I’m getting to the end of my tether trying to deal with an IT issue and was wondering if anyone on here can point me in the right direction (I am not an IT person). I have tried multiple searches but none of the answers actually address the problem.
After resetting a Windows 11 laptop and logging in using a Microsoft 365 account, I cannot instal software because I don’t have admin rights. If I provide the Administrator password, it doesn’t accept it. If I log in as Administrator, I can’t see the other user account to grant it admin rights. It’s almost as if I have 2 different machines. What is going on here?
Can't you just log in as admin and install the software? It should be visible when the other user logs in.
Cheers, richmars. That's something for me to try in the morning.
What's it's history? Did it once belong to someone else?
Define "resetting," what did you do?
Installing the software as an admin doesn't work. The other user still can't run it without admin permission being requested by User Access Control.
Cougar, the history is that it is a refurbished Dell laptop bought from a reseller. I managed to set things up with no difficulties when I first had it. The reset was just the most basic one from within Settings. The reason for doing the reset is that a third party had taken control of the domain used to log in. I think they had set up some sort of control using Azure or whatever and I needed to break that link.
Uh oh, I predict a 'flatten and start again' response from the IT gurus. IANAITG...
What's the software that doesn't work? Some poorly written software will try to save stuff where it shouldn't , hence asking for admin permission. That's the limit of my knowledge!
I just went Linux. Problem solved.
One program left to get past, Insta360 Studio.
But overall, getting fed up with tech and social on all platforms.... drifting away.
Even the ads here, has somewhat made me post less and even visit.
Bored with it, somewhat.
PS Still like the old emulators and games from the 90's
The poorly written software is Windows 11. How can you have an Administrator that can't see other users and other users for whom the Administrator password doesn't work when you need admin rights? Who would want that?
How can you have an Administrator that can't see other users and other users for whom the Administrator password doesn't work when you need admin rights? Who would want that?
Because something else is wrong. I can log onto my PC as admin and see all the other users, and run stuff in non-admin users as an admin.
You should be able to right click on any application and select 'Run as Admin'. You will be presented with a User Account Window where you can log on as an admin. If you can't, something is wrong with the install, or there is additional protection higher up to prevent you messing up the system.
If I provide the Administrator password, it doesn’t accept it. If I log in as Administrator, I can’t see the other user account
Reminds me of a small pc I bought refurbished, just occasionally it starts stinging in German.... The reason seems to be the original license was German and then someone's added an English language pack....
Could this be differing keyboard layouts? Can you log on using an on-screen keyboard?
The reason for doing the reset is that a third party had taken control of the domain used to log in. I think they had set up some sort of control using Azure or whatever and I needed to break that link.
Goes to get earmuffs to silence the enormous number of alarm bells currently ringing.
I missed the above, it was at the end of a paragraph.
So yeah it's still a managed device. You need to kill the entire OS and start again to get out of this (imho)
The reason for doing the reset is that a third party had taken control of the domain used to log in. I think they had set up some sort of control using Azure or whatever and I needed to break that link.
This is precisely why I asked. It's likely your problem.
I unbundled a refurb laptop from Entra a few months back and it was a complete pain in the cock. It ties into UEFI, so you can burn the drive and start completely afresh and it still goes "ooh, Entra then?" when it comes back up. I couldn't tell you now exactly what I did to finally kill it but it took me multiple rebuilds, several days and considerable harsh language.
I could probably do it again if you got it to me, I sure as hell wouldn't want to talk someone through it, and in your "I am not an IT person" boots I would be seeking to refund it.
So yeah it's still a managed device. You need to kill the entire OS and start again to get out of this (imho)
Not that easy.
Yikes. I didn't realise how pernicious that was
So, after more messing around today, I have successfully installed Office apps for the user but can't instal non Microsoft apps. I also now have lost the Administrator user again and can't run a reset because it requires admin privileges. I think my next set is to do a reinstall from boot with a USB drive.
Funnily enough, when looking through a guide on reinstalling, I think I may have found the cause of the problem. There is a step when you have to choose between personal use or work or school. When doing the reset, I chose the latter, because I will be doing work but I should maybe have chosen personal to get "full control".
Thank you all for your suggestions!
Ideally contact the people you purchased it from & ask them to ensure it has been removed from Entra/Intune from the original owners.
Ah having read your bit about the work or school - I would recommend the following to skip the OOBE & having to not sign in with an account...
Disconnect your net connection, Shift+F10, type "OOBE/BYPASSNRO, hit enter, restart. Then you tell it you don't have internet & skip the account part.
I have successfully installed Office apps for the user but can't instal non Microsoft apps.
There is a castrated mode of Windows called something like T Mode or N Mode, I forget exactly. It locks out apps in just this way so you can only install from the store.
Ah having read your bit about the work or school - I would recommend the following to skip the OOBE & having to not sign in with an account...
Skipping OOBE is increasingly difficult with successive updates of W11.
Ideally contact the people you purchased it from & ask them to ensure it has been removed from Entra/Intune from the original owners.
... is probably the correct answer.
It's possibly stolen, it's certainly "fallen through the cracks" somehow, perhaps someone changed jobs and their employer didn't ask for it back. If I weren't me and a tenacious nerd who sees this sort of crap as a challenge then I'd be kicking it back from whence it came and asking for my money back.
The one I have was a leftover from a project. It almost certainly shouldn't have wound up in my lap. But it did and, well, nerd.
Thanking you.
Well, I think I have got there in the end. I bought a USB flash drive, downloaded the Windows instal stuff on another PC and did a complete reinstall. I had to tinker with UEFI on the way and the WLAN stopped working and I had to find out how to get it going again. I now have a laptop that I have admin rights on. Tomorrow I just need to download some more software, maybe try to get OneDrive more cooperative and then catch up on work for this customer. I don't want to go through all that again any time soon!
I think the problem was the fact that I mistakenly chose Work rather than Personal on the first attempt at resetting. Those options should be renamed Control Freakery and Freedom to make things clearer. There was possibly some Entra or Intune issue caused by the incompetent mediocrities that briefly had some control over the device following my customer selling their business but I'm guessing that might have been avoided if I'd gone for Personal.
Thanks for the contributions, much appreciated.