Lost admin rights to win 10 msi laptop

Attention windows 10 gurus I need your help. I am trying to fix my nephews gaming laptop.

Basically it's lost all admin rights. I did have them but now it doesn't. I can't access the registry to see if a virus changed anything.

Is there anything I can do short of a restore or a reinstall?

a reply to: bananashooter

This helped me when for some reason I lost mine.


Fix lost admin rights

Open it up using safe mode...

works every time ..I think...

I'll try this thanks
a reply to: seeker1963

Tweaking.com - Windows Repair Free/Pro

I cant say . Use at your own risk. I am a Windows Insider and this tool has pulled my rear out of that issue so many times

It will run for about 1 hour. Do not bother it...

ETA - Or download the correct version of Windows 10 UUP ISO and make a USB key from it using Rufus (or mount with Daemon Tools) Run it only from Windows (do not boot from the key) and choose keep all files ( also choose search for updates first) .

These methods should be a last resort , but both work (at least they have for me)

If its MBR and not UEFI, grab hirens 15 or what ever version and boot up, select offline password recovery. This is a linux based utility that modifies windows SAM file.

If it is UEFI, I have seen it possible but havent made a boot usb yet.

If this no longer works with 10, someone chime in. Cant say I have reset newer than 8.1

If Bitlocker was on I think your hosed.

I tried this but I can't even get it to start in safe mode.a reply to: seeker1963

originally posted by: bananashooter
I tried this but I can't even get it to start in safe mode.a reply to: seeker1963

Wow, if you can't get it to start in safe mode, sounds like a huge problem. Good luck, way beyond what I have had to deal with.

If there was a virus or the computer was hijacked your best bet is a clean install whether you can get the rights back or not.

Do a complete fresh install if possible. Format the hard drive before you install, don't reinstall windows over the old version.

It's worth buying a cheap 4GB+ flash drive and making a password recovery disk in case this happens again. You Can ask cortana about it or do a search on you tube for a solid visual walkthrough.

That's what I was afraid of, thanksa reply to: nemonimity

originally posted by: bananashooter
I tried this but I can't even get it to start in safe mode.a reply to: seeker1963

What stops it ? Is it blue (green) screening ? If you cant even get into safe mode , how do you know it is a loss of admin rights ?
If you reboot 3 times without booting to Windows , what happens ? Does it bring up the repair process and options? It should

I got the option to start in safe mode and I selected it but it doesn't actually go into safe mode, weird right?a reply to: Gothmog

originally posted by: bananashooter
I got the option to start in safe mode and I selected it but it doesn't actually go into safe mode, weird right?a reply to: Gothmog

No , not weird. Sounds like Windows is corrupted. Create a bootable Win 10 CD or USB. Choose the recovery options , not the install . Choose command prompt . Run the following command
sfc /scannow

Last hope on this one

a reply to: bananashooter

Slave the HDD to another computer that works already.

Copy off whatever data you want from that drive to somewhere on the working machine.

Put the HDD back in the original system and reload.

Or.

Use Hiren's Boot CD and use one of the tools on there to either change his Account back to having permissions or create a new Account with Admin. rights.

**Just realized you're talking about a laptop. Might be a bit more complicated depending upon your skills. Both those options still work of course but with a different level of difficulty. Sounds like the system is also more messed up than just loss of rights. Meaning you're most likely going to find the easiest way to go as a reload. With a laptop they can often times do this themselves, but you will lost data unless it's backed up first.

If you don't care about losing stuff, then reload it fresh and start over if you can.

Otherwise, let me know where you're at and we'll go from there.