"A required privilege is not held by the client" because of an "Account unknown..." in the Local Disk (C) Properties...??

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

Hello,

on Friday 28th June I was able to download programs, images, etc... to the Local Disk (C) drive on my PC. On Saturday 29th... I tried to download another program to the Local Disk (C) drive but was unable to so, and I got this popup... "A required privilege is not held by the client."

There is now an "Account unknown..." in the Local Disk (C) Properties...??

I have tried to get rid of it but nothing is working...

The only difference from Friday's download and Saturday's attempted download... was that on Saturday morning I logged into my Microsoft account (for the first time since Windows 11 Pro was installed).... then later on Saturday, I began to download programs only for it not to allow me permission into the Local Disk (C) drive.

I can use all the other drives... just not the Local Disk (C) drive. What is going on here.

idgat · Jun 30, 2024

Eamonn said:
The only difference from Friday's download and Saturday's attempted download... was that on Saturday morning I logged into my Microsoft account (for the first time since Windows 11 Pro was installed)

Invoked encryption? Check to see if Bitlocker is (now) activated.

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

idgat said:
Invoked encryption? Check to see if Bitlocker is (now) activated.

Thanks,

Would this be it?.. (The link).

Redirecting

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

idgat said:
Invoked encryption? Check to see if Bitlocker is (now) activated.

This is what I've found... just turn everything on?

idgat · Jun 30, 2024

Settings > Priav

Eamonn said:
just turn everything on?

No

Check Settings > Privacy & Security > Device Encryption. Should be "Off"

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

idgat said:
Settings > Priav

No

Check Settings > Privacy & Security > Device Encryption. Should be "Off"

I'm in there now but can't see, "Device Encryption"...

idgat · Jun 30, 2024

Eamonn said:
I'm in there now but can't see, "Device Encryption"...

View attachment 100296

Sorry, that's a puzzler. May be not what I was thinking initially, but that setting should still be there.

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

idgat said:
Sorry, that's a puzzler. May be not what I was thinking initially, but that setting should still be there.

I even used the search function within Settings and it returned "no results found".

I found this though...

To turn on Windows device encryption

Sign in to Windows with an administrator account (you may have to sign out and back in to switch accounts). For more info, see Create a local or administrator account in Windows 10.
Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Device encryption. If Device encryption doesn't appear, it isn't available.
If device encryption is turned off, select Turn on.

Device Encryption in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn about BitLocker Device Encryption in Windows and how to enable it.

support.microsoft.com

spapakons · Jun 30, 2024

I would right-click on the file, select Properties->Security->Advanced and make sure the Owner is Administrators (the group, not the built-in account). If it isn't change it to that. Then In same section click to modify permissions, delete the unknown user entry and make sure that Administrators have full access to the file. Now you should be able to do whatever you want. If this happens at a file in some folder you might have to change owner to Administrators at the containing folder and also grant full access to Administrators for this folder, subfolders and files.

glasskuter · Jun 30, 2024

I strongly caution against arbitrarily changing permissions just because you have the presence of this 'unknown account.' Your issue may well be something else.

The Account Unknown with SID (security identifier) indicates the User Profile which no longer exists. You can see this when an account may not have removed correctly.

I also have an "account unknown" in disk properties too. I can't say for sure which action caused it but I believe it was left behind either when I established a local test account and later removed that account or when I changed the name that appears on the login screen to be my name rather than my MS account email address.
I have not tried to get rid of this unknown account in disk properties as I believe in leaving well enough alone since I'm having no issues.

Account Unknown?

On my main Windows install I have an Account Unknown showing in Security tab for the C: drive. It also appears on all 3 of my VirtualBox machines. All machines are running Windows 11 22H2 with one of them on Dev channel. The full number is the same on all PCs...

www.elevenforum.com

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

glasskuter said:
I strongly caution against arbitrarily changing permissions just because you have the presence of this 'unknown account.' Your issue may well be something else.

The Account Unknown with SID (security identifier) indicates the User Profile which no longer exists. You can see this when an account may not have removed correctly.

I also have an "account unknown" in disk properties too. I can't say for sure which action caused it but I believe it was left behind either when I established a local test account and later removed that account or when I changed the name that appears on the login screen to be my name rather than my MS account email address.
I have not tried to get rid of this unknown account in disk properties as I believe in leaving well enough alone since I'm having no issues.

Account Unknown?

On my main Windows install I have an Account Unknown showing in Security tab for the C: drive. It also appears on all 3 of my VirtualBox machines. All machines are running Windows 11 22H2 with one of them on Dev channel. The full number is the same on all PCs...

www.elevenforum.com

Hi,

I can't leave it alone as because of it I am unable to get permission to use the drive... I am unable to download anything to my Operating System Drive.

In the video I've just attached

the guy talks alittle about the problem. In the comment section someone mentions "Unknow accounts" popping up when you sign into your Microsoft account for the first time after a fresh install of Windows... which I did on Saturday... The drive was working as intended on Friday.

Windows was installed at my PC shop a few days earlier to Friday. It was working as intended on Friday. The old thing that changed on the New PC was, on Saturday, I logged into my Windows account... then I didn't have permission any more to use the drive.

I had not deleted any accounts for this to happen in the first place.

@royal_almond

1 year ago
Could this happen if you did not originally use a windows account to sign in when you installed windows, and then later signed in with a windows account?

@techpub

1 year ago
Possibly but I've seen it when a user was deleted but it didn't get cleaned up.

Eamonn · Jun 30, 2024

Yesterday, I deleted the unknown account. Then restarted my PC.. now I've the old unknow account and a new one

.

glasskuter · Jun 30, 2024

Do you not have an image you can restore from before the issue first occurred?

I really do not think this unknown account is what is preventing you installing anything. I would bet your user account has become corrupted. Of course, there always a chance Windows itself is corrupted.
You can prove if it's your account by creating another local user account with administrative privileges and attempt to install something. If you have no issues in the new account, your user account is corrupted.

How to create a new account.
If you have autologon set to on, you will need to disable it.

1. (HOME) As a precaution, Turn off device encryption if it is currently on. Turn On or Off Device Encryption in Windows 11 Tutorial
(PRO) turn off standard Bitlocker. Turn Off BitLocker for Drive in Windows 11 Tutorial

2. Create a new local account
Settings>Accounts>Scroll down and click on Other Users.
Select add account>select I don't have this person's signin information
This will let you create a local account
In user name box name the account and assign a password
Very Important- Make the new user an administrator. After account is created, to the right of the new user name click down arrow. Select Change account type.
Click arrow to right of standard user and select Administrator
Restart and login to the new account and install something
Try that, and report back your findings.

Eamonn · Jul 1, 2024

glasskuter said:
Do you not have an image you can restore from before the issue first occurred?

I really do not think this unknown account is what is preventing you installing anything. I would bet your user account has become corrupted. Of course, there always a chance Windows itself is corrupted.
You can prove if it's your account by creating another local user account with administrative privileges and attempt to install something. If you have no issues in the new account, your user account is corrupted.

How to create a new account.
If you have autologon set to on, you will need to disable it.

1. (HOME) As a precaution, Turn off device encryption if it is currently on. Turn On or Off Device Encryption in Windows 11 Tutorial
(PRO) turn off standard Bitlocker. Turn Off BitLocker for Drive in Windows 11 Tutorial

2. Create a new local account
Settings>Accounts>Scroll down and click on Other Users.
Select add account>select I don't have this person's signin information
This will let you create a local account
In user name box name the account and assign a password
Very Important- Make the new user an administrator. After account is created, to the right of the new user name click down arrow. Select Change account type.
Click arrow to right of standard user and select Administrator
Restart and login to the new account and install something
Try that, and report back your findings.

Thnaks,I'll look into this... and see what the results are.

Eamonn · Jul 19, 2024

Ok, I took the PC back to my IT stop for them to work on it. I suggested your suggestion, which they did. They have created a local account and it has stopped the issue.

But now I can't ever log into my Microsoft account. How can this issue be fix, as I'm guessing this isn't how Windows 11 Pro is meant to behave? Something must be up??

idgat · Jul 19, 2024

Eamonn said:
as I'm guessing this isn't how Windows 11 Pro is meant to behave?

No, not normally, but it will happen when the system is corrupted (not necessarily to the stage of not working at all) by incorrect actions. Unfortunately we (and you) have no way of knowing whether the steps outlined above were followed correctly

I have to say that in my experience, computer "shops" are more experienced in hardware matters and can often cause more problems with user required configuration of software (incl. the OS)

What you might be better off seeking is someone local who offers a one-to-one service, and even better someone who will show you what they're doing and explain, then it becomes a learning experience for you

Not sure where you live, but I find there's a lot of these services offered in local community-type media, more personal service ads and the like

spapakons · Jul 19, 2024

I don't think they followed any specific steps. They wanted to "fix" the computer in as little as possible time in order to go to the next repair. That means they did a clean installation, created a local user and that's it. They just let Windows Update to take care of any drivers. Even if no drivers are missing, that doesn't mean you have the best. I would manually download and install latest chipset and graphics drivers to say the least. In my computer I would probably download and install all the drivers anyway, just to make sure I have the maximum compatibility and performance. I was amazed with the performance gain once I manually updated all drivers directly from Fujitsu in my hybrid tablet/laptop Fujitsu Stylistic Q702.

Eamonn · Jul 19, 2024

Oh the trials of life!

.... but thanks for helping me with this as not having access to my Microsoft account didn't sit well with me as a "solution".

You leave it in with a shop thinking they know the best way forward. (I even gave them the link to this forum page). Also, this may take me a few weeks before I can fully devote time to this. I may post sporadically in the mean time as and when I have the free time. At least for now I have a "functioning" PC).

"You can prove if it's your account by creating another local user account with administrative privileges and attempt to install something. If you have no issues in the new account, your user account is corrupted."

First question... If I give the local account, (that was created at the IT shop) administrative privileges, can it be used in this test suggested above? Or will I need to create a new local account with administrative privileges?

Second question... If I set up other accounts to do the test, will this local account, (set up at the IT shop) always be able to be used as a fall back safe account that I will be able to download to, until I get my actual Microsoft account up and running.. The last thing I want now, is to do things here and have it to be implemented across all accounts... and not not be able to download/save on my Local Disk.

Eamonn · Jul 19, 2024

spapakons said:
I don't think they followed any specific steps. They wanted to "fix" the computer in as little as possible time in order to go to the next repair. That means they did a clean installation, created a local user and that's it. They just let Windows Update to take care of any drivers. Even if no drivers are missing, that doesn't mean you have the best. I would manually download and install latest chipset and graphics drivers to say the least. In my computer I would probably download and install all the drivers anyway, just to make sure I have the maximum compatibility and performance. I was amazed with the performance gain once I manually updated all drivers directly from Fujitsu in my hybrid tablet/laptop Fujitsu Stylistic Q702.

I'll download the chipset drive later this weekend....(edit) I'll do it now and be done. Next years logs will have to wait.

Where and how would I find the type chipset driver I already have installed?

Eamonn · Jul 19, 2024

Does this mean I have no chipset driver installed?

I can't see anything with AMD and Chipset wrote on it.

"A required privilege is not held by the client" because of an "Account unknown..." in the Local Disk (C) Properties...??

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