====== Enable local administrator account in Windows ======

//This will work in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.//

[[https://web.archive.org/web/20181009041410/http://z-issue.com/wp/changing-windows-account-passwords-and-enabling-the-local-windows-admin-account/|Source]]

Boot into WinPE environment and type ''diskpart'', ''list disk'', ''select disk'' and ''list volume'' to get the letter of the system drive. Exit diskpart then type ''C:'' or, if the system drive is given another letter, type that instead.

<code cmd>
cd c:\windows\system32
</code>

<code cmd>
ren utilman.exe utilman.exe.bak
</code>

<code cmd>
ren cmd.exe utilman.exe
</code>

Restart into the Windows operating system and press Ctrl-Alt-Del. Click on the icon voice assistant to get CMD window open and then reset the password or enable the local administrator account.

===== Reset an existing user's password =====

Type ''net user'' to see a list of available user accounts.

Type ''net user $USERNAME *'' (replacing $USERNAME with the desired username), and follow the prompts to set the password for that local user.

===== Activate the local administrator account =====

Type ''net user administrator /active:yes'' to activate the local Administrator account.

Type ''net user administrator *'' and follow the prompts to set the password for the local Administrator.

If successful, reboot in the WinPE environment to restore the name of the executables.

{{tag>windows sysadmin}}