Windows User Accounts

You have of course the metro style Accounts settings.

But the classic User Accounts applet is hidden behind the cryptic command netplwiz.exe.

Related: WinSignIn

Admin account

How to get access to user data of a hard disk with Windows installed ► add an admin account

• I booted with the blue USB stick (see HwUsbSticks), containing the Windows 11 v25H2 Recovery drive, although on the hard drive I wanted to access, a Windows 10 was installed
  • to get into the Boot Menu, press F9 while starting the PC (see WinReinstallHpProBook650G5#A_00_41_Function_keys_while_booting)
  • then choose the USB stick (UEFI-USB DISK 2.0 079C1900647AB0E0)
  • then choose Troubleshoot
  • finally choose Command Prompt
• copy D:\Windows\System32\Utilman.exe D:\Windows\System32\Utilman.bak (change drive letter if necessary)
• copy cmd.exe Utilman.exe
• reboot
• if you now click the Ease of Access link bottom right, you get an elevated CMD window
• add a user:
  net user YourName YourPassword /add
  do not use a blank password, if you want e.g. copy things using the Admin shares, this is not possible with usernames with a blank password
• become admin:
  net localgroup administrators YourName /add
• reboot - YourName is added to the list of users
• you can login and do whatever you want

Afterwards, boot again from the USB stick, delete the user, the user directory and restore the Utilman executable

• net user
  shows you all users
• net user YourName /delete
  deletes the YourName user
• delete the user folder:
  rd /s /q D:\Users\YourName
• copy D:\Windows\System32\Utilman.bak D:\Windows\System32\Utilman.exe

And you're back to where you were before.

Sources:

• https://www.vensys.store/en/blog/post/ultimate-guide-to-resetting-forgotten-windows-passwords-with-winpe-tools.html
• https://superuser.com/questions/515175/create-admin-user-from-command-line
• https://www.google.be/search?q=net+user+delete+user

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Tags: windows user account accounts admin administrator beheerder