How to Log on as an Administrator in Windows Vista

Windows Vista extends the capabilities of the Windows line of operating systems, allowing for a more customized experience for each user. Whether you change the graphical user interface or you adjust the Internet security settings, each user will be able to tailor their Windows Vista experience to their own liking. Major system changes, however, can only be implemented by a system administrator, who is required to log on.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Administrative privileges
• Windows Vista

Log On as An Administrator in Windows Vista

1. Start your computer and allow it to continue through its startup process. By default your computer will simply load directly to the primary user account (usually the administrator account), but if there are multiple users on the system it will load to the account login screen.

2. Use the mouse to click on the administrator account from the list of available accounts to log on. This step is only necessary if you've customized Windows Vista with more than one account or you have set the operating system to load the login screen first.

3. Enter the password required in the password field to log on to the administrator account.

4. Click the "OK" or "Log On" button once you have entered the password. This button may be labeled differently depending on the version of Windows Vista or any GUI (graphical user interface) changes you may have made.

5. Log on as an administrator from within the Windows Vista environment by clicking on "Start" and then "Log Off." As soon as you have logged off, you will be returned to the login screen where you can choose the administrator account from the available list.

Tips & Warnings

• Know that the very first account created when installing Windows Vista is an administrator account and there is no need to log on if it is the only account in use.
• Log on as the administrator only when you need to, or only when there are no other account. Installing and uninstalling software can only be done using the administrator account (there are some exceptions), but this also increases the risk of causing system errors.
• Do not forget your password for the administrator account if it is not your primary account. You may need to reset your account in the event you cannot remember it.
• Do not give unauthorized access of administrator privileges to people using the PC, especially for PCs located in an office. Doing so can compromise alot of vital information.

Resources

• User Account Control information at Microsoft.com

[makslick]

on 12/10/2008 I have created one user account user1 and second one as administrator account ABC. why is vista asking me to log in as administrator although my abc account has all admin previlages while installing some software.