In order to perform some tasks on your computer, your computer account must be an Administrator account so you have permission to make the those changes. You can easily give yourself administrator rights on your computer. To do this, you will need to know your exact login name. Your login name is the name that you use to log into Windows.
Right click on your My Computer icon (if it’s not on your desktop, it will be in your Start Menu). Click the “manage” option.

The Computer Management window will open. In the left hand navigation pane expand Local Users and Groups, click on “Groups” and double click “Administrators” in the right hand pane.

The Admin properties will now open so click the “Add” button.

In the text bottom enter login name and click the “OK” button.

Your name should now be added to the Members area of the Admin Properties window. Click the “OK” button, close the Windows Management window and you are now a member of the administrators group in Windows XP.
For this to take affect, you must log off and log back onto your computer (or you can just restart your computer, it’s up to you).








it dosent work for me i just get a “acess denied” message when i try and press ADD or OK so help would be very very nice
@BobbyD – It sounds like your account doesn’t have permissions to make that Administrative change.
You will have to log in as a local administrator on your computer and then adjust your account under the administrator’s profile.
My computer (It is an XP.) doesn’t have a “Local Users and Groups” under Computer Management. Now what?
@DonnaP – That’s okay that it doesn’t display. There is another way to get to it.
- Click on Start
- Click Run
- type “lusrmgr.msc” (without the quotes) and click the OK button
This will open the Local Users and Group window for you and you will then be able to make your account changes.
FYI – If you have Windows XP Home version, that is probably why you don’t see the local users and groups. It is only displayed in XP Pro.
THANK YOU !!!
BTW – I followed your instructions and learned that with XP Home Version, I’m not allowed to access Local Users and Groups. But that window sent me to User Accounts in the Control Panel. There I made myself the administrator so that now I can make changes in msconfig and copy files to my new flash drive. Phew. Thanks again.
i just got access denied what to do now
@silencer – You will need to make changes to your account with an account on your computer that already is administrator (probably the ‘administrator’ account)
but if you dont have access to an admin it is impossible correct?
i have a windows vista. My computer account is not an administrator account nor is there any administrator accounts. but when i click manage under my computer, it requires the administrator password. of which i have no idea how to access.
I just get access denied. Is there another way if you dont have access to the admin account?
hey man… this laptop is weird because it doesnt have an admistrator set up but i cant make my account the admin… wat do i do?
i have no adminsitrator accounts on my computer…how can i make a administrator account with a regular account?
Excellent article, I’m an avid reader of your website, keep on writing these great posts, and I will be a regular visitor for a long time.
my computer doesnt have an administrator and when i go on my account it says limited? i have no clue whats going on
its saids The following error occurred while attempting to save properties For Group Administrators Computer PERSONAL-5E983A
ACCESS DENIED
It says my account IS the computer administrator, but it still won’t give me access to anything. What do I do?
Mine says that the name cannot be found. ‘An object named (blank) cannot be found. Check the selected object typesa and location for accuracy and ensure that you typed the object name correctly (which I did), or remove this object from the selection’.
Gotta love the internet, I’m still learning the ropes myself.