Just upgraded to W10: can someone explain this new puzzling account setup?

[cproatx]

I'm coming from W7 and my previous setup was to set up my PC with the default admin account when I installed my OS and then create a user account to install my programs on and use day to day. I know some may debate this but it has always been my opinion that you shouldn't use the admin account as your day to day account as it just leaves your system more open to compromise.

Now with the "Microsoft account" setup I'm having issues trying to set up this type of arrangement easily. Has this type of arrangement been made obsolete or am I just doing something wrong? I don't get it. Here is what I'm seeing:

I have the main admin account with my MS account attached to it. This account seems to work fine but it's set as the administrator so I attempt to set up a user account for my day to day use. The first obstacle is that it only gives me a choice of "family" or "someone else". In both cases it seems to be indicating that these are for other people (not myself).

If I just ignore the odd terminology/phraseology on the page and select "someone else" to try and create my own user account I can do so but when I try to tie my MS account to this user it fails with some vague message, "Oops something went wrong". I assume this is because that account is already tied to the admin account but not sure. In any event, without the MS account tied to the user there is much OS functionality that is unavailable.

So the question..is it intended for people to just create an admin account and use that as your primary user and only create other user accounts for actual other people with their own MS accounts or do people just create user accounts that are gimped without full MS account functionality or am I doing something wrong?

 

[Regedit32]

If you're wanting to create a basic Local user account without linking to a Microsoft account per se:

Do the following when logged is as the Administrator:

1. Select the Start button, then select Settings.
   
   
2. Select Accounts > Other users.
   
   
3. Under Other users, select Add someone else to this PC.
   
   
4. At the bottom of the page, select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
   
   
5. At the bottom of the next page, select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   
   
6. Enter a name for the new account. If you want this person to sign in with a password, enter and verify the password, add a password hint, then select Next.
   
   
7. Select Finish.

If you want this linked to a Microsoft Account then:

• Click Start
• Click Settings
• Click Accounts
• Scroll down in the main window to Accounts used by other apps
  • Click the Add a Microsoft account
  • In the window that opens next to No account? click Create one!

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[Saltgrass]

There is an Admin account above the level of the User Admin. Since it is your computer you need access to all of it so you need admin privledges.

I don't run my system using the Microsoft account but you do need that for things like OneDrive and you won't have to sign in individually to something like the Store.

 

[cproatx]

If you're wanting to create a basic Local user account without linking to a Microsoft account per se:

Do the following when logged is as the Administrator:

1. Select the Start button, then select Settings.
   
   
2. Select Accounts > Other users.
   
   
3. Under Other users, select Add someone else to this PC.
   
   
4. At the bottom of the page, select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
   
   
5. At the bottom of the next page, select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   
   
6. Enter a name for the new account. If you want this person to sign in with a password, enter and verify the password, add a password hint, then select Next.
   
   
7. Select Finish.

If you want this linked to a Microsoft Account then:

• Click Start
• Click Settings
• Click Accounts
• Scroll down in the main window to Accounts used by other apps
  • Click the Add a Microsoft account
  • In the window that opens next to No account? click Create one!

Regards,

Regedit32

Well I know how to do one or the other but the question was how do I have both an admin account and a user account tied to the same MS account.

I ended up just turning my admin account into a local account but if I wanted to use the store or Cortana on my admin account it wouldn't work since there is no MS account tied to it now.

 

[Saltgrass]

You may be confusing a User Admin account with a Microsoft enabled account.

You have a User Admin account whether you are signed into Microsoft or not. You can still do updates and install software and other things you would be used to.

Signing into a Microsoft user account just puts you online and allows you to access Microsoft specific operations, such as syncing your files, but does not effect the permissions or rights on your system.

 

[Regedit32]

but the question was how do I have both an admin account and a user account tied to the same MS account

I fail to see the logic in having two user accounts on the same computer attached to the same Microsoft account.

[ Scenario ]

So you log in to your computer then enter your Microsoft credentials because your Security and maintenance alerts you to do this. How precisely is it going to know which Account is logged in at this point?

All you really need to do is create a Local user account that has Administrator privileges and with that account simply do not link it to a Microsoft account at all.

Then create your User account with Standard user; link that to your Microsoft account. Then whenever you need to do an action that requires Administrator privileges select the appropriate account when Windows UAC prompts you and continue with that action.

 

[cproatx]

You may be confusing a User Admin account with a Microsoft enabled account.

You have a User Admin account whether you are signed into Microsoft or not. You can still do updates and install software and other things you would be used to.

Signing into a Microsoft user account just puts you online and allows you to access Microsoft specific operations, such as syncing your files, but does not effect the permissions or rights on your system.

I realize that I have them whether or not I'm signed in or not. I have an admin account and a user account. However, I only have one MS account. If I want the full OS functionality (store, Cortana etc..) you have to associate the local account with the MS account but there doesn't seem to be a way to tie the MS account to the admin and user account simultaneously so I don't have to continuously switch which account is signed in with the MS account. Does that make sense?

 

[cproatx]

I fail to see the logic in having two user accounts on the same computer attached to the same Microsoft account.

[ Scenario ]

So you log in to your computer then enter your Microsoft credentials because your Security and maintenance alerts you to do this. How precisely is it going to know which Account is logged in at this point?

All you really need to do is create a Local user account that has Administrator privileges and with that account simply do not link it to a Microsoft account at all.

Then create your User account with Standard user; link that to your Microsoft account. Then whenever you need to do an action that requires Administrator privileges select the appropriate account when Windows UAC prompts you and continue with that action.

In most cases you are correct. That is what I would do. In some cases if I was needing to do multiple admin tasks I might log into the admin account to do them so that I don't have to deal with all the prompts. That's how I always did it with W7.

Some programs actually force me to do this. GeForce Experience being a prime example. It would tell me there was an update for my video card but wouldn't allow me to do the update unless I was logged in as an admin (I could never find a way to do this outside of logging into my admin account unless I just downloaded the file manually).

I guess I can still do it now but it's just a bit odd that the admin account would not have full functionality because it's not tied to a MS account.

 

[Regedit32]

I guess I can still do it now but it's just a bit odd that the admin account would not have full functionality because it's not tied to a MS account.

I can see your point of view and agree in some circumstances it would be helpful if you could just do all from the single account. I cannot say for certain, but my gut feeling is Microsoft is attempting to provide an operating System that crosses over several Device types, Smart Phones, Tablets, Desktops, etcetera, and as such really wants to capture the App market which requires you to use their Store. At the same time the built in Smartscreen which protects your system from non authentic apps and the UAC force you to at times have elevated privileges as a means of security.

Perhaps as Windows 10 evolves they may introduce some more flexible options.

In your search box type Windows Feedback | press Enter

A window will populate ( a tad slowly at times ), but down the bottom is a button for you to Add feedback to the Microsoft Developers. You could always put your case forward to them.

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[Saltgrass]

I have an admin account and a user account.

I guess I did not explain the situation very well. When you have a normal user account, you run as a normal user. If it becomes necessary for admin privileges the UAC allows elevation to use those privileges, like Windows 7. You can change the UAC levels which might allow you what you want. The original idea of running in a basic user account was to protect from you doing something to mess up your system. The UAC requires you to verify an action which the old admin accounts did not.

But as you mention, each account has one Microsoft account tied to it. In that way, if you were to purchase an app it would work for that user. If you changed to some other user, those apps would no longer be available, assuming they were not free, so you would have to buy them again.... The same situation exists for any other info you keep online such as multiple devices Regedit32 mentions.

I am not sure exactly what type of configuration you are currently using, but you need to use the recommended configuration and just go with the one user which was set up when you installed the system. There really isn't any debate going on as you could see when you tried to set up an additional account for yourself.