Windows 10: Big problems with administrator account

For the last few years, I have had limited functionality on my laptop running windows 10 because I somehow inadvertently changed my own user account from being the administrator account and a separate administrator account has been created for which I have no idea what the user name and passport is for it and I have no way to remove it. Now when I pretty much try to do anything I am rejected with a box indicating I have to sign in as the admin. I can't even change the time without needing to be the admin. How can I change the user accounts to put myself as the administrator again?

:)

 

Settings can't be opened using the built-in administrator account


Hello,
Unfortunately I have the same issue as Dabz from upgrading win7 to win10.
I've tried opening settings using all the suggested methods and it will not load using my account with Administrator access nor the built-in Administrator profile. I also tried other methods not listed such as using Run. Control panel is just a stepping stone to add users in Settings.
I'm also having explorer.exe issues, which I believe is preventing Settings from loading.
Using cmd (Admin) I successfully created a new user profile [and granted admin access also using cmd (Admin)], however win10 will not allow this account to log on. win10 does not list this new user within control panel but it does in the start menu. win10 will not allow to log in or switch to the new account via the start menu either.
I can access settings in Safe Mode but this will not allow me to create a new account.
Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers

 

Account problem


Aslam,

Yes, the procedure is complex but I split it into individual steps that, I believe, can be followed by anybody.

Booting into Safe mode is explained in section 3. All steps are included. If there is a step you cannot do then please tell me the para number and which aspect of it is confusing you.

Getting into the built-in Administrator account is explained in section 4. All steps are included. If there is a step you cannot do then please tell me the para number and which aspect of it is confusing you.

Any local account and any MSAccount can be made a "Standard" account or an Admin account. You need to be logged in to an Admin account in order to raise a Standard account to Admin status.
- Once you are logged in to one of the Admin accounts that I suggest that you create, you can go to Settings, Accounts, Family & other users so that you can select the account you want to raise then click on the Change account type button that appears.
- Be wary of promoting then relying upon the current problem account because its user profile might be damaged. I cannot say that it is definitely damaged but only that something has gone wrong.

Denis

 

Is it advisable/useful to have a second (full) Administrator account?


Firstly, I should say that someone suggested this Forum to me and it's one of the most useful things that I have come across on the Internet!
I read somewhere that one way to safeguard your system is to create a second Administrator account in addition to the one that is built-in in Windows, so that should there be a problem with the "original" Administrator account you would use the second one to restore the first one.
If this is indeed advisable, what are the steps to do it? I presume that I should password-protect the second Administrator account.
Would I have the second Administrator account always enabled and the original Administrator account always disabled?