Windows 8.1 will not download from the Store

Anonymous
2013-10-24T15:01:11+00:00

When I attempt to download Windows 8.1 PRO from the store I get the below message:

Store

You need to use an account with Administrator privileges to install Windows 8.1 try logging in with the user account of an administrator of this PC and trying the upgrade again.

I am logged into an administrator account.  The account is in the administrators group and I can do other administrator functions with this account.  My system has 2 administrator accounts and neither one will work.  Is there a security policy I need to change to allow the upgrade?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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Anonymous
2013-12-04T17:48:51+00:00

Same issue: 

Brand new Windows 8 workstation - with 100% of the updates installed and rebooted.

spent hours enabling the local admin account, creating other profiles.. running windows updates.

finally it shows up in the store - but I can't seem to download it.

The store shows up with the 8.1 upgrade - but displays the error that you have to be an administrator to install.

I uninstalled the KBKB2871389  then I downloaded it manually and  manually installed it.

After rebooting  I was able to get the 8.1 to download and install it.

Very frustrated.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-02-20T17:37:05+00:00

    As we all know in this thread, logging in as the Administrator user with the administrator permission still did not get the ability to successfully download Win8.1 from the Store.

    I ultimately called Dell Care who looked at the Service code of this Dell laptop, recognized the machine was registered to Costco (where I purchased from) and saw Costco as the 'ultimate' administrator.  Dell Care changed the ownership from Costco to my Microsoft account.  Logging out as Administrator and logging in as my Microsoft user account which NOW had ultimate 'administrator' privileges allowed the 8.1 download to start successfully without the familiar message "You need to use an account with Administrator privileges to install Windows 8.1 try logging in with the user account of an administrator of this PC and trying the upgrade again."

    Bottom line: the local Administrator account does not have the 'ultimate' administrative privileges.  Your Microsoft id account needs this - and you have to figure out how to connect that 'ultimate' access to your Microsoft user id.  What a PITA.

    If you have a Dell laptop, make the call to Dell Care to avoid serious frustration.

    Good luck to those without Dell Care.  Perhaps the place of purchase can assign the necessary permissions to your Microsoft user id which was the ultimate solution to this issue.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-20T16:15:48+00:00

    Same issue, except with a brand new Wacom Cintiq Companion.  I turned my account from a "microsoft account" to a "local account", and then tried upgrading to windows 8.1.  I got the "you need to be an administrator" error every time I tried. After following a few dead ends, I noticed there was an option to "log in" to the Microsoft Store.  After that, it started working. 

    tl;dr -- When Microsoft says, "you need to be an administrator to download windows 8.1", it REALLY means, "hey, sign in to the Microsoft Store with you MS account"

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-02-20T15:16:27+00:00

    DON'T GET FRUSTRATED!

    Just run a Windows Update checking all boxes of both important and optional updates (very important).  After performing the update, wait a couple of minutes and the Windows 8.1 download will start.  I didn't even had to restart my computer.  

    best of luck!

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-02-19T16:46:35+00:00

    thanks a lot... 

    first i thought you are kidding... miscrosoft cant be that stupid... but it worked for me...

    thanks.........

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