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User Account Settings- forgotten admin password
User Account Settings- forgotten admin password
- How do I reset an administrative password (that has been forgotten)? Would I need to reload the OS?
- Moved byBrian-Support Engineer Wednesday, December 24, 2008 10:30 PM (Moved from Vista Assistant to Security and Privacy)
1 person got this answerI do too
Answers
- You can prepare a 'password reset disk' from the User Accounts application in Control Panel. You should also enter a 'hint' that could help you remember
Assuming you mean you cannot access any admin account on your system because you did not do that, there are utilities available to reset the password to blank.
Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP- Marked As Answer byRami - Support Engineer Thursday, January 08, 2009 10:38 AM
All Replies
- You can prepare a 'password reset disk' from the User Accounts application in Control Panel. You should also enter a 'hint' that could help you remember
Assuming you mean you cannot access any admin account on your system because you did not do that, there are utilities available to reset the password to blank.
Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP- Marked As Answer byRami - Support Engineer Thursday, January 08, 2009 10:38 AM
- This problem just happened to me today. I only made one user account and made it an administrator. I did not create a password reset disk. Is this utility safe to install? Or is it safer to just reinstall vista with the install disk?
- I just used the sftware that Matt told you about, it works very well, guy goes out of his way to talk you thru it
- Thank you very much, worked like a charm :)
- so how would you change the admin password to blank?
- Proposed As Answer byMbllz Monday, May 04, 2009 10:34 PM
- You're replying to a post that was made in December of 2008?! Spammer.
MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! - MK Even: What software did you use?
- I can't get pass the log on page , and I blocked the other user accounts, I cannot access my laptop I reset my password and forgot it do where do I get a password reset disk
- Spammer.
MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! How do I reset an administrative password (that has been forgotten)? Would I need to reload the OS?
- Hello lrrr,
You can try this link: http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-a-Windows-Vista-Password which will assist you with your password problem easily. Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trinity+rescue+kit&search_type=&aq=f for detailed video's to get this done should you have any questions or need additional help. I have used it a dozen times and it really works! Hope this helps you. Let us know either way. Make it a great day!
"And In The End The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love You Make" (The Beatles last song from thier last album, Abbey Road.) - Hi! I hope you can help me! My daughter has changed the account password to my laptop (Vista) and cannot remember the password. I've tried everything. I didn't make a password reset disk, and can't find my Windows disk. How can I get a utility to reset the password to blank?
Thanks!!
Dazi - Hi,
You mean the logon password to Windows for your account?
Try Safe Mode - repeatedly tap F8 as you boot and the Admin there has no password by default unless it
was changed. Then when you can access Control Panel - User Accounts - Manager another account and
you can set your password to blank or anything you want. Make another Admin account with same
password to use to fix and test as needed but not to use on a daily basis.
The methods in 2nd section will allow you to see the present password and then you can change it.
Try this - use the Hidden Admin Account to lower your account to user (to lowest level) APPLY/OK
then go back and reset it to Admin APPLY/OK - this helps clear corruption. Do this a few times.
Then fix the password in your normal account. Be sure to leave your account as Admin if you
wish.
Make another Admin Account with your password and use it to fix the others when needed. (just to
repair with, not to use as regular account, a safety valve) Always keep a spare ADMIN account.
DO NOT LEAVE THE HAA ENABLED OR USE IT DAILY. If it corrupts you are toast!
How to Enable or Disable the Real Built-in Administrator Account in Vista
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67567-administrator-account.html
You can run the Hidden Admin Account command from the Command Prompt from here if needed.
This tells you how to access the System Recovery Options and/or from a Vista DVD
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/326b756b-1601-435e-99d0-1585439470351033.mspx
If you can't access your old account you can still use an Admin to migrate to a new one (remember to always
leave an Admin Account that is unused except to test and fix).
Fix a corrupted user profile
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-AU/help/769495bf-035c-4764-a538-c9b05c22001e1033.mspx
---------------------------------------------------------
If needed :
Ophcrack is a free Windows password cracker based on rainbow tables.
http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/
How to Reset a Windows Vista Password - Trinity Rescue Kit Method - Password Reset Disk - Burn ISO
http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-a-Windows-Vista-Password
YouTube Video on how to use the Trinity Rescue Kit
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trinity+rescue+kit&search_type=&aq=f
Reset Your Forgotten Password the Easy Way Using the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/reset-your-forgotten-password-the-easy-way-using-the-ultimate-boot-cd-for-windows/
Offline NT Password & Reset Editor
http://home.eunet.no/~pnordahl/ntpasswd/
Hope this helps.
Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right. Thank you VERY MUCH for your reply. I have copied your notes and downloaded the Triniity program onto a usb drive. I'll take it home and try it tonight.
Thank you again!!
DaziCan I also use a flash drive to boot from? Or do I have to use a cd? I cannot seem to download the softward on a cd. I also tried safe mode, and Vista still prompts me for a password. I'm soo upset! Thanks for any help!
- Hi - I am in trouble. XP Pro and my son reset my admin password and cannot / will not remember it! Of course I have not made the password reset disk mentioned above, so have no idea what to do next. Any of the above mentioned links right for my situation? The F8 interupt and multiple admin account setup seems somewhat prone to error (mine) but happy to try it if this is the only way to avoid a re-build.
Any help gratefully received.
cheers, - If you have forgotten your password, if you have another user account with administrative privileges you can log into that account and change your original user account's password from the User Accounts applet in Control Panel. If you don't have another account like this set up or don't have the password to it, you'll need to log into the built-in Administrator account. In XP Home, boot the computer into Safe Mode. Do this by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the computer is starting up. This will get you to the right menu. Navigate using your Up arrow key; the mouse will not work here. Once in Safe Mode, you will see the normally hidden Administrator account. The default password is a blank.
In XP Pro, you do not need to go into Safe Mode. At the Welcome Screen, do Ctrl-Alt-Del twice to get the classic Windows logon box. Type in "Administrator" and whatever password you assigned when you set up Windows.
If you reset the built-in Administrator account's password in Home or have Pro and don't remember the password, use NTpasswd to change the built-in Administrator account's password to a blank. Download the bootable CD .iso, burn with third-party burning software such as Roxio, Nero, or the free ImgBurn . Burn as an image, not as data. Boot with the media you created. You may need to change the boot order in the BIOS or get a temporary boot order menu with a special keypress. NTpasswd will run. Follow the instructions carefully.
http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/
Then go to the User Accounts applet in Control Panel and set passwords that you will remember and make other desired changes. WRITE THE PASSWORDS DOWN AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE YOU WON'T LOSE THEM. And have a talk with your son.
MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! Hi - I am in trouble. XP Pro and my son reset my admin password and cannot / will not remember it! Of course I have not made the password reset disk mentioned above, so have no idea what to do next. Any of the above mentioned links right for my situation? The F8 interupt and multiple admin account setup seems somewhat prone to error (mine) but happy to try it if this is the only way to avoid a re-build.
Any help gratefully received.
cheers,
This is the wrong place to ask about breaking passwords. There is a user agreement in force against any post on that. We have all accepted that to make our passport ID valid here. You will probably do better with google.Rating posts helps other usersMark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
