Windows 10: The ...cannot be opened with built-in administrator account problem

I am trying to help my neighbor upgrade to windows 10 from 8 (we have downgraded once because of these problems, and if I can't get this solved soon, I will have to do it again).

In 8 apparently, she was using the builtin admin account as her primary/only account, though this was not obvious. When I upgraded her, she started getting the error about apps (especially Edge) not being openable with the built in adminstrator account. So I tried to create a new microsoft account for her that was not the administrator account. But I can't do that, because when creating a new account, it tries to use edge. I tried moving the default browser to chrome, to see if that would help (she can access chrome), but apparently the control panel doesn't recognize that setting.

This is windows 10 home, so I can't use the secpol solution I have found on various forums. I really don't want to edit the registry.

I would prefer a solution that creates a non-administrator account for her to use, but if I have to first enable more access to the administrator account and then create a new account, that would be a pain, but would work.

:)

 

App cannot be opened using the Built-In Administrator account and account settings make Settings close unexpectedly

So I clicked Add someone else to this PC but I was greeted by this window, which ITs could understand.

But I will see if there are problems like this on other users.

 

App cannot be opened using the Built-In Administrator account and account settings make Settings close unexpectedly

Hi!

I've been having this problem for a while now. I downloaded Windows 10 so I can install some apps that can be played, phone or laptop. I downloaded it on the official website, has a genuine product key and has a digital license. This ONLY occurred after
the download. The built-in administrator account before I upgraded has all-access to every app. And then when I upgraded, things start to feel a little bit uncomfortable. I have kept all my files in Windows 7. Got a problem in opening pics using Photos (I
solved it by using Windows Photo Viewer, which luckily is still there) and then I can't open Store, Sticky Notes, Calculator, Paint 3D, Store and etc. (Cortana, Settings, Snipping Tool and downloaded programs (such as Chrome, Firefox, Dota and League) opens,
it works fine) So I decided to add another administrator account for some reason, but clicking Account made Settings close unexpectedly, it was the only one that crashes (meaning System, Devices, Personalization and others work well). Been struggling with
it and tested with other accounts (the other one was with a Microsoft account linked to it) and everything is really fine, but not with the Administrator account. Some also has this issue, I tried the ways they did in order to solve it, but nothing worked.

Thanks in advance for upcoming replies.

*EDIT* Never solved it, but I successfully added another administrator on lusrmgr.msc even its hard to program at first. As for now, I am not using the built in administrator account. Thank you!

***Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.***

 

Hello walkinrobin, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

You might see if you may be able to after setting Internet Explorer as the default program using step 5 in OPTION SIX below.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5...a.html#option6

 

Nope, when I now go to Your email and accounts from settings, and click SIgn in with a Microsoft account instead, I just get a window flashing at me (I can barely see it happen, it goes by so fast) and then nothing else happens. (this is the same symptom as I get when chrome is the default browser. I checked and when she uses outlook it does go to IE, so that is the default).

Next idea?

 

You could try doing a repair install of Windows 10.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

 

This sounds like a lot of work. Also I doubt she has the original (probably windows 7 or 8) product key -- we weren't asked for that when I did the upgrade and she is unlikely to have kept it from when she bought this computer.

I installed windows 10; I then checked that she could access her email and follow links and view attachments; I had to change the browser default to enable her to follow links. I changed nothing else.

Furthermore, the problem I am describing existed the first time (when she) upgraded to windows 10 and existed from the very beginning after I rolled back to windows 8 and re upgraded her (thinking she might have made an error in the upgrade, so I was particularly careful about every choice point). So I don't see how this would solve anything, since there is nothing to "repair" and it's a lot of work just to prove that it won't work. Can you propose something more helpful? Otherwise, we are going to revert to windows 8 and stay there.

 

I'm not sure of anything else other than a clean install of Windows 10. *Sad

 

I have no way of doing a "clean install", since I don't have media and I don't want to lose all her personal data. The only thing I could do is to redo the upgrade, but having done it twice, I don't see what a third try would do.

Clearly the problem is that there was no check for the built in admin being the only user (or the built in admin also being a "normal" user). I have no idea how to correct that either now that we are in windows 10 (since I can't add another user) or by going back to windows 8 and correcting it there. I've done a lot of searching on the internet, and it's clear that others have had this problem, but it doesn't seem to have ever been solved. I have seen one supposed solution that involves editing the registry to allow more privileges for the admin, but that seems a) wrong and b) prone to have side effects.

We will go back to Windows 8. I suspect that her next computer will be a Mac or a chromebook. When you have a customer in tears over an upgrade, you need a better solution that "just do a clean install" if you want to keep that person as a customer.

 

You can create a Windows 10 USB from a Windows 10 ISO.

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

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/9...-download.html

Afterwards, boot from the USB, open advance startup options at boot, and see if you may be able to go back to Windows 8.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...a.html#option5

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...s-windows.html

If successful in going back to Windows 8, create a new account that's an administrator type, disable the built-in Administrator, and upgrade to Windows 10 again if you/she would like.

 

OK, I solved it, but not the way you proposed. This page Windows 10: only have built-in administrator account? - Windows 10 Forums introduced me to netplwiz. With that I was able to first create another admin account wihtout using the web (this new account is not the built in admin account, so I think that its permissions can be set to access some of these programs that the original one won't, but I haven't tried that) and then to convert the original account to a normal user account. Took me about 5 minutes, once I discovered that program and figured out that things were going to be much easier if I could convert her account to a user account rather than start over and recreate her setup in a new account.

 

walkinrobin:

I just want to thank you for your solution and this post. It SAVED me!

After I had to reinstall Win 10 due to a system crash a few months ago, I somehow ended up stuck in the built-in administrator account with my user and my Microsoft account email/password also on that account. I could not use Edge and other simple apps like calculator. I also did not want to lose my settings and start all over with another account (like your daughter).

I used the Settings app and under Accounts, created a local "other" account (without an email address) that had admin privileges, as I had read in other posts, but wasn't sure what to do with it! Then I finally came across this thread and used that new Admin local account to change my original admin account (the one that was stuck as a built-in admin) to a user account (as you suggested). I did a restart and went into that user account just to double check that Edge and other apps worked. Then, I logged out and logged back into my new local Admin account and switched my original account back to Administrator. Whew!

It was simple and preserved all of my settings from my original account as well as my link to my Microsoft account. AND I can now access Edge and Calculator and whatever other apps I want and I still have administrator privileges. I will probably keep that local Admin account just in case, but will not use it much, if at all. It is so nice to have everything back as it should be! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

 

I'm glad it was able to help you as well Marilyn, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

 

I already did a reset yesterday and I started to have the same problem today after I disabled UAC...
Reset does nothing if you want to use win 10 like a pro... if you disable all the built in windows crapware and limitations it starts to show these error messages....

 

A pro would not disable security features like UAC.