Buzz
Today, Mytour will guide you on how to obtain administrator privileges on a school PC. If the school unexpectedly uses Mac instead of Windows, you won’t be able to access (or hack) it. Note: If the BIOS on the computer is locked, hacking will also be impossible. Additionally, you cannot access school computers if they are connected to a domain (meaning the machine’s policies are managed remotely).
Steps
Enable Command Prompt on Windows 7
Restart the computer using the power button. Hold the power button until the device shuts down, then press it again to turn the computer back on.
Wait for the boot screen to appear. In most cases, the computer will warn that Windows was not shut down properly, and you can use the arrow keys to select from a few actions.
Select Start Windows Normally. This option is located in the middle of the screen, and you will need to press ↵ Enter to confirm your selection.
Restart the computer using the power button. The computer will reboot as before, and the welcome screen will appear again.
Look for the "Startup Repair" screen. If the boot screen displays repair options (e.g., Launch Startup Repair), you can proceed to the next step.
- If the boot screen shows repair options, select Start Windows Normally again, then restart the computer using the power button. Repeat this process until the "Startup Repair" screen appears.
Select Launch Startup Repair (recommended). This option is located in the middle of the screen. The startup repair process will begin running.
Click on Cancel when prompted. You will need to wait about 10 minutes after completing this step to proceed.
Click on the dropdown box labeled "View problem details." This option is located in the lower-left corner of the error message. A list of notes will drop down.
Open Notepad. Scroll down to the heading "If the online privacy statement is not available...", then click on the link below it.
Open the system file on your computer. Once Notepad is open, you need to:
- Click on File in the top-left corner of Notepad.
- Click on Open... in the dropdown menu.
- Double-click on Computer in the window that appears.
- Double-click on your computer's hard drive (usually C:).
- Double-click on the Windows folder.
- Scroll down and double-click on the System32 folder.
Change the type of files you can see. Click on the dropdown box labeled "File type" and select All Files from the dropdown menu that appears.
Replace Utility Manager with Command Prompt. This will allow you to access Command Prompt even if it is locked on the computer:
- Locate the "Utilman" shortcut under the "U" section of files (not folders).
- Right-click on "Utilman" and select Rename.
- Type Utilman1 and press ↵ Enter.
- Find the "cmd" file.
- Right-click on the "cmd" file and select .
- Press Ctrl+V to paste the copied file.
- Right-click on the copied file, select Rename, type Utilman, and press ↵ Enter.
Close the "Open" window and Notepad. Click Cancel at the bottom-right corner of the "Open" window, then click the X at the top-right corner of the Notepad window.
Exit any remaining windows. Click the X at the top-right corner of the error report window, click Cancel at the bottom-right corner of the Startup Repair window, and select Yes when prompted. You can now proceed to create a new administrator account.
Create a new administrator account
Wait for the login screen to appear. After the computer restarts, the login screen will appear.
Click on the "Utility Manager" icon. This is the clock and arrow icon located at the bottom-left corner of the screen. Since Command Prompt has been replaced with Utility Manager, clicking this icon will open the Command Prompt window.
Create a new user. Once Command Prompt opens, you should:
- Type net user name /add, replacing "name" with your chosen username.
- Press ↵ Enter.
- Type net localgroup administrators name /add, again replacing "name" with the username you just created.
- Press ↵ Enter.
Restart the computer.
PowerRestart
Select the new username. Click on the new user's name, then click the Sign in button. Since you didn't create a password for this account in the previous step, no password is required now.
Allow Windows to set up the account. As this is a new account, Windows 10 will take a few minutes to configure system files and folders.
- Skip this step on Windows 7.
Use the computer with administrator privileges. Now that you've logged into the administrator account, you can access system services and programs without restrictions.
Tips
- With administrator access, you can use the school computer like any other. This includes installing programs, modifying computer settings, and more.
Warnings
- Many schools use screen monitoring software, allowing teachers to remotely observe students without being physically present. If your school employs such software, gaining unauthorized access to the computer may not go unnoticed.
- On Windows 8.1 and later, if Secure Boot is enabled, modifying any files in System32 will trigger a "Secure Boot Violation" error. This issue can only be resolved by reinstalling Windows from installation media.
- Unauthorized access to school computers violates school policies and may result in suspension or expulsion if caught. In some countries, this is also considered a legal offense.
