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
    2014-02-03T16:11:55+00:00

    this worked perfect worked on first try

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-03T14:11:05+00:00

    Hi people,

    Not sure how many of you return here to see if this is cleared up. However, i'm pretty sure i know what is causing this: default browser choice.

    Brand new install, some updates, reboots, etc. I got the same error.

    Turned off UAC, reboot, same error.

    Then I remembered that windows updates uses IE to check and download, and I didn't make a default browser check yet. I did download FF, but did not check the option.

    So, just as a shot in the dark, I clicked IE got the "do you which to make IE your default browser" pop up and clicked "yes".

    Then I went to "store", clicked on the free upgrade to win 8.1. And guess what.... no error this time!

    I will try this on another fresh install with the error and see if I'm correct, but I'm 99,99% sure this is the culprit.

    Best regards,

    Stefan

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-01-31T08:15:43+00:00

    Hi

    I think I have found a fix for this problem. We setup systems on a daily basis and part of this process is to upgrade systems to 8.1

    We normally do 10 a day and 9 out of the 10 of these will experience this issue and normally we just leave them alone and at some random point it will work.

    We wanted to try and find away of doing this without having to wait for a random point in time that it would allow us.

    After following all the suggestions posted before we had not been able to find a consistent way to get it to work and between 5-7 out of 10 would still have the error message "Administrator privileges"

    If we follow the following procedure it works every time! We have no idea why or how this would work but we don't have this problem anymore.

    1. Make sure all windows updates are done.
    2. Go to the windows search and type "Computer".
    3. Right click and select properties so that it brings up the system properties window.
    4. Close this properties window and go back to the store.
    5. Select the upgrade to windows 8.1 from the store.
    6. It should then download the update.

    I hope this solves the issue for you as it has done for us!

    I had the same issue with a new Dell on Win8, despite fully updating windows it refused to give me admin rights even though I was the admin. I tried all the adjustments to admin rights, tried uninstalling KB2871389 but it would not allow me to. Then tried the above and it worked - Thank you.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-01-30T03:04:58+00:00

    Thanks! This worked!

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