MD-102 helper - Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate Updated: 2024

For a general Windows user, resetting a lost or forgotten administrative password can be a bit troublesome if you don’t have the proper tools and techniques to reset it, depending on the underlying OS that you’re using. However, there are several third-party free password recovery tools available in the market that can help you reset your password, but that’s not our Topic here. In this guide, we show you how to reset & recover a lost or forgotten Windows password using a simple Sticky Keys trick.

Sticky Keys enables users to enter key combinations by pressing keys in sequence rather than simultaneously. This is desirable, especially for users who cannot press the keys in combination due to some physical challenges. Although the method of enabling Sticky keys helps simplify various tasks, its system files can be replaced.

You can replace an Ease of Access system file like sethc.exe, with a Command Prompt, and then use cmd.exe to make system changes.

Before proceeding with this method, please make a note of the following:

1. When you reset a Windows password, all the files that have been compressed/encrypted using tools such as Encrypting File Systems (EFS) will be lost.
2. Stored Internet Explorer passwords and settings will be lost as well.

So if you have a backup it will be good for you.

TIP: Our Ease Of Access Replacer lets you replace Ease of Access button in Windows with useful tools, including CMD.

For resetting the password, you will need a Windows PE bootable drive which can be used to access the command prompt where you will have to set the new password.

Follow the below steps once you have the Windows PE DVD booted and ready.

1. Boot from the Windows PE DVD and open Command Prompt from the Advanced troubleshooting menu.

2. Enter the drive letter where your Operating System is installed, which is usually the C: Drive. Initially, you should be on X: drive which is the default residence for Windows PE.

3. Type in the below command after replacing C with the drive where Windows is installed on your PC.

copy C:\Windows\system32\sethc.exe C:\

4. After taking the backup of the original file, run the below command to replace it in the original location.

copy /y C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe C:\windows\system32\sethc.exe

The above command should replace the sethc.exe file with the cmd.exe file.

5. Now, restart your PC and navigate to the screen where it requires a password. Press the SHIFT key 5 times.

6. A command prompt window should open where you can enter the below command and reset your account password. You can get the list of current users on your PC by using the command net user.

net user your_account  new_password

Well, that’s it! You should be able to reset the password now.

Once you are in, you should replace the cmd.exe file with the original sethc.exe system file.

Read: How to bypass Administrator password in Windows.

If you get Microsoft Store is blocked, Check with your IT or system administrator error while opening the Microsoft Store on Windows 11; follow these solutions to get rid of it. However, you must have the administrator rights to use all the suggestions.

At times, you might find the Microsoft Store is blocked error while opening it in Windows 11. Although it can happen in an organization to prevent regular users from installing unnecessary apps on the PC, it is pretty unusual on a home computer. However, if you have got this error on your home computer or on a computer where you are the only administrator, you can follow these solutions.

To Microsoft Store blocked by administrator error in Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Remove custom rule
2. Disable Group Policy setting
3. Unblock using Registry

To learn more about these steps, continue reading.

1] Remove custom rule

It is the first thing you need to do in order to fix this above-mentioned error. In Windows 11, it is possible to create a custom rule to allow or deny a specific app from running on your computer. If you have done it mistakenly in the past, you may get issues while accessing the Microsoft Store app. Therefore, you need to verify if there is any such rule or not. If it is for blocking the Microsoft Store app, you need to remove it accordingly.

First, press Win+R to open the Run prompt, type secpol.msc, and press the Enter button to open the Local Security policy panel.

Then, navigate to Application Control Policies > AppLocker > Packaged app Rules. Here you can find all the custom rules you created earlier. Find out a rule that has Microsoft.WindowsStore in the name.

Double-click on it and see if the Action is set as Allow or Deny.

If it is set to Deny, go back to the previous screen, right-click on the rule and select the Delete option.

Then, you need to confirm the change. Once done, close all the windows and try to open the Microsoft Store. Hopefully, you will be able to open it without any problem.

2] Disable Group Policy setting

There is a Group Policy setting, which might be responsible for this error. You need to check if it is turned on or not. If turned on, you must disable it.

• Press Win+R to open the Run prompt.
• Type gpedit.msc and press the Enter button.
• Navigate to this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store.
• Double-click on the Turn off the Store application setting.
• Choose the Not Configured option.
• Click the OK button.

Then, close all windows and try opening the Microsoft Store app.

Read: Security software blocks UWP app from opening

3] Unblock using Registry

The same Group Policy setting can be enabled through the Registry Editor as well. Therefore, follow these steps to delete the corresponding Registry key:

Press Win+R > type regedit > hit the Enter button.

Click the Yes option.

Navigate to this path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore

Right-click on the RemoveWindowsStore REG_DWORD value.

Select the Delete option.

Click the Yes button.

Then, restart your computer and open the Microsoft Store in Windows 11.

Read: This app has been blocked due to Company Policy.

How do I fix Microsoft Store is blocked by administrator?

To fix the Microsoft Store is blocked by administrator error, you must delete the custom rule made in the Local Security Policy panel. For that, you can follow the very first solution mentioned in this article. That said, you can go to Application Control Policies > AppLocker > Packaged app Rules, right-click on the custom rule and select the Delete option.

How do I turn off Microsoft Store restrictions?

Depending upon the restrictions, you can try using the Local Security Policy, Local Group Policy Editor, and the Registry Editor to turn that off. You need to follow the aforementioned guides one after one if you cannot determine the exact error message. However, in most cases, you can resolve the error with the help of the Local Security Policy.

That’s all! Hope this guide helped.

Read: This app has been blocked for your protection by your system administrator.

Adrian Grahams began writing professionally in 1989 after training as a newspaper reporter. His work has been published online and in various newspapers, including "The Cornish Times" and "The Sunday Independent." Grahams specializes in technology and communications. He holds a Bachelor of Science, postgraduate diplomas in journalism and website design and is studying for an MBA.

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Internet Explorer has become one of the most maligned pieces of software in Microsoft's history. For a good portion of the time, it had a massive monopoly over the browser market due to the company's anticompetitive practices. It was written into Windows in such a way that removing it would handicap the OS, according to those familiar with the situation who spoke with The Ringer.

Not only was Internet Explorer a bloated application, but it was also riddled with security vulnerabilities that gave a direct path of attack for the endless malware Windows was once known for attracting, with one security researcher calling it "a ripe attack surface for initial entry into Windows machines" even after Microsoft retired the browser in 2022.

Today, the most popular browser by a long shot is Google Chrome, which first surpassed Internet Explorer in market share back in 2012. As anecdotal proof that hatred of Internet Explorer had become widespread, remember that to install Chrome, most users had to first open Internet Explorer to download it.

To recap, Microsoft was so zealous about winning the browser wars that it incurred a historic antitrust suit over Internet Explorer. And yet, a little over a decade later, consumer opinion had soured on Microsoft's browser to such an extent that Google was able to swallow it whole. As a cherry on top, the default browser on Windows, Microsoft Edge, now runs on Chromium.

Earning specialized certifications is a surefire way to advance your career in the IT field, regardless of industry or current career level. The right certification validates your skills and knowledge, which makes you more desirable to future employers who want to attract and retain the best employees. Below, we’ll explore the top IT certifications and share how to examine your goals to choose the right path forward. 

By Lisa Jarvis

Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 | 2 a.m.

Last year saw a stream of dismal headlines about kids’ mental health. Children and teens in the U.S. are struggling with higher levels of depression and anxiety. Rates of suicides and eating disorders are on the rise. But now there’s reason to be hopeful: an ambitious experiment in Oregon could point the way to a novel solution.

Much of the past two years has been spent trying to parse the root cause of the alarming statistics rather than discussing what to do about them, though there has been some positive change. New guidelines recommending widespread screening for childhood anxiety and depression were a good start. So was the Biden administration’s investment in helping better connect families to behavioral and health services. And several states have expanded training for educators and improved access to telehealth.

But none of those can fully address a fundamental problem: The number of kids who need help exceeds the number of available mental health providers. The pediatric mental health workforce hasn’t expanded, despite ever-growing demand. A 2019 study that used data from the National Survey of Children’s Health found that about half of the kids with a mental health disorder did not receive treatment. The shortfall is likely even worse now.

“We need to try something new — something that’s radically different than what we’ve been doing, which is clearly not working,” child clinical psychologist Katie McLaughlin told me.

That’s where the Oregon experiment fits in. McLaughlin recently left Harvard to be the executive director of the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health, which was launched at the University of Oregon in 2022 with the goal of rapidly expanding the workforce by creating a new type of mental health provider. The endeavor was made possible by a $425 million gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer (the latter of Microsoft fame).

The bachelor’s-level position, called a child behavioral health specialist, will work in community settings to identify struggling kids and offer brief and early interventions to help them.

During their last two years of college, students enrolled at Ballmer will receive intensive, hands-on training on evidence-backed interventions. They will gain experience first at Portland-area elementary and high schools, and could later choose to embed at pediatricians’ offices, community centers or preschools. When they graduate, they will be ready to go out into the field.

These students won’t replace school counselors or psychiatrists, who have graduate-level degrees. But in an ideal world, brief interventions could prevent some kids from ever needing more intensive resources, freeing up people with advanced degrees to focus on those who need them most.

There’s good reason to believe the Oregon experiment will work. The UK pioneered a highly successful “low intensity” mental health workforce as part of a 2008 plan to expand access to services. Part of that effort involved establishing a new type of provider called a “Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner,” who offers brief interventions to struggling adults. Anyone who doesn’t benefit is referred to more intensive therapy. An analysis found that the program had a major impact on lowering levels of depression and anxiety in the UK.

So the model is sound, but the experiment in Oregon still has plenty to prove. McLaughlin will need to produce robust data that her students are having a positive impact on children — but that evidence shouldn’t take long to collect. The first cohort heads into classrooms next fall. McLaughlin says anyone who interacts with a Ballmer student — whether that’s a child, parent, school administrator or pediatrician — will be handed an iPad to offer feedback on the experience, allowing a quick assessment on whether a child or family was satisfied with their experience and, in time, whether the services provided actually Improve kids’ mental health.

The Ballmer Institute is essentially creating a new profession, which entails some practical challenges. The first hurdle was cleared in late 2022, when the state higher education commission approved the program. The next is working with policymakers to establish standards for becoming certified as a child behavioral health specialist, as well as defining the kind of services such a professional will be allowed to deliver. And then there’s convincing insurers, including state Medicaid programs, that the care provided by these new professionals is worth paying for.

But if this experiment works, other institutions might consider adopting the new degree, in theory helping to establish a new layer of support for children around the country.

The price tag on the Ballmer’s experiment can’t be ignored. Not every institution will be handed more than $400 million to try fix the mental health crisis. But if Ballmer can show the concept works, it shouldn’t be too hard for others to follow. The price of the status quo is just too high to ignore.

Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News.