Erase spell and hacking

[Hellfire6A]

If I jump through all the right hoops...gaining basic access to the computer/tech item, exposing/touching the computer drive, casting Erase spell (thus erasing administrator information). Could I then do a Computers check to make myself the administrator and give myself root access with a Computers check as a full action prior to the back up replacing the old administrator information?

[Claxon]

You might be able to erase administrator information, but even if you did you would have to make the normal check to give yourself root access.

The terminal just wouldn't have a root user anymore, so whoever the root user was wouldn't be able to properly use the terminal anymore.

It wont make it easier for you to use, but you might be able to prevent others from using it.

[Xenocrat]

Prettty sure the erase spell says most info is backed up and quickly restored. Only transient data flows like camera feeds can be permanently erased unless your GM allows.

[Claxon]

It's an interesting case since the administrator in theory has the highest authority on the machine in question, and no other user should be able to grant that authority to someone else (unless you have multiple administrators on a system, which maybe you do).

So you still might be able to lockout a terminal from the former administrator, but that wouldn't do anything to restrict other users from using it normally.