Windows 10: Can't open photos with built in administrator

Okay as it implies I can't open photos, I did have this problem before on my other computers. Whenever I try to add a new account it takes me to setttings and when I hit the button to add another account I get a black windows box for half second and nothing happens. Should I try and make a windows account and login or what?

:)

 

default photos app open error

when i open pictures, it shows "photos can't be opened using the Built-in Administrator account "

 

Windows 10, Built In Admin (This app can't open)

Any app I open (example, calculator and photos) it will say "This app can't open, This app can't be open by the built in administrator, sign in with another account and try again"

And Yes I have tried multiple accounts, at least 5...

 

Hello Fyrd and welcome to the TenForums,

None of the Windows Apps will work via the Built-in Administrator account. This is by design.

The hidden built-in elevated "Administrator account" is a local account that has full unrestricted access rights to the PC. By default, this "Administrator" account will not be prompted by UAC. Anything that runs while signed in to this "Administrator" account will also have full unrestricted access to the PC, so it is not recommended to use the built-in "Administrator" account for everyday usage. It's recommended to only use the built-in "Administrator" account as needed instead.

You should be able to add a new account though. Try the various options in https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5...dows-10-a.html

 

What happens if I can't even open the box to add local account or sign in with windows?

 

It sounds as if you have some corrupted files on your system. Can you login to any account on your PC?

If you can open an elevated command prompt (right click on your start button to access this) please run the command: sfc /scannow

If this does not repair errors then you will need to run the command:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth


If you run into any problems with these commands have a look at the tutorials below:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7...-10-image.html

 

I did my best in running these commands and yielded nothing. Even in boot I can't seem to run the scan now. What is the next course of action. Should I roll back to 8 and start again?

 

You can a a user from the command prompt. For example to add new user "NewUser" as part of the Administrators group: Code: net user "NewUser" "NewUsersPassword" /add net localgroup Administrators "NewUser" /add[/quote]

 

I managed to make another account but It still giving me the same error. What else is there left to do?

 

Your original error was being unable to open photos with the built-in administrator account. Can you explain what is happening now you are using the new account? What app are you trying to use? What is the error message?

So that we know the status of all your accounts can you also report back on the results of the following test.

Open a command prompt (right click on start icon) and type wmic useraccount list full
Refer to tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/3...dows-10-a.html

 

Anything Windows, photo viewer, and Windows movie and video. It gives me same error. Can't open with built in Administrator, then it goes on to say "Sign in to another account". It doesn't really give much information other than that basic sentence. Whenever I hit close another error box open up and it gives me the same thing plus whatever extension of the file I tried to open.



AccountType=512
Description=Built-in account for administering the computer/domain
Disabled=TRUE
Domain=Lenovo-PC
FullName=
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Administrator
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-1896927433-2202731820-3763874318-500
SIDType=1
Status=Degraded


AccountType=512
Description=A user account managed by the system.
Disabled=TRUE
Domain=Lenovo-PC
FullName=
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=DefaultAccount
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=TRUE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-1896927433-2202731820-3763874318-503
SIDType=1
Status=Degraded


AccountType=512
Description=
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Lenovo-PC
FullName=
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Dyrd
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=TRUE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-1896927433-2202731820-3763874318-1004
SIDType=1
Status=OK


AccountType=512
Description=Built-in account for guest access to the computer/domain
Disabled=TRUE
Domain=Lenovo-PC
FullName=
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Guest
PasswordChangeable=FALSE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=FALSE
SID=S-1-5-21-1896927433-2202731820-3763874318-501
SIDType=1
Status=Degraded


AccountType=512
Description=Built-in account for homegroup access to the computer
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Lenovo-PC
FullName=HomeGroupUser$
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=HomeGroupUser$
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=TRUE
SID=S-1-5-21-1896927433-2202731820-3763874318-1003
SIDType=1
Status=OK


AccountType=512
Description=
Disabled=FALSE
Domain=Lenovo-PC
FullName=Dasher
InstallDate=
LocalAccount=TRUE
Lockout=FALSE
Name=Owner
PasswordChangeable=TRUE
PasswordExpires=FALSE
PasswordRequired=FALSE
SID=S-1-5-21-1896927433-2202731820-3763874318-1001
SIDType=1
Status=OK

What do I exactly look for? The degraded part? Do I change that in Command?

 

There's nothing wrong with your Windows, most probably nothing corrupted. I think you are in so called Audit Mode in which Windows by default always signs in with the built-in admin account. In Audit Mode the only Windows UWP app working is Settings, all others (Edge, Photos, Mail, Weather, People and so on) can't be used, no new user accounts can be created using Settings > Accounts.

Windows remains in Audit Mode even after restart if user has not specifically told Windows to exit from Audit Mode to OOBE Mode using the Windows System Preparation Tool (Sysprep).

I think a bit theory is important now making this post quite long; if you are not interested in the boring stuff, jump to label Solution below. OK?

*Smile



Solution (boot to OOBE)
1.) Browse to C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep folder, run Sysprep.exe:




2.) Select Systen Cleanup Action: Enter System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE), select Shutdown Options: Reboot, click OK:




3.) You will see that Sysprep starts working:




4.) Audit Mode always exists to OOBE. You need now to go through it starting with selecting language, time zone and formats,




5.) If Windows has already been activated or the PC has digital entitlement, select Do this later when prompted for a product key:




6.) You must set up a user every time OOBE is run. If Audit Mode was entered from an existing Windows installation and user accounts already exist, you cannot use any existing MS or local user account here. In screenshot I have tried to use / setup user but because that user already exists I am told to use another username:



That's it. You have now exited Audit Mode and are in Windows normal mode. Edge and other Windows UWP apps work as they should.

 

I read some of the theory. However I ran into an error. As I went into my C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep and hit the program.

System preparation Tool 3.14

Sysprep was not able to validate your Windows installation Review the log file at %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther\setupact.log for details. After resolving the issue, use Sysprep to validate your installation again.

Windows 10 is just being a pain lol. I wonder what happened during the installation process. As this did not occur whenever I installed this on my laptop,

 

That usually indicates that Windows is an upgrade install, not a clean install. There's an easy fix:

Open registry editor (WIN + R, type regedit, hit Enter). Browse to key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup, delete both the key Upgrade (left pane) and DWORD Upgrade (right pane):




You will get a warning that deleting these might be dangerous. It's not, just please believe me.

Now browse to key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Status\SysprepStatus, if either DWORD CleanupState or DWORD GeneralizationState has any other value than 7, change it to 7 by double clicking the DWORD in question and entering the new value:




(Screenshots and instructions from Users Folder - Move Location in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums, its last part called Upgrade.)

Now do as I told in my previous post, Sysprep should work now.

 

If Win10 is activated and you're willing to roll back to Win8, consider a Clean install if all esle fails to resolve the issue(s)

Kari has invested some time and provided a path - continue following Kari's instructions until you reach the end of that path.