Using administrator account on Windows

Owned by Justin Fleming, created
Last updated: Jan 10, 2024 by Kristin Harrison
2 min read

Use the following instructions to use the local administrator account on your Windows-based PC to install software, or drivers, or make other system-level changes as needed.

Note: For faculty and staff using Windows-based laptops at NCSSM.

These instructions currently apply on the Durham campus, but not yet the Morganton-based employees until they are physically on-site and using the NCSSM network.

Instructions

Each Windows-based PC deployed by ITS since 2019 has included a local administrator account, separate from your own user account attached to your name and NCSSM account, which can be used to install software, drivers, etc. and also make any system-wide changes that you cannot otherwise do with your own user account.

For instance, if I am Urias Unicorn, signing in as urias.unicorn at my PC’s login screen, I will not have administrator rights for that account. However, my computer also has a local administrator account assigned which matches the name on the label attached to that computer. The name format tends to be as follows: Win20XXLX. 20XX is the year the laptop was deployed, and X represents a sequential number. If your computer is missing a label, please let ITS know so one can be supplied.

When prompted for an administrator username and password when installing software or making other changes, please do the following:

  1. For the username, type the computer name posted on your laptop.

    1. Note that this is not case sensitive.

  2. For the password, type your normal NCSSM password.

    1. Note that if this does not work, your password may have changed and not been set on the local administrator account. Please send ITS a ticket and we will reset this for you.

  3. Press enter or click the appropriate button to confirm these credentials. Your software installation or settings change should proceed.

 Should you experience any further issues with this process, please contact ITS.