An administrator is the one who is able to make changes in a computer system. These changes include installation of programs, changes made in various settings and adding and removing of some hardware. Also, to make changes in user accounts, you need to be logged in as an administrator. As such, knowing how to log on as an administrator is important if you want to do anything that needs you to be an administrator!

In order to log on as an administrator, you must have a administrator type user account in the particular computer you want to log on to. If you have such an account, it becomes a case of just logging in but if you don’t know what type of an account you have, first you must determine the account type. The procedure to find this information may depend on what type of network you are in. There are three types of net works, namely;

  • Domains
  • Work Groups
  • Home Groups

Domains

In a domain there are many computers of which one or more could be servers. Servers have control over the other computers and they are handled by network administrators.

Work groups

In a work group, there is no server. As a result, no computer has control over another in the net work. Each computer has a password.

Home group

Home group is similar to a work group with the only difference that you only type the password at the time you join the network.

If your computer is in a domain, do the following to find if your account is an administrator account: On your welcome screen type the user name and password. Now go to start and control panel. Then click on “user accounts” and then on “manage user accounts”. Now you will be asked for a password or sometimes confirmation. Do as required and account type will appear.

In case you are in a work group or a home group, go to start and control panel. Next go to “user accounts and family safety”. Finally go to “user accounts”. Now type your password on confirmation and your account type will be displayed.

If you find that yours is not an administrator account, you cannot log on as an administrator unless you get your administrator to change your account type. Your administrator has to do the following to allow you to log on as an administrator:

If you are in a domain

Following the above procedure, go up to “user accounts” and type in the password. Then go to user tab “find user for this computer”. Now click “account name” and then “properties”. You will find the tab “group member ship”. Find the group you need to be in and click “ok”. You will be able to log in as an administrator.

If you are in a work group

Following the procedure mentioned above, go to “user accounts” and click on “manage another account”. Next you need to type your administrative password. Find the account you want to change and go to “change the account type”. You can now select the account type and again change the account type. You can now log on as an administrator.