Basically a computer I don’t use very much (Windows 10 OS) I booted up this morning and found not only has my log-in account not working, the computer immediately boots into something called “Client” and then boots me into a very barebones Windows 10 account. I can access the internet but I can’t install anything as all administrator privileges have been revoked. I can’t even reboot it or go back to a previous safe state because it claims I need to be Administrator to do that and it requires a password and my Windows Outlook password is claimed to no longer work despite it working on my primary. I’m assuming this is some browser hijack that happened to a neglected system since it hasn’t been used in several months, and I changed all my passwords to be safe, but anyone got any idea how to get that downstairs computer working? I don’t think I can even format it using the normal windows tools because everything claims it needs a password.
Client or Kiosk? It sounds like kiosk mode. Kiosk mode is what you use for computers in stores that the public has access to. Extremely limited in what they can do and just about impossible to change anything.
Can you reset (pull the plug if you need to) and try booting into safe mode or making a boot disk on another computer.
When it boots it goes straight into something called CLIENT
I can boot into safe mode but all options it gives me for recovery claims I need administrator access to use them and asked for a password.
How attached to this computer are you? Maybe consider formatting it and starting over.
Is this a personal computer? Or a work one?
If a work one, it almost sounds like IT administration is transitioning to a centrally-administered (locked down) Citrix-style client system model. If that’s the case, you almost literally can’t fight city hall unless you want to risk the wrath of management.
If a personal computer, that’s just dang weird.
It’s a computer in my living room I allow guests to use if they need to print or look up something. Hence I don’t download the security updates to it very often. It is a personal computer not networked to anything. I tried looking up the problems online and can’t seem to find anyone else with this problem.
I am resigned to formatting it because there’s not much on it but I really don’t want to have to deal with reinstalling everything again if I don’t have too.
Is it possible it’s not booting from the hard drive? If it’s booting from other media, it could boot into something you have no control over. Removing the alternate boot media (a CD/DVD or a flash drive) would allow you to boot to the original boot drive, if that was the issue.
Also, disconnect it from the internet and try rebooting. It’s a weird one…
Can you post a screenshot of what you’re seeing or at least give us the exact wording?
I’ve never heard of a “client” mode.