Having a Standard user account in Windows is great for security, as it prevents malicious software from installing. But what happens if you need to install software and do not have administrative privileges? Here is how to enable the local administrator account in Windows without logging in.

I recently had a customer with a somewhat unique problem; she needed to install software on her computer, but her user profile was only a Standard user. She shared the computer with her husband; his account was an Administrator user, and he used a Microsoft account for logging in.

But unfortunately, her husband passed away, and she proceeded to take care of her husband's affairs. In the process, she disconnected his cell phone and deleted his e-mail address. It was not until she needed to install some software on her computer did she realize she did not have administrator privileges.

The easiest thing to do would be to perform a clean installation of Windows. But since there was tax software that she could not reinstall, wiping the drive and reinstalling Windows was the last option.

And since all forms of recovering her husband's Microsoft account were gone, the only thing to do was enable the hidden local administrator account and change her account from Standard to Administrator. Since her account was only a Standard user, using a NET command line was impossible, so this would take a little more work.

Note: The following procedures require Windows installation media, editing the registry, and the BitLocker decryption key (if your drive is encrypted). Editing the Registry incorrectly can cause your computer to have errors and possibly not booting. If you do not feel comfortable editing the registry, please get in touch with a local computer technician for assistance.

The first step is to create the installation media, which will require a USB drive 8GB or larger. You will need administrative privileges to make the media, so you may need to create the media on another Windows system with a user with administrator privileges.

Create Windows 11 installation media

Create Windows 10 installation media

The second step is to check if the drive in your computer is BitLocker encrypted. The easiest way to find out if any of your drives are encrypted is by checking their properties in File Explorer.

1. Open File Explorer using one of the following:
• Left-click on the File Explorer icon (manilla folder) on the Taskbar.
• Press the Windows logo key + E at the same time.
• Use the Power User menu by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting File Explorer.
2. In the left-side column, left-click on This PC.
3. In the right-side column, check the icons for the drives. Drives that are encrypted should have a little padlock in the icon.

If your drive is BitLocker encrypted, use the following link to log in to your Microsoft account and find your recovery key. If another person set up your computer, they might have the recovery key inside their Microsoft account. Once you get the BitLocker recovery key, print it out or write it down for future use.

Locate my BitLocker recovery key

Next, you will need to boot up your computer using the installation media. The easiest way to do this is to use the Advanced Boot Options. Make sure you have the Windows installation media connected to your computer before proceeding so that it will appear as a bootable device listed in the Advanced Boot Options.

How to get to Windows 11 Advanced Boot Options

How to get to Windows 10 Advanced Boot Options

Once you get to the Advanced Boot Options, select Use a device and choose the media you created earlier. Your computer will restart and boot from the installation media.

1. When the Windows Setup dialog box appears, left-click on Next.
2. On the following dialog box, left-click on Repair this computer. At this point, you may be prompted for a decryption key. Input it in the space provided and continue.
3. On the Choose an option page, left-click on Troubleshoot.
4. On the Advanced options page, left-click on Command Prompt.
5. In the Command Prompt, type regedit and press Enter.
   
6. In the Registry Editor, highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE in the left-hand column.
   
7. With HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE highlighted, pull down the File menu and left-click on Load Hive ....
   
8. Locate the local drive that has Windows installed on it, then navigate to the Windows>System32>config folder.
   
9. Left-click on the file named SAM (Security Account Manager) and select Open.
   
10. When prompted for a Key Name, give it a unique name (we used TempSAM) and select OK.
    
11. Expand the registry hive you just attached, and navigate to:
    Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\WhateverYouNamedYourHive\SAM\Domains\Account\Users\000001F4
    
12. Double-click on the F binary value to edit it.
    
13. In the Edit Binary Value dialog box that appears, change the value at offset 00000038 from 11 to 10, then select OK.
    
14. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

The local administrator account should now appear as a logon option and has no password by default.

Are you having problems changing the location of your user files? Did you uninstall OneDrive, and now your personal folders are all screwed up. Here is how to manually change the default location of user files in Windows.

Being able to change the location of user files has to be one of the coolest features of Windows when it works. But there may be a time when you encounter an error when trying to move a folder location. The most common error is 'Can't move the folder because there is a folder in the same location that can't be redirected. Access is denied'. This error relates to the folder redirection done when OneDrive is used and often appears when you uninstall OneDrive.

Note: The following procedures require editing the registry. Incorrectly editing the registry can cause system instability and even failure to boot. If you do not feel comfortable editing the registry, please get in touch with a local computer technician for assistance.

Yes, truth be told, the special user folders are merely just registry entries and can be easily changed. But it is highly recommended to back up the registry first. So I want to show you how to back up the registry, change the location of your user files, and restore the registry if necessary.

How to open the Registry Editor in Windows

1. Bring up the Run dialog box by either:
   
   • Pressing the Windows logo key + R
   • Right-click on the Windows logo on the Start Menu or press the Windows logo key + X and then select Run
2. In the Run dialog box that appears, type regedit and select OK. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

How to backup the registry

1. With the Registry Editor open:
• Highlight Computer in the left-hand column to backup the complete registry.
• Highlight the key or value you want to backup.
2. Left-click on the File pull-down menu and left-click on Export.
3. Select the location and a descriptive file name for the backup file, then left-click on Save.

How to change the default user files location in the registry

1. With the Registry Editor open:
2. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
   
3. In the right-hand column, right-click on the Name of the key you want to change and select Modify... from the context menu.
4. Enter either the default settings for that folder from the table below or the path to the actual folder (C:\Example\Docs). Make sure the actual folder exists before changing the folder key.
5. Log off or restart your computer for the registry change to take effect.

How to restore the registry

1. With the Registry Editor open:
2. Left-click on the File pull-down menu and left-click on Import.
3. Navigate to the location of the REG file you want to import and left-click on it.
4. Left-click on the Open button. You should get a confirmation screen telling you successfully imported the file.

Getting the blue screen of death when starting your Windows can be scary, to say the least. And not being able to get it running again can be incredibly stressful. So here is how to create a disaster recovery plan for your Windows computer.

Getting your computer back running after a disaster can be a nightmare. But with a bit of work, you can be prepared. You can create a good disaster recovery plan using the built-in programs inside of Windows, a couple of external drives, and a little information. Let's look at what you need and how to use it for your disaster recovery plan.

Hardware

External USB drive: You will need an external USB drive with at least the same amount of space as the drive in the computer you want to back up. So if your computer has a 1TB drive, you should get a 1TB or larger drive. This drive will also need to be dedicated to use only for backups.

There are two (2) types of external drives: Portable and Desktop.

• Portable drives work well if you have a laptop and work from different locations, but they tend to be a little slower since they get their power from the USB port.
• Desktop drives work great but use a power adapter, so you will have to consider the DC adapter's size and orientation if you use a power strip.

USB flash drive or blank DVD: You will need to create a device that you can boot your computer up on to recover your computer. This can be a recovery drive (USB flash drive), system repair disk (DVD), or installation media (USB flash drive or DVD). The capacity of the USB flash drive required varies from installation media (8GB) to a recovery drive (16GB).

USB flash drive: For additional drivers when required (see below)

Software

Windows Backup: The backup program built into Windows.

Drivers: Some systems may require special drivers that are not included with Windows (see below).

Important information

BitLocker recovery key: Most people do not know if their computer's drive is encrypted with BitLocker. The easiest way to find out if any of your drives are encrypted is by checking their properties in File Explorer.

1. Open File Explorer using one of the following:
• Left-click on the File Explorer icon (manilla folder) on the Taskbar.
• Press the Windows logo key + E at the same time.
• Use the Power User menu by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting File Explorer.
2. In the left-side column, left-click on This PC.
3. In the right-side column, check the icons for the drives. Drives that are encrypted should have a little padlock in the icon.

If your drive is encrypted, use the following link to log in to your Microsoft account and find your recovery key. If another person set up your computer, they might have the recovery key inside their Microsoft account. Once you get the BitLocker recovery key, print it out or write it down for future use.

Locate my BitLocker recovery key

Set up

Once you have all of the drives, you can go ahead and get everything set up. The first step is to create the boot media. This is the USB drive or DVD disk that you will use to boot up your computer if it cannot successfully boot on its own.

Boot drive

Recovery drive: Recovery drives are the most straightforward boot media to create and use. Make sure that you use a 16GB or larger USB drive and follow the steps outlined in the link below.

How to create a recovery drive in Windows 10 and Windows 11

System repair disk: Creating a system repair disk is pretty simple and can be made inside Windows Backup. Just follow the Windows Backup instructions below to open up the program. When it opens, left-click on the Create a system repair disk link in the left-hand column. And make sure that your blank DVD disk is loaded inside of your DVD burner before you click on it.

Windows installation media: Microsoft has a really cool app for creating installation media called, aptly, Windows Media Creation Tool (WMCT). All you have to do is download the program, and run it and WMCT will see the version of Windows you have and automatically select it. You can have WMCT create a bootable USB drive (8GB or larger) or an ISO image that you can write to a blank DVD.

Note: The size of the ISO files may exceed the size limit of a single-layer DVD disk (4.7GB) and may require using a dual-layer DVD disk. Use the following links to download the WMCT for your version of Windows.

Windows Media Creation Tool for Windows 10

Windows Media Creation Tool for Windows 11

Drivers

Some newer computers may require a system-specific driver for Windows to read and write to the drive installed in your computer. Case in point, 10th and 11th-generation Intel processors require Intel's Rapid Storage Technology Driver to be loaded before the Windows installer will 'see' a connected drive.

If you have an Intel 10th or 11th generation processor in your computer, do a Google search for the Make / Model of your computer and Rapid Storage Technology Driver. Once you find the driver package, you will need to extract the contents to a folder on your computer.

In the extracted files, you should find a folder labeled F6. Copy this folder to the second USB flash drive and put it away for safekeeping. You may or may not need it, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Windows Backup

Windows has a decent backup program built in called Windows Backup. Many people get worried when they see the program's name in the Control Panel is Backup and Restore (Windows 7). Not to worry, it is just a name; the program works extremely well on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Now when setting up Windows Backup, you want to select Let Windows choose (recommended). This option will back up everything on your computer; Windows, all installed programs, and your files. Most importantly, it creates a system image that can be used to recover your computer. As long as the capacity of the external drive you purchased explicitly for Windows Backup is larger than the capacity of your internal drive, you should be good.

Next, you have to decide how often to have Windows Backup run. At this point, you have to ask yourself, "If my computer were to crash today, how far back in time would I want to recover my computer from?". When you think about it, nightly does work best. The default Windows Backup schedule is every Sunday at 7:00 PM, but you can change it by clicking on Change schedule.

Click on the link below for your version of Windows to learn how to set up Windows Backup.

Backup your files with File History and Windows Backup in Windows 10

How to backup your Windows 11 computer using Windows Backup and File History

Does your computer go to sleep too fast? Do you want to change what the power button does on your laptop? If so, here is how to manage the power settings inside Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Did you know that Windows has different default power schemes for laptop and desktop computers?

Only a few people do. If fact, if you own a laptop running Windows 10 or 11, pressing the power button, by default, does not turn it off but puts it to sleep,

But you can change all of that with a few simple mouse clicks. You can make it so that your display never turns off and your system never goes to sleep. And, of course, you can tweak the power settings for wifi adapters, USB devices, and batteries (laptops).

Now there are two (2) places in Windows 10 and Windows 11 you can change power settings: the Settings app and the Control Panel. The Power and sleep category inside the Settings app is basic but straightforward. But the Power Options in the Control Panel have more advanced features.

How to get to Power and sleep in the Settings app

Windows 11 only

1. Left-clicking on the Start button to bring up the Start menu.
2. In the list of pinned apps on the Start menu, left-click on Settings.
3. In the right-hand column, left-click on Power.
4. In the Power category, left-click on Screen and sleep.

Windows 10 only

1. Left-click on the Start menu and select Settings (the gear icon).
2. Left-click on System.
3. In the left column, left-click on Power and sleep.

Windows 10 or 11

1. Right-click on the Start button to bring up the Power User menu.
2. In the list of programs that appear, left-click on Power options.
3. Windows 11 only: Left-click on Screen and sleep.

When you get there, you will find only two (2) settings (two (2) sets on laptop computers (plugged in & battery)) that can be changed: When the screen turns off and when the computer goes to sleep.

Relatively simple and straight to the point. But if you want more options, including changing what happens when you press the power button or closing the lid of your laptop, you will need to use the Power Options inside the Control Panel.

How to get to the Power Options inside the Control Panel

Windows 11

1. Left-click on the Start button to bring up the Start menu.
2. In the upper right-hand corner of the Start menu, left-click on All apps.
3. Scroll down the list of programs and left-click on Windows Tools.
4. Double left-click on Control Panel.

Windows 10

1. Left-click on the Start button to bring up the Start menu.
2. Scroll down the list of programs until you get to Windows System, and then left-click on it to expand it.
3. Left-click on Control Panel.

By default, the Control Panel opens up in the category view but can be changed to large or small icons. There is a pull-down menu in the top-right corner labeled View by: that allows you to change the view.

• If viewing the Control Panel by Category, left-click on Hardware and Sound, then Power Options.
• If viewing by Large/Small Icons, left-click Power Options.

Once you have the Power Options open, you will find several options in the left-hand column:

• Choose what the power button does
• Choose what closing the lid does (laptops only)
• Create a power plan
• Choose when to turn off the display
• Change when the computer sleeps

If you click on Choose what the power button does or Choose what closing the lid does (laptops only), you will bring up the System Settings. If you click on Create a power plan, you can create a power plan that suits your computing style. And if you click on either Choose when to turn off the display or Change when the computer sleeps, it allows you to edit the current power plan.

Now, if you really want to manage the power of your computer, create a power plan. Once you have made your custom power plan, you can edit the advanced options by selecting Change plan settings, then Change advanced power settings. This will bring up every possible power setting available for the components inside your computer, from hard disk and USB settings to display and multimedia.

Do you travel with your Windows 11 computer and like to have it know where you are located? Did you know that Windows 11 has a location service built into it? If so, here is how to use location services inside Windows 11.

If you have used Windows 11 for any amount of time, you are familiar with the nagging pop-ups that appear asking if you want to allow an app to access your location. Yeah, it can be a pain, but it can also be a blessing, especially if you are looking for location-specific information, like news, weather, and shopping.

With the Windows 11 location service, you can have Windows 11 automatically find where your location by using several different pieces of information, including GPS (Global Positioning Service), WiFi access points, cell towers, and your IP address.

And if you are planning a trip, you can manually set your location, and Windows 11 will use that location for the location service. It comes in handy when looking for restaurants, movie theaters, and other attractions in another place.

How to access the location services inside of Windows 11

1. Bring up the Settings app by:
• Left-clicking on the Start button to bring up the Start menu.
• In the list of pinned apps on the Start menu, left-click on Settings.
or
• Right-click on the Start button to bring up the Power User menu.
• In the list of programs that appear, left-click on Settings.
or
• Press the Windows logo key + I
2. Scroll down the left-hand column and left-click on Privacy & security.
3. Scroll down the right-hand column and left-click on Location under App permissions.

Windows 11 location services options

There are several options listed under Location, so let's start at the top and work our way down.

Location services: This switch turns the location services on or off. If it is turned off, the Let apps access your location option will be grayed out. This option does not affect the Default location option.

Let app access your location: Once location services are turned on, you can turn on this option and expand the list of apps built into Windows 11 that you can allow or deny access to your location. At the bottom of the app list is the Let desktop apps access your location switch. Since web browsers fall under the desktop app category, you should enable this switch.

Default location: This is where you can manually set your location to any place you can find on a map. This option does not require location services to be enabled. In fact, if you turn off location services and set your default location, all desktop programs will use it. A great way to research what to do and where to go in different areas.

Location history: This is where you can clear out all of the locations that the service has stored.

Allow location override: This option allows programs to override the location on your device. This can be helpful for remote access programs like Remote Desktop.

Recent activity: This is where you can view which programs have requested your location in the last week.