Device Enrollment Successful: Administrator Configures Build Reception

Table of Contents

Encountering issues when attempting to configure settings within the Windows operating system is a common experience for users. Specifically, for those actively participating in the Windows Insider Program, a particularly perplexing message may appear: “Another administrator has set up this device to successfully receive builds.” This notification typically surfaces when navigating the Windows Settings interface to manage the reception of pre-release Windows builds. What makes this error especially frustrating is when you are, to your knowledge, the sole administrator account holder on the device, yet you are prevented from modifying these build settings. The presence of this message implies that another administrative entity has already configured the system’s build reception, overriding your attempts to make changes. This can lead to confusion and a roadblock for Insiders trying to manage their update experience.

You might have instinctively clicked on any “Take Control” or similar buttons presented alongside the error message. However, as many users discover, this action often results only in a page refresh or no discernible change, leaving the error persistently displayed. This indicates that a simple UI interaction is insufficient to resolve the underlying configuration conflict causing this message. The problem lies deeper within the system’s configuration, specifically in how Windows identifies and manages the primary account responsible for Windows Insider build settings. To effectively address this issue and regain control over your device’s build reception, a more direct approach involving system configuration adjustments is required.

The resolution process for this specific error necessitates making modifications to the Windows Registry. The Registry is a critical hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the Microsoft Windows operating system and for applications that opt to use the Registry. Modifying the Registry incorrectly can lead to serious system instability or even render Windows inoperable. Therefore, extreme caution and precision are paramount when following these steps. Any errors introduced during the editing process could exacerbate existing problems or create new ones. Before proceeding with any registry manipulations, it is strongly recommended to create a System Restore Point. This allows you to revert your system to a previous working state if something goes wrong during the registry editing process, providing a crucial safety net against potential damage.

Understanding the Windows Insider Program and Administrator Roles¶

The Windows Insider Program allows enthusiasts and IT professionals to test pre-release versions of Windows and provide feedback to Microsoft. Participants receive early access to builds through specific channels (Dev, Beta, Release Preview), which are configured via the Windows Settings app under Update & Security > Windows Insider Program (or System > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program in later Windows 11 versions). Configuring these settings requires administrative privileges.

An administrator account on a Windows device has elevated permissions, allowing the user to make system-wide changes, install software, manage other user accounts, and modify critical system settings like those for the Windows Insider Program. The “Another administrator has set up this device…” error arises because the operating system believes that a different administrator account than the one currently logged in or attempting to make changes has already established the primary configuration for receiving Insider builds. This can happen even if only one visible administrator account exists, potentially due to remnants of previous configurations, system upgrades, or issues with how user SIDs are associated with system settings. Resolving this involves ensuring the correct administrator’s identity, specifically their Security Identifier (SID), is recognized by the system as the designated owner of the Windows Insider configuration.

Common Causes for the ‘Another Administrator’ Error¶

While the message points to another administrator, the root cause isn’t always the presence of a second active admin account. Several scenarios can lead to this error:

• Multiple Administrator Accounts: The most straightforward cause is indeed having more than one administrator account on the device, and the Insider program was initially set up by a different account than the one you are currently using.
• Remnants from Previous Installations or Upgrades: Sometimes, after a major Windows update or an in-place upgrade, system configurations from older profiles or previous Windows versions might interfere, leading the system to incorrectly detect a past or non-existent administrator configuration.
• Corrupted User Profile: A corrupted user profile can sometimes cause issues with how Windows recognizes account permissions and associations with system features like the Insider program settings.
• Domain or Policy Interference: In corporate or educational environments, domain policies or local group policies might be configured to manage Windows Update or Windows Insider settings, overriding local user control and potentially causing this message to appear, even if you are a local administrator.
• System File Corruption: Underlying corruption in core Windows system files can sometimes manifest as unexpected behavior in settings and features.
• Issues with Device Enrollment Services: In some cases, problems related to device enrollment services or associated tasks might contribute to this configuration lock.

Understanding these potential causes helps contextualize the solution, which primarily focuses on correcting the system’s perception of which administrator “owns” the Insider build configuration settings via the Registry.

Solution: Modifying the Windows Registry¶

The primary method to address the “Another administrator has set up this device…” error involves carefully editing the Windows Registry to point the Windows Insider configuration to the correct administrator account’s Security Identifier (SID).

Before beginning, ensure you have administrative rights on the account you are using.

Step 1: Create a System Restore Point¶

This is a crucial precautionary step.
1. Search for “Create a restore point” in the Windows search bar and open the System Properties window.
2. In the System Protection tab, check if protection is turned on for your system drive (usually C:). If not, select the drive and click “Configure” to turn on system protection.
3. Click the “Create…” button at the bottom of the System Protection tab.
4. Enter a descriptive name for the restore point, such as “Before Registry Edit for Insider Fix”.
5. Click “Create” and wait for the process to complete. You will receive a confirmation message.

Step 2: Identify Your User Account SID¶

Every user account on a Windows system is assigned a unique Security Identifier (SID). The “Another administrator” error occurs because the system’s Windows Insider configuration key is likely associated with an incorrect or outdated SID. You need to find the SID corresponding to the administrator account you want to use for the Windows Insider Program.

There are a few ways to find your SID:

Method A: Using Registry Editor (as suggested in the original problem description)

1. Open the Run dialog by pressing Windows key + R.
2. Type regedit and press Enter or click OK. This will open the Registry Editor. Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control (UAC).
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate the left-hand pane. Expand HKEY_USERS.
4. Under HKEY_USERS, you will see several subkeys named S-1-5-21-.... These are SIDs.
5. You are looking for the SID that corresponds to your active user account. Often, for the first user account created on the system, this SID ends with -1001.
6. Carefully examine these SIDs. Note down the one you believe corresponds to your account.

Method B: Verifying SID using ProfileImagePath (as suggested in the original)

If you are unsure which SID under HKEY_USERS is yours, you can cross-reference it with the ProfileList in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

1. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:
   

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
   

2. Expand the ProfileList key in the left-hand pane.
3. Under ProfileList, you will find subkeys that are the SIDs of various user accounts on the system (including system accounts, but also your user accounts).
4. Click on each SID subkey under ProfileList. In the right-hand pane, look for the string value named ProfileImagePath.
5. The ProfileImagePath value data will show the path to the user’s profile folder, typically C:\Users\<YourAccountName>.
6. Find the SID key where ProfileImagePath points to your specific user account name (e.g., C:\Users\JohnDoe). The name of that SID key is your user account’s SID. Jot down this exact SID string.

Method C: Using Command Prompt (Alternative Method)

This method is often simpler and less prone to errors when identifying your current user’s SID.

1. Open Command Prompt as a standard user (no need for admin rights for this specific command). Search for “cmd” and open it.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:
   

   whoami /user
   

3. The output will display your username (domain\username or computername\username) and your Security Identifier (SID).
4. Your SID will be listed next to “SID:”. It will look something like S-1-5-21-R-R-R-1001 (where R are numbers). This is the SID you need to jot down.

Make sure you have the correct SID noted precisely. This is the critical piece of information for the next step.

Step 3: Navigate to the WindowsSelfHost Key¶

Now that you have identified your correct SID, you need to locate the registry key where Windows stores the Insider Program configuration.

1. Return to the Registry Editor window.
2. In the left-hand pane, navigate to the following path:
   

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost\Applicability
   

   
   You may need to expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SOFTWARE, then Microsoft, then WindowsSelfHost, and finally select Applicability.

Step 4: Create or Modify the FlightingOwnerSID Value¶

Within the Applicability key, you will need to create or modify a specific string value (REG_SZ) that tells Windows which SID is the designated owner for the Insider build settings.

1. With the Applicability key selected in the left pane, look at the right pane.
2. Check if a string value named FlightingOwnerSID already exists.
   • If it exists, right-click on FlightingOwnerSID and select Modify....
   • If it does not exist, right-click anywhere in the empty space in the right pane, select New, and then select String Value. Name this new value exactly FlightingOwnerSID.
3. Once the FlightingOwnerSID value is created or you are modifying an existing one, the “Edit String” dialog box will appear.
4. In the “Value data” field, enter the SID you identified in Step 2. Ensure there are no typos or extra spaces.
5. Click OK to save the change.

Step 5: Apply Changes and Verify¶

The changes you made in the Registry are usually applied immediately, but sometimes a system restart is needed for full effect.

1. Close the Registry Editor window.
2. It is highly recommended to restart your computer at this point to ensure all system services and settings pick up the registry modification.
3. After restarting, log back into the administrator account you used for this process.
4. Open Windows Settings. Navigate to the Windows Insider Program section (usually found under System > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program or Update & Security > Windows Insider Program).
5. Check if the “Another administrator has set up this device…” message is gone and if you can now configure or view your Windows Insider settings and select a channel.

If the message is gone and you can manage the settings, the issue is successfully resolved.

Detailed Explanation of the Registry Keys Involved¶

Understanding why you are modifying these specific keys can reinforce the process:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost: This registry path is where Windows stores configuration information related to the Windows Self-Host initiatives, primarily the Windows Insider Program. Settings here determine how the device interacts with the Insider service, including flighting preferences.
• Applicability: This subkey within WindowsSelfHost likely contains values related to which Insider build channel the device is applicable for and currently configured to receive builds from. It holds crucial state information about the device’s participation.
• FlightingOwnerSID: This is the key value you modified. Flighting refers to the process of receiving and installing pre-release builds (“flights”). OwnerSID indicates the Security Identifier of the user account that is designated as the primary configurator or owner of the Insider Program settings for this specific device. By changing this value to your SID, you are explicitly telling the operating system that your account is the legitimate administrator responsible for these settings, overriding any previous or conflicting associations.

Correctly setting FlightingOwnerSID to your SID ensures that when you access the Windows Insider settings in the Settings app, the system recognizes your administrative permissions as the controlling entity for that feature, thus removing the error message that indicates control is held by another SID.

Troubleshooting Steps if the Registry Fix Fails¶

If you follow the registry modification steps precisely and still encounter the “Another administrator has set up this device…” error, or if new issues arise, consider these troubleshooting steps:

1. Verify Account Permissions¶

Ensure the account you are using is indeed an Administrator account.
1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info (or Accounts > Account settings in Windows 11).
2. Below your account name and email, it should clearly state “Administrator”. If it says “Standard user”, you cannot perform these changes. You’ll need to log in with a true administrator account or have an existing administrator change your account type.

2. Double-Check the SID¶

Go back and carefully re-verify your SID using one of the methods described in Step 2. A single digit or character error in the SID entered into the FlightingOwnerSID value will cause the fix to fail. Pay close attention, especially to hyphens and capitalization (though SIDs are typically case-insensitive, accuracy is key).

3. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM¶

Corrupted system files can sometimes interfere with proper system behavior and settings management. Running SFC and DISM can help repair these.
1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator (search for “cmd”, right-click, select “Run as administrator”).
2. Run the System File Checker command:

sfc /scannow

Let the scan complete. It will attempt to repair any found corrupted system files.
3. After SFC finishes, run the DISM command to check and restore the system health:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This process may take some time and requires an internet connection.
4. Restart your computer after both scans are complete, even if no errors were reported. Then, check the Insider settings again.

4. Check for Corrupted User Profiles¶

If SFC and DISM don’t help, your user profile itself might be corrupted in a way that affects permissions or setting management.
1. Create a new administrator account on your computer (Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC).
2. Log out of your current account and log into the newly created administrator account.
3. From the new account, navigate to the Windows Insider Program settings. See if the error message appears there. If it does not appear in the new account, it strongly suggests the issue is with your original user profile.
4. You may need to migrate your data to the new profile or attempt advanced troubleshooting steps to repair your original profile.

5. Consider Group Policy Interference¶

While less common for typical home users, if your device was ever connected to a domain or had specific security policies applied (perhaps from previous software installations or system tweaks), these policies could override local settings and cause the “Another administrator” message. Checking the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc - not available in Windows 10/11 Home editions) or talking to your IT administrator (if applicable) might be necessary. Look for policies related to Windows Updates, Windows Insider Program, or device management.

Best Practices When Dealing with Registry Edits¶

• Always Back Up: Reiterate the importance of creating a System Restore Point before making changes. You can also export specific registry keys before editing them (Right-click the key > Export).
• Follow Instructions Precisely: Typos, incorrect paths, or wrong value types can cause significant problems. Double-check the key names, paths, and value data.
• Understand the Purpose: Having a basic understanding of what a key or value does (like FlightingOwnerSID) helps prevent accidental modifications to unrelated critical settings.
• Edit Only What’s Necessary: Do not explore and modify other registry keys unless you are certain about their function and the impact of changes.

Conclusion¶

The “Another administrator has set up this device to successfully receive builds” error can be a frustrating hurdle for Windows Insiders seeking to manage their build reception settings. While the message might be misleading if you are the only apparent administrator, the issue typically stems from an incorrect association of the Windows Insider configuration with a user’s Security Identifier (SID) in the system’s Registry. By carefully identifying your correct SID and updating the FlightingOwnerSID value within the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost\Applicability registry key, you can effectively reclaim administrative control over these settings.

Remember to approach registry modifications with caution, always starting with a backup like a System Restore Point. If the direct registry edit doesn’t immediately resolve the issue, additional troubleshooting steps such as verifying account permissions, re-confirming your SID, running system file checks, or investigating potential profile corruption can help pinpoint and solve the underlying problem. With careful execution, you should be able to clear this error and manage your Windows Insider build settings successfully.

Did this guide help you resolve the “Another administrator has set up this device…” error? Share your experience or any additional tips you discovered in the comments below!