How to Run Computer Management as an Administrator
By David Wayne
In Windows 8, Computer Management contains administrative tools for viewing system log information, managing shared folders, creating new users and performing routine system maintenance. Since changing system-wide settings usually requires administrator privileges, you can't use many Computer Management features unless you run the program as an administrator. The context menus in Control Panel and File Explorer include an option to run programs as an administrator, and you can access Computer Management from either of these locations.
From Control Panel
Step 1
Press “Windows-X” and click “Control Panel.” Alternatively, point the cursor to the bottom left corner of the screen, right-click the “Start” tile and choose “Control Panel.”
Step 2
Select “System and Security” and click “Administrative Tools” if viewing Control Panel in Category view. If viewing Control Panel in Icon view, simply click “Administrative Tools.”
Step 3
Right-click “Computer Management” and choose “Run As Administrator.” If you use a standard Windows account, you're prompted to allow Windows to run Computer Management as an administrator. Click “Yes” to open the console.
From File Explorer
Step 1
Right-click the “Start” tile and choose “Run.” Alternatively, press “Windows-R” to open the Run dialog, then enter “%windir%\System32” (without quotes, here and throughout) at the prompt. File Explorer opens to the System32 folder.
Step 2
Locate the Compmgmt.msc file in the System32 directory. By default, Windows sorts folders before files, so you may have to scroll down quite a bit to locate the file.
Step 3
Right-click “compmgmt.msc” and select “Run As Administrator.” If prompted to allow the program to make changes to your computer, click “Yes.”
From the Command Prompt
Step 1
Right-click the “Start” tile and choose “Command Prompt (Admin).”
Step 2
Type “compmgmt.msc” at the prompt and press “Enter.”
Step 3
Click “Yes” if prompted to allow Computer Management to make changes to your computer.
References
Writer Bio
David Wayne has been writing since 2010, with technology columns appearing in several regional newspapers in Texas. Wayne graduated from the University of Houston in 2005, earning a Bachelor of Arts in communications.