How to Activate the Hidden Vista Administrator

How to Activate the Hidden Vista Administrator

Key decision - decide if you need a password for the administrator's account that you are going to activate.  My point is that the local policy may insist on a complex password, thus you will not be able to activate the administrator with a blank password.  This technique also works on Windows Server 2008, however on that operating system it is more likely you will set /active:no.

Overview

1. Logon to Vista using your usual account.
2. Launch the cmd prompt - Make sure you select, 'Run as administrator'
3. Net user administrator p£ssw0rD
4. Net user administrator /active:yes
5. Switch User, or logoff
6. Logon as Administrator  Password p£ssw0rD 
   (Your password may be different!)

Detailed Instructions to activate the Administrator

1. Logon to Vista using your normal username and password.
2. Click on the Start button
3. Click on Start Search. 
4. Type, cmd. 
5. Right-click cmd, select 'Run as administrator' from the shortcut menu.
6. In the black 'DOS box', type the following at the command line:
   Net help user
7. The idea of the last command is just to observe the options for Net User.  In particular, examine the syntax to set the password.
8. The next instruction is the crucial command.  I have chosen password = p£ssworD, you may want to choose different characters.
9. Net user administrator p£ssw0rd
10. Net user administrator /active:yes
11. Check the message : The command completed successfully
12. Switch User, or logoff
13. Logon as Administrator  Password p£ssw0rD  (Your password may be different!)

Trap1:  There should be no space between the word 'active' and the colon.

    /active  :yes   is wrong.  
    /active:yes     is correct.

Trap2:  You need a forward slash before /active

     Net user administrator active:yes    is wrong
     Net user administrator /active:yes    is correct

Thanks to Rob Hilton for pointing out this trap.

Trapx:  Pay close attention to the command, it should be active, not activate.

I thank Ben O'Sullivan for correcting this activate --> active error.