Hi Jeff,
I found this on a UK company's website (http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_administrator_activate.htm). Hope it helps you!
Detailed Instructions to Activate the Administrator
- Logon to Vista using your normal username and password.
- Click on the Start button
- Click on Start Search.
- Type, cmd.
- Right-click cmd, select 'Run as administrator' from the shortcut menu.
- In the black 'DOS box', type the following at the command line:
Net help User
- The idea of the last command is just to observe the options for Net User. In particular examine the syntax to set the password.
- The next instruction is the crucial command. I have chosen password = p£ssworD, you may want to choose different characters.
- Net user administrator p£ssw0rd
- Net user administrator activate:yes
- Check the message : The command completed successfully
- Switch User, or logoff
- Logon as Administrator Password p£ssw0rD (Your password may be different!)
Trap:There should be no space between the word 'activate' and the colon.
Activate :yes is wrong. activate:yes is correct.