Resolving “Access is Denied” on ADMIN$ During Remote Deployment Overview When deploying agents remotely (e.g., via N-able), the following error may occur: This issue can arise even when: The user has administrative privileges Credentials are correct Network connectivity is functioning --- Root Cause This behavior is caused by User Account Control (UAC) remote restrictions applied to local accounts. By default, Windows filters administrative tokens for remote connections using local (non-domain) accounts. As a result, even users in the Administrators group may be denied access to administrative shares such as ADMIN$. --- Resolution Steps 1. Disable UAC Remote Restrictions Run the following command on the target machine: --- 2. Restart the Target Machine A reboot is required for the change to take effect. --- 3. Verify Registry Configuration Expected output: --- 4. Test ADMIN$ Access Manually From a remote machine: Successful output: --- Additional Considerations Credential Management in N-able Ensure the password is re-entered manually. If the interface shows “(unchanged)”, the previous password may still be in use. --- Username Format Use the correct format for local accounts: --- Local Security Policy Verify that the account is not restricted: Ensure it is allowed under “Access this computer from the network” Ensure it is not listed under “Deny access to this computer from the network” --- Password Change Requirement If the account requires a password change at next logon, remote authentication will fail. Disable this requirement: --- Conclusion The issue is caused by Windows security behavior rather than incorrect credentials or network failure. Disabling UAC token filtering for local accounts allows administrative access over remote connections and resolves the ADMIN$ access error.