Theres only two accounts (three if in safe mode admin appears) and both of them have limited accounts.

BloodyL · 7 Sep 2010 at 03:52

If you can access the machine using the safe mode admin, use that to create a new admin account, then reboot to the normal loadout, log in using the new admin details and away you go, you should be able to adjust the UAC from there.

BloodyL · 7 Sep 2010 at 07:10

Or you can use of the password revealer liveCD's that are floating about to crack the existing accounts.

SiriusB · 7 Sep 2010 at 12:11

She was smart enough to create limited accounts, but then goes and forgets the most important password of all? Oops!

I would try BloodyL's Safe Mode admin approach. See if you can create a new admin account and go from there. Though I am pretty certain you will need a password for that which would have been set at some point when Windows was installed.

EddScott · 7 Sep 2010 at 14:45

Thanks chaps. Doubt it will let me make a new admin account but will try.

Looked at some of these password hack jobs but not keen on using anything that may potentially screw Win7 up. If it screws up its me that has to put it right and me that becomes responsible for the machine from here on in.