Cannot "run as administrator" on my Windows 10 PC

Open MSCONFIG from the Start Menu and under the Boot tab, set for Safe Boot and restart.

Now see if you can open cmd.exe with Run as Administrator.

If so, run DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-image. /restorehealth

Then reset msconfig to start normally and restart.

Any result?

Also, as your User Account could be damaged, see if you can set up a new user account in Safe Mode and make that new Account as a Member of the Admin group.  

Restart as the new Administrator and see if you can run admin commands.

Verify that the account is definitely an admin (Done by going into User accounts in Control Panel). Also, open an admin command prompt and run “SFC /Scannow” to ensure the OS is healthy.

Also was this device upgraded to windows 10 or did it come like that?

Ok, the first solution didnt work.  I was not able to open up cmd as an adminstrator in safe mode.

Also, creating a second account and making it an administrator did not work, as I was not able to run anything as administrator from the new account.

So try the Repair Install and see if that works.

Do you have an Administrator account on it at all? Right click on My computer (Computer or This PC) - select Manage - then Users and Groups.
See if under Users you have Administrator.

Author said "creating a second account and making it an administrator did not work"

i have that also happening on 1 pc  - curious to see the outcome
i suspect an update is the cause

Built in Administrator and created administrator is not the same since Windows 7.

Open Explorer and go to C:\Windows\system32
Right-Click CMD.exe and click Run As Administrator
If it works directly on the EXE as above, you have something bad in your shell extensions. I have seen this with 7zip

Did this start happening recently?

If so, uninstall any apps and/or Windows Updates installed since it started and see if that helps. It wouldn't hurt to run a full malware scan, too.

So I elevated my UAC and some things will open up when I click run as administrator.  When I open Explorer and go to C:\Windows\system32
Right-Click CMD.exe and click Run As Administrator, that is also now working, but I do not have 7zip installed.

I elevated my UAC and some things will open up

Settings of UAC do not (normally) affect the ability to Run as Administrator  

Did you try Repair Install as I suggested. I think that will fix this issue.

I was trying a few other things I found while doing a google search, but none have seemed to fix it 100%.  Therefore, I will be doing the repair tomorrow.

So, I just did a repair and I am once again able to open programs as an administrator.

So you did the repair as I suggested and now you are working. Good news.

No comment has been added to this question in more than 21 days, so it is now classified as abandoned.

I have recommended this question be closed as follows:

Accept: 'John' (https:#a42756898)

If you feel this question should be closed differently, post an objection and the moderators will review all objections and close it as they feel fit. If no one objects, this question will be closed automatically the way described above.

seth2740
Experts-Exchange Cleanup Volunteer