Windows Vista and Windows 7 both contain a built-in administrator account, which is disabled by default. You can activate this administrator account through the command prompt, using a command that works for both OS versions. The account contains full administrative privileges over your computer, so it’s a good idea to set up a password soon after the system has been activated.

  1. Click “Start.”
  2. Step 2

    Type “cmd” (without the quotation marks) in the search box at the bottom of the Start menu. The menu will automatically display a list of search results.

  3. Step 3

    Right-click “Command Prompt” in the search results and select “Run as Administrator.” If you have User Account Control enabled, click “Continue” when prompted.

  4. Step 4

    Type the following command into the Command Prompt window exactly as it appears:

    net user administrator /active:yes

  5. Step 5

    Press “Enter.” The administrator account will be enabled. You can log into the account by logging out of your current account and selecting “Administrator” from the login screen.